Japanese pop signer Kaori Kawamura, who rose to fame at age 17 with her single ZOO, died yesterday at the age of 38 after a five-year battle with breast cancer.

Kawamura, also known as an anti-breast cancer activist, started her professional singing career in 1988 with her debut single ‘‘ZOO’’ at the age of 17. In 2004, she was diagnosed as suffering from breast cancer and underwent surgery. Kawamura wrote last year on her blog that her cancer had spread to her lungs, lymph nodes and bones.