Rock singer Kiyoshiro Imawano passed away from lymphoma last night. He was 58 years old.

Imawano's musical career began in 1968, when he formed RC Succession with his classmates. The band debuted in 1970 with the song Takarakuji wa Kawanai. The band saw a continuous string of hits, which included Boku no Sukina Sensei in 1972 and Ame Agari no Yozora ni.

Imawano collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto in 1982 to release the single I-ke-na-i Rouge Magic, which set the Japanese music scene on fire. Imawano was hailed as a "rock god" as his song became a phenomenon across Japan. Imawano's career expanded from music into films and commercials as it progressed. In 2003, Imawano provided the ending theme, Bicycle Show Song for Nasu: Summer in Andalusia.

Imawano was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in July 2006 and admitted to hospital. After treatment, he held a comeback concert at Tokyo's Budokan in February 2008. However, in July of the same year, it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to one of his pelvic bones, and Imawano was forced to put it on hold to undergo radiation therapy.

Imawano leaves a powerful message in his belief that that music should be "a stimulus of the era." He is survived by his wife, Keiko Kurihara. Funeral services will be held on May 9, at 1PM at Aoyama Sogisho in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

The staff at Anime Dream extend their deepest condolences to the friends and family of Imawano-san.