Kyu Sakamoto’s Widow Yukiko Kashiwagi Talks About 40 Years Since JAL Plane Crash

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:42 JST, August 12, 2025

Actress Yukiko Kashiwagi, who lost her husband, well-known singer Kyu Sakamoto, in a Japan Airlines passenger plane crash on Aug. 12, 1985, told The Yomiuri Shimbun that she has been focusing on enjoying every moment like there’s no tomorrow ever since the accident.

Kashiwagi and Sakamoto had married in December 1971 and were blessed with two daughters. But their happy days together were cut short by Sakamoto’s death. He was 43.

Kashiwagi, 77, said she suffered a great sense of loss. “My mind became empty. I could not do a thing,” she said.

Her grief was endless, but she had to focus on raising her daughters who were still in elementary school at that time. Thinking that she cannot just keep on crying, Kashiwagi returned to work the year after the accident. Through television appearances, lectures and other opportunities, she has talked about her memories of Sakamoto and encourages others to cherish spending time with their family.

As 40 years have passed since the accident, Kashiwagi said she feels the passage of time as the number of people who do not know about the accident has increased.

Currently, she performs Sakamoto’s songs at concerts together with her daughters, who now work in the entertainment industry. “It is our mission to continue spreading his songs and charm. I hope my husband will continue to watch over us from heaven,” she said.