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X Japan Leader Yoshiki to Undergo Surgery

YOSHIKI, leader of rock band X Japan, will undergo emergency cervical artificial disc replacement surgery on May 16 in Los Angeles. All of his scheduled activity for May has been cancelled, and future events may be cancelled or rescheduled based on discussions after YOSHIKI's surgery.

YOSHIKI was diagnosed with cervical foraminal stenosis (narrowing of the cervical disc space) in 2009 and previously underwent treatment for the condition. His symptoms reappeared last October, and by his New York City performances in January he had lost sensation in his left hand.

X Japan went on hiatus in February 2016 following the hospitalization of guitarist Pata. YOSHIKI has continued to appear at numerous events around the world to perform and to promote X Japan's documentary film, "We are X."

X Japan's most notable anime contributions were the songs in the X² music video collection and later X movie. The animation Studio Madhouse adapted both productions from CLAMP's X manga. The surviving band members — Toshimitsu "Toshi" Deyama, YOSHIKI Hayashi, Tomoaki "Pata" Ishizuka, and Hiroshi "Heath" Morie — reunited in 2007, ten years after they first disbanded and nine years after the death of guitarist Hideto "Hide" Matsumoto.