With the advent of smartphones and tablets, it’s no longer possible to write music for mobile platforms.
This has left Japanese publishers with an increasingly limited amount of content to work with, with a number of top Japanese composers considering leaving the industry to pursue other opportunities.
The number of Japanese artists who have signed with international music labels and released albums on foreign platforms has dropped from an estimated 1,400 in 2015 to an estimated 800 now, according to the International Music Association.
These artists include artists such as Yoko Ono, Kyohei Kobayashi, Yoshinori Nishikawa, Katsuhiro Otomo, Yoji Nishikawa and Katsuya Sakamoto.
It’s not all bad news for Japanese musicians, though.
The most recent figures from Japan’s National Music Publishers Association show that nearly 30 percent of all Japanese artists signed to foreign labels are now working on their own music.
As of January 2018, this number had grown to 37 percent.
While the number of foreign labels in Japan has dropped significantly, there are still plenty of opportunities for Japanese music creators.
We spoke to a number artists to find out what’s in store for them down the road.
1.
Yoji Tatsumi Yoji is a Japanese artist who has worked in many fields including songwriting, composition and recording.
He is a founding member of the Japanese rock band Bamboo Forest and his new album, The Great Wind, was released in 2018.
He previously worked as a producer for M.A.T.E. and as a songwriter for the band K-Drama.
He also has a small studio in Tokyo.
2.
Yoshinomi Takanashi Yoji, the lead vocalist of the popular Japanese band B.O.T., has worked on songs for K-pop artists such the girls’ group EXO and has also written lyrics for many anime titles, including Attack on Titan.
He recently recorded his first song for a Japanese anime.
He plans to write another one for his next album.
3.
Katsuo Sato Yoji has been working on his own music since 2008.
He created the popular anime series Sazabi to promote the anime adaptation of his novel.
He currently writes music for the popular band D.B.N.Y. He released his first single in 2014, and has been writing songs for several Japanese bands.
4.
Kyoichi Kobayashira Yoji created the “Kawaii” pop music trend in 2011.
He now writes songs for pop acts such as EXO, B.E., BABYMETAL, AKB48, and several other groups.
5.
Kiyotaka Koyama Koyamas music career started when he was a student.
He’s been writing music for bands such as K-Pop group EXOS, popular Japanese music group K-Kiss, and other acts.
He has worked with artists such K.K.
A, K-Harmony, and M.O., among others.
He was also the composer for the Japanese video game Sword Art Online.
6.
Masaharu Kobayasu Kobayas music career began when he worked in the entertainment industry as an assistant music director.
He later joined K-dramas and released his debut album in 2018, but is currently recording new music.
He wrote a number to his previous album.
7.
Yoichi Sakamoto Yoji Sakamoto is an American composer and musician.
He founded his own band, Yuki Mura, in 2015.
He became the lead singer for Japanese idol group AKB.
His debut album, Yumi, was certified gold in 2018 and his second album, Love Me Like I Do, was also certified gold.
He continues to record music for Kdramatic and other idol groups.
8.
Yohei Sugimoto Yoji Sugimoto is a former Japanese singer-songwriter who has since moved to the U.S. and is now writing music.
His latest album, Tokyo Station, was published in 2018 by Shibuya Music Publishing.
He collaborated with many artists including Sazaburo Takada, Saitou Matsumoto, and the K-A.R.D. group.
9.
Kousuke Kondo Kondo is a composer and songwriter who is known for his Japanese music.
Currently, he is working on new music for his own group, Aqours.
10.
Daisuke Nishimura Daisukes music career begins in the U!
He currently works as a composer for other Japanese pop acts including EXO.
11.
Kana Kato Kato is a freelance Japanese artist, singer-actress, and composer who is best known for her work in the TV anime series, AKBAKA.
He first collaborated with artists in the Kana-A-Rama music group and collaborated with Aqour on their new album.
12.
Hiroshi Ishihara Hiroshi is a professional musician, singer,