Popular singer Haruo Minami, best known for his performances of "Tokyo Gorin Ondo" ("Tokyo Olympics Chorus") and "Sekai no Kunikara Konnichiwa" ("Good Afternoon From Countries of the World"), died of prostate cancer Saturday afternoon at a Tokyo hospital, his family said. He was 77.

Minami, whose real name was Bunji Kitazume, entered the Japan Rokyoku School in 1939. Rokyoku is a type of traditional music also known as "naniwa-bushi." After graduating, Minami made his debut as a professional recitor of "rokyoku."

Minami was among many Japanese who were detained by the Soviet Union in Siberia after the end of World War II.