Sir Lucian Grainge used a Tokyo awards week appearance to put Japan’s music export potential in front of artists, songwriters, publishers, and rights holders at a moment when UMG’s Japanese roster is already winning at home and abroad.
Grainge takes Japan’s music case to Tokyo
Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge returned to Tokyo this week to celebrate Japan’s creative talent and attend the second annual Music Awards Japan, organized by the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association. At an official gala ahead of the ceremony, Grainge delivered remarks, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also spoke, according to UMG.
Grainge also met artists, songwriters, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, including Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ryosei Akazawa. Akazawa said in a post on X that Grainge remarked Japan’s music industry has strong global potential from both cultural and market perspectives, and that they agreed to work together with the United States to strengthen the international expansion of music originating from Japan.
UMG artists claim the top prizes
UMG artists Fujii Kaze and Mrs. GREEN APPLE won two of the top prizes at the Tokyo ceremony on Saturday, June 13. Fujii Kaze won Best Album for Prema, while Mrs. GREEN APPLE was named Best Artist.
The wins were not a one-off for the acts. Mrs. GREEN APPLE also took the top artist prize at the inaugural awards in 2025, while Fujii Kaze won the top album award that year for LOVE ALL SERVE ALL.
Japan’s awards platform keeps growing
Music Awards Japan launched in 2025 and is voted on by more than 5,000 music professionals from Japan and abroad. This year’s edition spanned around 70 award categories, and the event drew around 1,000 guests.
Grainge said Japan has always been one of the world’s greatest music nations, citing its creativity, passionate fans, and artists and songwriters who continually push boundaries. He also congratulated CEIPA and those who helped bring Music Awards Japan to life, saying the awards’ return for a second year reflects Japan’s creative strength and the growing opportunity for Japanese artists to reach new audiences around the world.
What publishers and rights holders will watch next
Mrs. GREEN APPLE and Fujii Kaze are both signed to Universal Music Japan, where UMG operates in Japan. The company describes itself as the market leader in Japan, the world’s second-largest recorded music market after the US, and Japan returned to growth in 2025 with recorded music revenues rising 8.9% year-on-year, according to IFPI.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s recent momentum also gives the story added weight for rights holders: the band was Japan’s best-selling act last year, the No. 2 act in Asia behind South Korea’s Stray Kids, and became the first act in J-pop history to surpass 10 billion cumulative domestic streams in July 2025, according to Billboard Japan.
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