Former X Japan bassist TAIJI(沢田泰司) dies at 45

Sawada Taiji(沢田泰司), the former bassist of rock band X Japan, passed away on July 17 at a hospital in Saipan. He was 45 years old.

According to media reports from Saipan, TAIJI was riding in business class on Delta Flight 298 from Narita to Saipan on July 11. He began causing a commotion, such as bickering with a female passenger, beating on the windows, and kicking the seat in front of him. A female cabin attendant attempted to stop him, but TAIJI kicked her as well. He was finally restrained within the cabin, and upon arriving in Saipan he was immediately arrested by local police.

On July 13, he appeared in court for a hearing, and he was placed back into custody. A second hearing was scheduled for July 15, but on the night before that he attempted suicide while in detention. As a result, he had to be transported to the intensive care unit of a local hospital, and it is said that he had remained in an unconscious state. TAIJI was on life support, but family members who arrived at the hospital gave their consent to remove him from life support. He died on July 17, 2011.

TAIJI became official member of X Japan in 1986, and he later left in 1992. After that, he played in several bands such as Loudness, D.T.R., and Cloud Nine. In August 2010, he participated as a guest in X Japan’s concerts at the Nissan Stadium.



Source: tokyograph.com