Yumi Ito, the younger member of the pop duo Peanuts, comprising identical twin sisters, died May 18, a person related to her former management office said Monday. She was 75.
Ito and her sister Emi formed The Peanuts and made their recording debut in 1959 with "Kawaii Hana," a cover song of jazz saxophonist Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur," after they were discovered while singing at a nightclub in Nagoya in their native Aichi Prefecture.
Known for their beautiful vocal harmony, the Peanuts delighted fans with numerous hit songs, movie appearances and performances on popular TV shows mainly in the 1960s. They played Shobijin (Little Beauties) in the "Mothra" movie series.
The Peanuts ended their career in 1975 and Emi died in 2012.
