Apr 27, 2011 “I want to express my thanks to you forever, but it is getting hard to breathe…”
Yoshiko Tanaka (at right in the first image), best known as Sue-chan from the ’70s idol group Candies and from her starring role in Shohei Imamura’s Black Rain, passed away last week at age 55 after a battle with breast cancer.
In a final farewell, recorded from her hospital bed and played at her funeral Monday, she tearfully thanks her Candies fans and group mates, lists her unfulfilled dreams, and declares her mission in heaven: to be of service to the victims of the March 11 disaster.
If you feel like crying, you can read the Asahi Weekly‘s writeup, which includes an English translation of her message, or watch video of her husband playing the recording during Monday’s services.