The man once lauded as “Japan’s Beethoven” bowed repeatedly and apologised on Friday at his first media appearance since it was revealed last month that his famed musical compositions were ghost-written and he wasn’t completely deaf.
Mamoru Samuragochi apologised for the troubles he had caused his fans, producers behind his works and others.
“I will speak the truth,” he told reporters, looking contrite in a dark jacket. “I will make this my last appearance on TV.”
Mr. Samuragochi said his hearing had been recovering from about three years ago, but denied he was posturing as deaf, and said he still had hearing problems.
Olympian figure-skater Daisuke Takahashi used a Samuragochi tune at the Sochi games. The disclosure that Mr. Samuragochi might have been an impostor has been major news in Japan after he had been featured in mainstream Japanese TV shows. CD sales of music credited to him has surged since the scandal erupted.
Mr. Samuragochi had been celebrated as overcoming severe hearing disabilities to compose and arrange the classical works.
