Yo Hitoto

Born to a Taiwanese father and Japanese mother in Japan Hitoto Yo lived in Taiwan until her kindergarten years upon which her family returned to Japan. Losing both parents in succession prior to - father to lung cancer at age six - and during - mother at age sixteen - her teenage years, Yo was taken care of by her older sister of six years, who was an actress, but it was not long before her multiple talents surfaced and she was off to becoming a singer. Having adopted her mother's maiden name, and dropped the Yan surname, Yo attended Keio University and studied Environmental Sciences. She sang as an amateur and did backup vocals and signed to Columbia Japan and released a single, called Morai Naki, which propelled her to stardom and even helped her record company turn an annual profit. Not forgetting the commercial potential of her Taiwanese background her second album featured a Chinese folk song, Bang Chhun-Hong, and even a tribute to her debut's film director. However, being raised in Japan she also was soon taking part and contributing to product commercials hawking products like beer. Similarly, she soon branched into movies and starred as Yoko in the Japanese movie Café Lumière, a tribute to the eminent director Ozu Yasujiro, which was directed by the Taiwanese Hou Hsiao-Hsien. The film depicts Hitoto as a Japanese citizen who has recently returned from Taiwan. Hitoto, and co-star Tadanobu Asano, attended the Venice Film Festival in 2004. She was caught in an affair with a married man - musician, record company executive and Hitoto's producer Kobayashi Takeshi - four years later, which lead to the man's divorce and the announcement that Hitoto and Takeshi will officially be together. Hitoto has a dozen studio, live and compilation J-Pop albums to her name, although has scaled back her activities lately.