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About 2,400 mourners on Sunday attended the funeral of former Candies singer Yoshiko Tanaka, who died of breast cancer on April 21 at the age of 55. Her funeral in Aoyama drew celebrities who came to pay their respects to the industry legend. A separate altar was also arranged for fans who had gathered to say farewell to Tanaka.
The Candies were extremely popular in the 1970s. The group consisted of Ran Ito, called Ran, Miki Fujimura, called Miki, and Yoshiko Tanaka, called Sue. The trio debuted in 1973 and went on to release a series of hit songs, including ‘‘Toshishita no Otokonoko’’ (Younger Boy), to become an idol group symbolic of the era.
The group dissolved in 1978 at the height of its popularity. The trio’s farewell concert at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall in April that year drew about 50,000 fans.
Ito, 56, told the press after the funeral: "I'm glad I was able to stay by her side until the end. She struggled for 7 hours. She is finally at peace."
© Compiled from news reports
7 Comments
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herefornow
I think she actually struggled for years with her recurring cancer. I sincerely hope she is at peace, as Ito says.
borscht
I liked her acting more than her singing but her singing got her into acting so, rest in peace, young lady.
goddog
Too young. RIP
seesaw2
Japan has the best technology for breast cancer, I'm sad she couldn't be saved. I think Japanese women should be more conscious about regular breast check ups and shouldn't feel embrassed about it.
veilside
I was living in Japan in the mid-70's and watched the "Candies" on TV from my dorm room. Fell in love with "Ran-chan"! May Ms. Tanaka RIP.
snowgirl
@seesaw2, I don't think that Japanese women are at all embarrassed to have breast cancer checks. Despite wonderful technology, in many countries, breast cancer is still a killer, and probably always will be.
yabits
I was sad to hear this news. Candies were popular when I first got to Japan, and liked their song "Yasashii Akuma" enough to get the single, which I still have and enjoy.
My condolences to the family of Ms. Tanaka, as well as to all her friends.