Mariya Takeuchi

A singer-songwriter whose warm, melodic instincts gave city pop some of its most enduring songs, Takeuchi married Tatsuro Yamashita in 1982 and worked closely with him as producer and arranger. Her 1984 album "Variety" included "Plastic Love," a track that drew little attention on release but became, decades later, the global face of the genre. Her writing balanced bright pop craft with an undertow of melancholy that aged unexpectedly well.