The Music Awards Japan (MAJ), the country's largest music awards, will be held at the ROHM Theatre Kyoto on May 21 and 22. This year's theme is "Connecting with the World, Illuminating the Future of Music." The Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA) hosts the inaugural international music awards.
CEIPA was jointly established by five major organizations in the Japanese music industry. These include the Recording Industry Association of Japan, Japan Association of Music Enterprises, and the Federation of Music Producers Japan. The Music Publishers Association of Japan and All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference are also included.
The content industry, including music, is worth 4.7 trillion yen. The Japan Business Federation aims to increase it to 20 trillion yen by 2033. CEIPA joined forces with TOYOTA GROUP to launch the MUSIC WAY PROJECT to support the globalization of the music industry.
The MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN places importance on transparency, global collaboration, celebration, and creativity. Chart data from Billboard Japan is used to select nominees. Overseas voting members include Hannah Karp (Billboard), Lucian Grainge (Universal Music Group), Rob Stringer (Sony Music Group) and Robert Kyncl (Warner Music Group).
The nominated works have been announced on the awards' official website. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony. The ceremony will be broadcasted live on YouTube.
Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) will be honored with the Symbol of Music Awards Japan 2025. A YMO tribute concert will take place at the Kyoto International Conference Center on May 20. The awards aim to deepen the connection between Japanese music and the rest of the world.
Tatsuya Nomura, chairman of the Music Awards Japan Executive Committee, wants to promote Japan's music content. He aims to create the future of the Japanese music industry through these projects. Global music exchange will influence fans and enrich the global music market.