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Three Japanese music trade bodies form internationally focussed coalition

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 23 March 2018

Three Japanese independent music trade bodies have formed a new globally-focused coalition. The Independent Music Coalition Of Japan aims to support independent musicians in the country in order to boost sales of their music internationally.

Formed by the Independent Records And Musicians Association, Independent Label Council Japan and Japan Net Creators Association, the new organisation will be overseen by Takashi Kamide, himself an independent musician.

Kamide tells Billboard: “Despite being the second largest recorded music market in the world, during my decades-long career in the music business I have heard two simple messages from the foreign music community: ‘Japanese music market is too difficult to understand’ and ‘there is too little voice from Japan’. It is my initial intention to communicate the collective voices from Japan to the global community and vice versa”.

IMCJ launches as a member of both global digital rights body Merlin and the World Independent Network. The latter’s CEO Alison Wenham says: “In a rapidly globalising market, we are truly excited by the opportunity to work closely with IMCJ, to support their work in developing the Pan-Asian region, to help in the creation of new trade associations, and to advance knowledge and understanding of the markets for all independent companies in the world”.

The Japanese music industry has traditionally been very inward looking – partly because success at home meant that there was no pressing need, at least for larger acts, to go global. But in recent years, as the previously strong Japanese CD market has begun to collapse and digital services have seen growth, artists and labels have increasingly looked to other countries to boost revenues.

While acting as one on international activities, ILCJ, IRMA, JNCA will each continue to operate independently of each other domestically.