Born in Tokyo, Japan; educated at the University of the Arts, Tokyo (music). One of the few figures in contemporary Japanese popular music to have found an international audience, first with the successful Yellow Magic Orchestra. Sakamoto began composing for films in 1983 with MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE, in which he also portrayed Captain Yonoi, and won an Oscar® for the haunting score of THE LAST EMPEROR (1987, in which he portrayed Masahiko Amakasu), co-written with David Byrne and Cong Su. Other film composing credits include THE HANDMAID'S TALE and THE SHELTERING SKY (both 1990), WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1992), "Wild Palms" (TV mini-series) and LITTLE BUDDHA (both 1993), WILD SIDE (1995), SNAKE EYES (1998), GOHATTO / TABOO (1999), DERRIDA, ALEXEI TO IZUMO / ALEXEI AND THE SPRING, and FEMME FATALE (all 2002), LOS RUBIOS / THE BLONDS and LIFE IS JOURNEY (both 2003), APPURUSHÎDO / APPLESEED, ORIGINAL CHILD BOMB and TONY TAKITANI (all 2004), HOSHI NI NATTA SHONEN / SHINING BOY & LITTLE RANDY and ZARIN (both 2005), and SILK (2007).  Best Achievement in Music (Original Score) 1987: THE LAST EMPEROR (w. David Byrne and Cong Su) 1 nomination, 1 Award