In 1998, he decided to make one last cinematic movie for the studio production "New Karajishi Co., Ltd." for the first time in a while, but he was hospitalized one week after filming it. Maeda died of liver failure on May 3, 1998. He was 63 years old. The filmed "New Karashishi Co., Ltd." was successfully completed and released by director Hideo Nanbu and screenwriter Hidetaka Nagahama, who were studying under director Maeda before. Directors Nanbu and writer Nagahama are credited as "cooperative directors", but they are still collaborated with by Yoichi Maeda.