Luna Sea Drummer Shinya Dies at 56; Powerful Drummer Behind ‘Desire,’ Other Hits

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:46 JST, February 23, 2026

Shinya, the drummer for the popular rock band Luna Sea, died on Tuesday at 56, the group’s official site said Monday.

The Kanagawa Prefecture native, whose full name is Shinya Yamada, had been a member of the band since it was formed in 1989. He was known for his powerful drumming for the band, which released “Desire” and many other hit songs. Outside the band, he also performed as a singer.

In September last year, he announced that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He subsequently found out that he also had brain cancer.