TOKYO (ANN/JAPAN NEWS) – Japan is set to launch an international music awards ceremony next year, envisioned as Asia’s answer to the Grammy Awards. The Music Awards Japan, spearheaded by five music organisations including the Recording Industry Association of Japan, will debut with its first event in Kyoto next May.
The initiative was proposed by Shunichi Tokura, Commissioner of the Cultural Affairs Agency, with the goal of showcasing the rich musical talent of Japan and other Asian countries to the global stage.
The inaugural awards will see approximately 5,000 music industry professionals voting for songs and artists featured in the Japanese charts between January 29 this year and January 26 next year. The ceremony will feature six main categories such as best song and best album, alongside special awards for Japanese tracks that have gained international acclaim and songs popular across Asia. Over 60 awards will be presented, spanning genres like hip-hop, enka, and kayokyoku.
“I’d like to make the awards a celebration to share the potential of music with the world,” said Tatsuya Nomura, President of the Federation of Music Producers Japan and head of the awards’ organising committee.
