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7/13/2026

Sakanaction kicked off the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN with a performance of "Kaiju." CEIPA / MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN

Japan’s largest international music awards event, MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 (MAJ), took place on Saturday, June 13 at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO and SGC Hall Ariake (TOKYO DREAM PARK). MAJ was organized and produced by CEIPA, an incorporated association established jointly by five industry bodies: the Recording Industry Association of Japan, Japan Association of Music Enterprises, Federation of Music Producers Japan, Music Publishers Association of Japan, and All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference. Now in its second year, the awards operate under the concept of “Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music,” with winners selected through a rigorous voting process involving more than 5,000 industry figures.

To lead up to the ceremony, MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN week offered a wide range of programming with performances, showcases, and seminars, including Billboard Global Power Players 2026. The Power Players event continued Billboard’s efforts to honor leading executives from the industry. This programming spanned Friday, June 5 through Saturday, June 13 across Tokyo and Osaka. On the night itself, the ceremony unfolded across three segments: the Premiere Ceremony, red carpet, and Grand Ceremony — with winners announced across all 78 categories. The Grand Ceremony was broadcast live on NHK and streamed worldwide (excluding select regions) via global project partner YouTube, with short-form content also produced for social media, reaching domestic and international audiences across television, streaming, and social platforms.

The six major category winners were: Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” (Song of the Year), Fujii Kaze’s Prema (Album of the Year), Mrs. GREEN APPLE (Artist of the Year), and HANA (New Artist of the Year). XG’s “HYPNOTIZE” took Best Global Hit from Japan, honoring a domestic song that became a worldwide hit, while HUNTR/X’s “Golden” from South Korea won Best Song Asia, recognizing outstanding tracks from across the region.

Actor Masaki Suda returned for a second year as Grand Ceremony host. He guided Japan’s largest music awards with a composed presence, warmly celebrating the honorees and performers throughout the evening. Performances were delivered by FRUITS ZIPPER, Fujii Kaze, HANA, Hitsujibungaku, Kenshi Yonezu, M!LK,  MISAMO, Mrs. GREEN APPLE, Sakanaction and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra with special guests LiSA, TAKUMA (10-FEET), and AiNA THE END. Sam Smith‘s appearance on stage marked a significant milestone — the inaugural ceremony in 2025 featured only Japanese artists and the stage expanded internationally for the first time this year.

Sakanaction kicked off the night’s festivities with a performance of “Kaiju,” the opener of the anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, to set the tone for the evening. Kenshi Yonezu followed, delivering “IRIS OUT,” the theme for the animated film Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, from a specially constructed outdoor stage. The performance drew widespread attention for its dance sequences in white and red and its playful staging. HANA gave a dramatic performance of “NON STOP” and “ROSE,” M!LK brought high energy to the stage with “Sukisugite Metsu!,” and Sam Smith filled the venue with an expressive vocal performance of “My Guy” that underscored the power of music beyond borders.

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra closed the first half, opening quietly with “Lupin the Third ’78 Theme” as a tribute to Yuji Ohno, who passed away in May. The band then launched into a run of collaborations: “Gurenge” with LiSA, “Dai Zero Kan” with TAKUMA (10-FEET), and “On The Way” with AiNA THE END in rapid succession, their jubilant brass carrying the venue’s energy to a fever pitch.

The second half opened with Mrs. GREEN APPLE performing “KUSUSHIKI.” A fusion of solemn footage filmed at Kyoto’s Heian Jingu Shrine and live performance drew the audience instantly into the world of the song. Hitsujibungaku followed with “Dogs.” Bringing the night to a close, Fujii Kaze performed the title track from album of the year winner Prema with a full band arrangement, sending the night out in style.

The impact of the ceremony was also reflected in the numbers. According to research by Billboard Japan using data from Luminate, of the 27 songs that won in song categories, 26 (96.3%) saw domestic streaming figures surpass the previous week’s tallies, a significant jump from 77.8% the year before. On the international streaming side, 12 of the 27 songs outperformed the prior week, with the absolute figures coming in at approximately seven times last year’s level. The figures suggest that more international listeners may have discovered Japanese music through the awards this year than ever before, pointing to MAJ’s emergence as a gateway for Japanese music to find its audience worldwide. True to its founding concept — “Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music” — MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 proved to be a night that vividly captured both the vitality of the domestic scene and its expanding presence in the Asian and global markets.

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 — Six Major Category Winners
Song of the Year: “Kaiju” Sakanaction

Artist of the Year: Mrs. GREEN APPLE

New Artist of the year: HANA

Album of the Year: Prema by Fujii Kaze

Best Global Hit from Japan: “HYPNOTIZE” by XG

Best Song Asia: [South Korea] “Golden” HUNTR/X

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