Yusuke Natsu passes away at 59

Actor Yusuke Natsu died of stomach cancer on Wednesday morning at a hospital in Itabashi, Tokyo. He was 59.

Natsu, whose real name was Hisayuki Taura, was in poor health this past fall. At the end of the year, he underwent surgery.

Natsu was once part of a band with singer Akiko Wada (59). When Wada made her professional debut in 1969, Natsu moved to Tokyo, where he became the keyboardist for the popular “group sounds” band OX. He later debuted as an actor in one of the “Noraneko Rock” films.

In 1974, Natsu got his big break when he co-starred with actress Kimiko Ikegami (51) in the television drama “Junai Sanga: Ai to Makoto,” an adaptation of the “Ai to Makoto” manga. Starting in 1980, he landed a solid supporting role in the long-running “Tokusou Saizensen” series, and two years later he married actress Megumi Ito (60), who was also on the show. Their daughter, Chisaki Aihana, is currently part of the Takarazuka’s Cosmos Troupe.

Source:
Sankei Sports