Perhaps the biggest indicator that the Music Awards Japan (MAJ) had leveled up for its second edition was the surprise appearance of one of the country’s most recognizable faces.
Ahead of the two awards ceremonies on June 13, MAJ organizers held a gala in the ballroom of Shibuya’s Cerulean Tower. The room was filled to the brim with industry types, media and a smattering of entertainers. Everyone snapped to attention, however, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took the stage.?
“Let us work together to raise Japanese music to the highest levels of the world stage,” said the premier (and avid heavy metal fan), emphasizing the government’s strategic support of the music industry’s international expansion. “Let us do everything we can to secure a place in the global market.“?
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