MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 unveils nominees ahead of Tokyo ceremony

By AI, Created 9:57 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN has revealed the nominees for its 2026 awards, with winners set to be announced June 13 at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO. The event is positioning Japanese music for a bigger global audience and will be paired with a week of concerts and programming across Tokyo.

Why it matters: - MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN is trying to raise the global profile of Japanese music. - The 2026 awards put major Japanese artists, albums and songs in front of an international audience. - The ceremony will also highlight Asian acts beyond Japan through the Best Song Asia category.

What happened: - MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN revealed the full nominee list on Thursday, April 30, for categories to be awarded in June. - The winners will be announced at the Grand Ceremony on Saturday, June 13, at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO in Tokyo. - MAJ ambassadors Kento Nakajima and Mei Hata introduced the nominees from TOKYO NODE on the top floor of Toranomon Hills. - The awards include six major categories: Songs of the Year, Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Global Hit from Japan and Best Song Asia. - A full list of nominees is available here. - The full MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN WEEK program is also listed here.

The details: - Song of the Year nominees are HANA with “Blue Jeans,” Kenshi Yonezu with “IRIS OUT,” Sakanaction with “Kaiju,” AiNA THE END with “On The Way” and M!LK with “Sukisugite Metsu!”. - Artist of the Year nominees are Fujii Kaze, HANA, Mrs. GREEN APPLE, Sakanaction and Kenshi Yonezu. - New Artist of the Year nominees are CANDY TUNE, HANA, luv, STARGLOW and Brandy Senki. - Album of the Year nominees are Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s 10, Various Artists’ Dear Jubilee - RADWIMPS TRIBUTE -, Hoshino Gen’s Gen, Fujii Kaze’s Prema and Southern All Stars’ THANK YOU SO MUCH. - Best Global Hit from Japan nominees are XG with “Hypnotize,” Kenshi Yonezu with “IRIS OUT,” Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada with “JANE DOE,” LiSA with “ReawakeR（feat. Felix of Stray Kids）” and Ado with “Useewa.” - Best Song Asia nominees are Silet Open Up with “Tabola Bale” from Indonesia, Cup of Joe with “Multo” from the Philippines, PLAVE with “Dash” from South Korea, WOODZ with “Drowning” from South Korea and HUNTR/X with “Golden” from South Korea. - The first MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN was held in Kyoto in 2025 at ROHM Theater. - CEIPA, the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association, oversees the event. - CEIPA brings together Japan’s five major music industry organizations. - More details about the June 13 Grand Ceremony will be announced later. - MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN WEEK runs from Friday, June 5, through Saturday, June 13, 2026, at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO and other locations. - The official website has more information.

Between the lines: - The nomination list shows MAJ leaning on a mix of established hitmakers and newer acts, with HANA appearing in multiple top categories. - The Best Song Asia category signals that the ceremony is being built as more than a domestic awards show. - The event’s second year suggests MAJ is still shaping its identity, but the Tokyo venue and weeklong format point to a bigger, more visible production than the first edition.

What’s next: - MAJ will release more details about the Grand Ceremony before June 13. - Tokyo will host concerts and events during MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN WEEK leading up to the main awards night. - Winners across all categories will be announced at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO on June 13. - The ceremony will continue MAJ’s effort to position Japanese music on a broader global stage.