My father, Tokiyoshi Harada, who has died aged 71, was nicknamed Kuma – meaning bear in Japanese – owing to his tall stature. As a bassist, Kuma was known for his pared-back groove and as a pioneer for Japanese musicians establishing careers outside the country.
Born in Sapporo to Sakae Harada, who worked in advertising, and Yoshie (nee Ichishima), Kuma was the youngest of four children and attended Yamahana elementary school. He completed his studies on the road, choosing to attend a travelling musical high school founded by the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) movement and based in Odawara, performing as part of its Sing Out Japan group. Afterwards, he got a job performing on the popular music show Stage 101 on the TV channel NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai).
