Exclusive Photos & Comments: MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 Red Carpet Welcomes Music’s Biggest Names
As MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN expands its international presence, artists from Japan and around the world gathered in Tokyo to celebrate the year’s outstanding achievements in mu
MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN : The inaugural edition of MAJ hailed as the “Japanese Grammy Awards”—marked a groundbreaking moment in the nation’s music history. (Click here to read Review: Music Awards Japan, the Japanese Grammy's Launch with Unprecedented Scale and Spirit) Jointly launched by five major Japanese music industry organizations, the award aims to celebrate the diversity and future of music culture from Japan to the world, establishing itself as one of the largest international music awards in Asia.
The event featured the Premiere Ceremony, a red carpet gathering of nominated artists and industry figures, and the Grand Ceremony, where winners were announced in the six major categories alongside numerous other awards.
The red carpet welcomed an impressive lineup of artists and music industry leaders from Japan and abroad. During the ceremony, actor Masaki Suda served as host, while spectacular live performances by Mrs. GREEN APPLE and visiting international star Sam Smith captivated audiences. The event generated tremendous online buzz, with the hashtag “#MAJ2026” remaining a trending topic on social media for hours.
Another significant moment came when J.Y. Park took the stage as a presenter and delivered a speech praising the significance of MAJ. Equally noteworthy was the fact that Sam Smith traveled to Japan specifically for the awards ceremony. These moments underscored MAJ’s growing international presence and influence. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they could mark a turning point in how MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN is perceived globally, paving the way for even greater international recognition in the years ahead.
In this feature, based on on-site coverage, we spotlight a selection of notable artists from among the award winners and nominees across all 78 categories, while presenting exclusive original photographs from the red carpet.
J.Y. Park’s appearance as a presenter and his speech endorsing the significance of MAJ carried considerable weight. Equally noteworthy was the fact that Sam Smith traveled to Japan specifically for the event. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these moments could mark a turning point in how MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN is perceived on the global stage, drawing increased international attention to the awards and their growing influence.
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Kento Nakajima
Fujii Kaze
How would you like to share Japanese music with the world?
Rather than being seen simply as “Japanese music,” I hope it can be embraced as part of the world’s music as a whole.
M!LK
How do you feel about tred carpet?
Hayato：Exciting!
Congratulation on your awards!
All：Thank you so much! Bye bye~
Gen Hishino
Sam Smith
Sakurazaka46
HANA
King & Prince
Mrs. GREEN APPLE
Last year, you received some of the ceremony’s most prestigious honors, including Best Artist. How are you approaching this year’s awards?
Motoki: We are truly grateful just to have our name mentioned among the nominees. We’ll continue to focus on making music and creating songs, one step at a time.
The winners of the six major categories were as follows:
Song of the Year Kaiju ー sakanaction
Artist of the Year Mrs. GREEN APPLE
New Artist of the Year HANA
Album of the Year Prema ー Fujii Kaze
Best Global Hit from Japan HYPNOTIZE ー XG
Reference: Music Awards Japan 2025
- Interview: Red Carpet Moments with Number_i and Japan’s Global Music Icons the Japanese Grammy’s
- Review: Music Awards Japan, the Japanese Grammy's Launch with Unprecedented Scale and Spirit
Photo Credit :[Ayaka Ozaki]
