Japan’s social media star cat famous for resembling singer Takashi Hosokawa dies
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- Isobe Norio, a cat who became popular in Japan for resembling enka singer Takashi Hosokawa, died of an illness in July.
- The former street cat gained attention after its owner posted a photo of it beside Hosokawa’s image in 2024.
- Norio had feline immunodeficiency virus when it was adopted by a confectionery shop owner in Aichi Prefecture in 2022.
Isobe Norio, the Japanese cat whose distinctive head markings made it look like enka singer Takashi Hosokawa, has died of an illness in July.
Norio became a social media favorite after its owner posted a photo of the cat beside a photo of Hosokawa in 2024. The fur pattern on the crown of Norio’s head gave it a striking resemblance to the singer.
The cat had once lived on the streets before a Japanese confectionery shop owner in Aichi Prefecture adopted it in winter 2022. Norio was suffering from feline immunodeficiency virus, also known as feline AIDS, when it found a home.
About this summary
Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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