桂米丸さん死去、９９歳　現役最高齢の落語家

　現役最高齢の落語家で長年、落語芸術協会会長を務めた桂米丸（かつら・よねまる、本名須川勇＝すがわ・いさむ）さんが１日午後４時４５分、老衰のため、東京都内の病院で死去した。９９歳だった。横浜市出身。葬儀は近親者で済ませた。喪主は長女倉田信子（くらた・のぶこ）さん、次女平井（ひらい）いずみさん。
　１９４６年に古今亭今輔に入門。４９年に四代目桂米丸を襲名し、真打ちとなった。新作落語一筋で、代表作に「相合傘」「電車風景」など。テレビ番組の司会などでも人気を集めた。７６～９９年まで落語芸術協会（当初は日本芸術協会）の会長を務め、後進を指導。２０００年、最高顧問に就任した。
　弟子に桂歌丸さん（１８年死去）、桂米助さんら。１９年９月の東京・新宿末広亭が寄席定席での最後の高座となった。
　９２年に紫綬褒章、９８年旭日小綬章を受章した。（2024/08/05-13:14）

Katsura Yonemaru IV, the oldest active rakugoka professional comic storyteller, died of natural causes at a hospital in Tokyo on Thursday. He was 99.
   A native of the city of Yokohama, near the Japanese capital, Katsura, whose real name was Isamu Sugawa, had led Rakugo Geijutsu Kyokai, a rakugoka association, for more than two decades.
   After studying rakugo, an art of traditional Japanese comic storytelling, under Kokontei Imasuke from 1946, he assumed the stage name of Katsura Yonemaru IV and was promoted to "shinuchi," the highest rank in the professional rakugo world, in 1949. He also earned popularity as host of many television programs.
   Katsura became head of the rakugoka association in 1976 and mentored a number of younger rakugoka storytellers. He stepped down from the post in 1999 and became supreme adviser at the association the following year.
   Katsura was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1992 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 1998.