Even after he was widowed in 1997, continued to write essays, contribute articles and conduct lectures as if in good health, but on November 27, 2000, he died from acute heart failure.
1997年に妻と死別した後も随筆・寄稿や講演会出演などで健在ぶりを示していたが2000年11月27日に急性心不全のため逝去。