According to Yahoo! Japan, X Japan bassist Hiroshi “Heath” Morie passed away at the age of 55 after a battle with cancer. He had been dealing with health issues since the beginning of the year and was diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, the disease had progressed significantly by the time of the diagnosis, and Heath didn’t have the chance to inform his bandmates about his condition. X Japan leader Yoshiki canceled a scheduled appearance for November 1st at the 37th Award of Honor gala in San Francisco, stating an unexpected family loss, which was later revealed to be Heath’s passing. Despite the band’s inactivity in recent years, Heath remained hopeful about resuming activities until the end. Our thoughts go with Heath’s family and friends during this difficult time.