The Japanese music scene suffered a major loss in the morning of Oct. 9 with the passing of Boom Boom Satellites lead vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima, 47, according to an announcement on the duo's official website posted earlier Tuesday.

The band announced last year that Kawashima had a fourth brain tumor relapse and that they would halt their activities as Boom Boom Satellites after the release of "Lay Your Hands on Me," which they successfully managed to put out in June.

The other half of the act, Masayuki Nakano, wrote the following on their Facebook page: "I imagine he is soaring around the world, finally freed from the restrictions of his body. His passing is not a tragedy, but the achievement of a lifetime goal and a happy ending."

Known for their high-energy electronic-meets-rock tunes — and their powerful live sets — Boom Boom Satellites made their debut in 1990, and the duo is one of the few major acts that successfully crossed over to the international circuit with fan bases scattered across the globe.

Nakano fittingly ended the announcement with a message of appreciation to the fans.

"Thank you for supporting us up until now," the message said. "Live your lives with passion and energy and keep the music we made, the time we spent together and the memories we shared close to you. One more thing, we are BOOM BOOM SATELLITES!!"

Kawashima is survived by his wife, actress Risa Sudo, and their two children.