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Legendary Japanese singer-songwriter and composer known for her poetic lyrics and diverse musical styles.Debuted in 1972 under maiden name Yumi Arai. Married musician Masataka Matsutoya in 1976, adopting current stage name. Released over 40 studio albums, selling 40+ million records. Composed themes for 1998 Nagano Olympics and Studio Ghibli films. Received Medal of Honor from Japanese government (2019).

• Changed artistic identity after marriage in 1976, shifting from folk to sophisticated pop-rock sound
• Faced plagiarism accusations in 2006 over song similarities to Finnish folk tune; lawsuit was dismissed
• Maintained extreme privacy, rarely giving interviews or appearing on TV since 1990s
• Composed 'Carrying You' for Studio Ghibli's 'Laputa: Castle in the Sky' (1986), launching animation music career