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Yoshiki Responds Following Reports of X Japan Bassist Heath Passing Away Due to Cancer
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
YOSHIKI gave a response on Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter) following a report by Shogakukan's Josei Seven magazine that Japanese band X Japan's bassist Heath (real name Hiroshi Morie, age 55) had died of cancer in October. YOSHIKI stated that the report had come out despite the wishes of relatives. He did not confirm nor deny the report, nor did he clarify about whom he was speaking. However, he did include #HEATH on his Twitter post:
今､自分はNYにいます。 親族の意思とは別に、メンバーのことが 一部、報道が出てしまったようです。親族の方々と順を追って、これまでのこと、これからのこと、を話し合っているところです。少し時間をください。 自分の気持ちは、それを終えたのちに話します。#YOSHIKI
#XJAPAN #HEATH(@YoshikiOfficial)November 7
On November 3, X JAPAN frontman YOSHIKI announced on his Twitter and Instagram accounts that he had to cancel an appearance to receive an award in San Francisco, and that he decided to quickly return to Japan because "someone close to me passed away."
According to Josei Seven's article, an acquaintance of Heath had said that Heath had been feeling unwell since the start of the year, and when he went to the doctor, they found out that he had cancer. However, by the time the cancer was discovered, it had already progressed to a very advanced stage.
Josei Seven reported that shortly after his diagnosis, Heath passed away in late October. According to Josei Seven's sources, it was all sudden, and Heath did not get the chance to inform the other band members of his illness.
Heath, whose real name is Hiroshi Morie, was born on January 22, 1968 in Amagasaki in Hyogo prefecture. He joined X Japan in 1992, replacing Taiji Sawada.
X Japan's most notable anime contributions were the songs in the X² music video collection and later X movie. The animation Studio Madhouse adapted both productions from CLAMP's X manga. Four band members — Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama, Yoshiki Hayashi, Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka, and Hiroshi "Heath" Morie — reunited in 2007, 10 years after they first disbanded and nine years after the death of guitarist Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto.
Update: Updated with information from Josei Seven and YOSHIKI's Instagram account.
Sources: YOSHIKI's X/Twitter account, Oricon News, Music Natalie
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