Not ‘Japan’s Beethoven’

A music professor named Takashi Niigaki stepped forward to say that he has been Samuragochi’s “ghost writer” for at least 10 years, which means he is the author of Samuragochi’s best-known works.

In addition, figure skater Daisuke Takahashi planned to use Samuragochi’s “Sonatina for Violin” for his short program at the Sochi Olympics.

Takahashi announced that he still plans to use the music but will leave Samuragochi’s name off the program. Several days later, it was reported that Samuragochi may not even be deaf, which is how he earned the Beethoven comparison.

According to the “story,” Samuragochi suffered a seizure when he was 35 and quickly lost his hearing. In addition, he has to wear dark glasses because bright lights make his ears ring.

He also walks with a cane and says he has difficulty with his left arm, which is bound with athletic tape. A number of media, in reporting the story, have speculated that Samuragochi manufactured or at least exaggerated many of his physical disabilities to make his “story” more interesting, and the subterfuge paid off.

His “Hiroshima Symphony” (his parents were exposed to the atomic bombing, a part of his story that is apparently true) sold more than 180,000 copies in CD form.

He has also championed a teenage violinist who was born with only one arm, writing a piece expressly for her that also became a bestseller.

In fact, it was Samuragochi’s involvement with the violinist that prompted Niigaki to finally come forward, as he had known the girl and her family since she was a little girl and feels somewhat responsible for Samuragochi’s relationship with them.

On Feb. 12, Samuragochi released an eight-page apology to the press in which he expressed regret for his lies and even said that his hearing started to improve about three years ago.

If that’s true, he could be prosecuted for fraud by the government, as his deafness qualified him for public assistance.