He has always been very confident about his health,” said Kenichi Mikawa, “but this year he was diagnosed with two major illnesses. Kenichi Mikawa apologized for the cancellation of his performances with a photo of him holding his hands together, ” said a source in the entertainment industry who knows the singer and TV personality Kenichi Mikawa (79). On November 13, Mikawa’s personal office announced on his official website that he is suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Mikawa had appeared on singing shows until August of this year, but in September she complained of dizziness and other symptoms and went to a medical facility, where she was diagnosed with sinus failure syndrome, a type of heart disease. On the 11th of the same month, she underwent surgery to have a pacemaker implanted in her heart, and her symptoms seemed to have improved. After the surgery, he was scheduled to stay in the hospital for about a week, just for postoperative follow-up. However, she subsequently had to withdraw from two events in late September that she was scheduled to perform at, and her appearance at the 52nd Music Festival in October, sponsored by the Japan Singers Association, was also cancelled. In October, the “Kenichi Mikawa XMAS CONCERT 2025” scheduled for December 6 was canceled. After the announcement, Mikawa himself updated his SNS and blog, posting a photo of himself with his hands clasped in apology, saying, “I apologize for the anxiety I have caused you. The official website also explained the reason for the cancellation: “He needs time to stabilize his pacemaker. The official website also reported that the reason for the cancellation was that “the pacemaker needs time to stabilize,” and that “the patient is doing fine, so please rest assured. However, she again withdrew from the November 16 performance, when she was scheduled to return to the stage. A few days after this, it was announced that Ms. Mikawa was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.” (Sports newspaper reporter) During her rehabilitation after the surgery, she felt discomfort and underwent another thorough examination, which revealed the disease. Toshihiko Shimizu, director of the Tokyo Shiodome Clinic, explains Parkinson’s disease in this way. The disease is caused by a decrease in dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. Dopamine is a kind of “lubricant” that helps the body move. As dopamine decreases, facial expression disappears and, in more advanced stages of the disease, motor problems appear, such as difficulty walking.
Tokyo, JP