This article'sfactual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2011)

The following is a list of notable events and releases that occurred in2010 in Japanese music.

• January 10 –RIAJ certifies pop/dance groupExile's albumAisubeki Mirai e (released December 2009) as a million selling album.Namie Amuro'sPast Future received a double platinum certification.^[1]
• January 13 – Pop musicianAyumi Hamasaki extends the own record for the artist with most top 10 singles (45), with the release of her single "You Were.../Ballad".^{[citation needed]}
• January 15 – February 12 –Hikaru Utada holds her first tour of the United States/United Kingdom,Utada: In The Flesh 2010.^[2]
• January 21 – The second annualCD Shop Taishō awards are announced, withThe Bawdies'This Is My Story andLady Gaga'sThe Fame winning the grand prizes. The awards are voted on by individual members of theNational Japanese CD Shop Employee Union.^[3]
• January 22 –Voice actressNana Mizuki reached #1 on theOricon single charts with her single "Phantom Minds", making her the first voice actress in charting history to have a #1 single (she broke this record for the album charts in 2009 withUltimate Diamond).^[4]
• January 23 – The mother ofHello! Project/Avex musicianMaki Goto, Tokiko Goto, falls from her home and dies. The resulting funeral on January 28 is heavily publicised, with many Hello! Project-associated people attending the funeral.^[5][6]
• January 29 – R&B singerDouble announces her return to musical activities, after last year going on hiatus due to illness.^[7]
• January 29 –U-ka Saegusa in dB perform their final live, at Big Cat inOsaka.^[8]
• January 31 – The firstBillboard Japan Music Awards are held in Tokyo, withExile winning the Artist of the Year award.^[9]

• February 3 –One Ok Rock release their first single since their hiatus, "Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer." The band went on hiatus in May 2009 due to guitarist Alex's arrest for assault, who is now no longer a member of the band.^[10][11]
• February 10 –RIAJ certifies bandIkimono-gakari's albumHajimari no Uta (released December 2009) as double platinum album.^[12]
• February 10 – RapperYou the Rock was arrested forcannabis possession, after 2mgs of dried cannabis, along with related cannabis paraphernalia such as a pipe, were found at his home inMeguro, Tokyo.^[13]
• February 15 – R&B singerShion has her trial for possession/use of the drugketamine. She pleaded guilty, and was given a one-year sentence,suspended for three years.^[14]
• February 22 –Mika Nakashima's song "Always" is the first song released in 2010 to receive a digital certification. It was certified gold by theRIAJ forChaku-Uta Full (cellphone digital downloads) for the January 2010 period.^[15]
• February 23 –AKB48's single "Sakura no Shiori" sells 318,000 copies in its first week, making it the biggest opening sales for a female group single sinceMorning Musume's "Mr. Moonlight (Ai no Big Band)" in July 2001.^[16] This record was later beaten by their single "Ponytail to Chouchou."^[17]
• February 23 – Korean boy bandTohoshinki's first greatest hits album,Best Selection 2010, sells 413,000 copies in its first week. This gives the band their first #1 album, as well as breaking the record for the highest first week sales by a foreign group. The previous record holder wasBon Jovi'sThese Days in 1995, with 379,000 copies.^[18]
• February 24 – The 24thJapan Gold Disc Awards are held in Tokyo.Arashi wins the domestic Artist of the Year award, making them the firstJohnny's boyband to win this award.Hilcrhyme wins the New Artist of the Year award.^[19]
• February 24 –Minori Chihara releases her eight CD singleYasashii Bōkyaku. The song won the Best Singing Award at the fifth annual Seiyu Awards held in 2011 in Tokyo for Chihara's performance. It is used as the ending theme to theanime filmThe Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

• March 7 – Idol groupIdoling!!! announces five new members to their line-up, after auditions were held on March 6. The new members are Kaoru Gotō (後藤郁), Yūna Itō (伊藤祐奈), Ruka Kurata (倉田瑠夏), Manami Nomoto (野元愛) and Chika Ojima (尾島知佳), all between 13 and 15 years of age. Approximately 5,000 girls auditioned for the group.^[20]
• March 9 – Boy bandArashi's "Troublemaker" sells 542,000 copies in its first week, making it the current #1 single of the year.^[21]
• March 9 –Kōichi Nakamura (中村耕一), vocalist of the 1980s rock band Jaywalk, was arrested for illegalstimulant possession. The band was put into hiatus, with their 30th anniversary releases/events cancelled and their contract withWarner Music Japan nulled.^[22]
• March 10 –RIAJ certifies two albums for double platinum status:Kaela Kimura's5 Years andTohoshinki'sBest Selection 2010. Both albums are the first to be released in 2010 to receive double platinum certifications.^[23]
• March 12 –Kana Nishino's song "Best Friend" tops theRIAJ Digital Track Chart for the third week.^[24]
• March 20 –Shonen Knife's drummerEtsuko Nakanishi retires from the band after five years, during the band's 13th Fandango concert (十三ファンダンゴ) inOsaka.^[25]
• March 21 – Rock musicianGackt performs the first men's only concert inKawasaki, Kanagawa.^[26]
• March 22 – The 14thSpace Shower Music Video Awards are aired.Namie Amuro's "Fast Car" wins the Best Video of the Year Award (as well as Best Art Direction).Ringo Shiina was awarded the Best Artist award (along with the Best Female Video award for her song "Tsugō no Ii Karada.")^[27]
• March 24 – Hiro, leader of R&B groupExile, became the centre of a tax enquiry after failing to report approximately ¥300,000,000 in earnings at his entertainment production companyLDH. Hiro later stated the discrepancy was unintentional.^[28][29]
• March 25 – Hip-hop/reggae groupSpontania add singerKaori Natori as a permanent female vocalist to their line-up. The band's first release as a three-member group was a digital single, "Now or Never," released 8 days earlier without any indication of the line-up change.^[30][31]
• March 29 – Soh of the bandGreeeen passes his National Dentistry Examination exam, making all members of the group certified dentists. Bandmates Hide and 92 passed the exam in 2008, while Navi passed it in 2009.^[32]
• March 30 –Akira Akasaka, former member ofJohnny's idol groupHikaru Genji, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using illegalstimulants. His prison sentence was increased to a period of three years, however, due to his previoussuspended sentence for possession of stimulants in November 2007.^[33]

• April 3 – Girl bandMaria perform their final live at theAkasaka Blitz, after announcing their plans to disband due to drummer Tattsu suffering fromthoracic outlet syndrome.^[34]
• April 3 –Avex Management announce the hiatus of Korean boybandTohoshinki's activities in Japan. The band's solo activities continued, with theJejung starring dramaSunao ni Narenakute airing in mid April, andJunsu's solo debut single announced for release in May.^[35][36][37]
• April 9 –Fuyumi Sakamoto tops theRIAJ Digital Track Chart with her song "Mata Kimi ni Koi Shiteru," becoming the firstenka singer to achieve this.^[38]
• April 10 –Funky Monkey Babys' greatest hits collection,Funky Monkey Babys Best was certified as double platinum by theRIAJ.Arashi's "Troublemaker" becomes the first single released in 2010 to be certified as double platinum.Orianthi'sBelieve becomes the first non-domestic album to receive a certification (gold).^[39]
• April 14 – Johnny's boybandArashi's DVDArashi Anniversary Tour 5x10 breaks the first week sales record for a music DVD, with 477,000 copies. Arashi were also the previous record holder, with5x10 All the Best! Clips 1999–2009 selling 428,000 copies in a week in April 2009.^[40]
• April 15 –Rhythm Zone announce a three-member subgroup created from some of the members of boybandTohoshinki, after the group's hiatus announced earlier in the month. The members,Jejung,Junsu andYuchun, are the band members whofiled a lawsuit against SM Entertainment in 2009.^[41]
• April 16 – Japanese media begin levelling accusations against the public relations theme song for ShanghaiExpo 2010, "Ėrlíngyīlíng Děng Nǐ Lái" (2010 等你来2010 Right Here Waiting for You), as being plagiarised from a 1997 song byMayo Okamoto, "Sono Mama no Kimi de Ite." The executive committee for the event later admitted the song had been plagiarised by the songwriter Miao Senshi (繆森氏), and Okamoto gave permission for the rights for her song to be used.^[42][43]
• April 17 – The music video is fromUverworld's single, "Gold," is premiered today, making it the first 3D music video released by a Japanese artist.^[44][45][46]
• April 20 –Kana Nishino's song "Best Friend" becomes the first song released in 2010 to receive a double platinum digital certification. The song had been downloaded over 500,000 times as a ringtone (Chaku-Uta) since its release in late February.^[47]
• April 27 –Kazumasa Oda's greatest hits albumJiko Best charts for its 400th week, since its release in 2002. As of 2010, no other album has charted long enough to reach this milestone.^[48]

• May 3 –The Underneath perform their final concert as "The Underneath," at theShibuya O-West, before changing their band name toDefspiral.^[49]
• May 3 –Hello! Project groupMelon Kinenbi hold their final concertNakano Sun Plaza, before disbanding. The group celebrated their 10th anniversary earlier in the year.^[50]
• May 4 – The second theme songs for the animeK-On!, "Go! Go! Maniac" and "Listen!!" (performed by the fictional bandHo-kago Tea Time^{[broken anchor]}) reached #1 and #2 respectively onOricon's single charts. This is the first time that a release credited to anime characters has topped the singles charts.^[51]
• May 4 –Lady Gaga becomes the first Western artist to have two albums in the top 10 in 18 years, withThe Fame Monster andThe Remix. This last time this happened was withBruce Springsteen'sHuman Touch andLucky Town in 1992.^[52]
• May 5 – The first music composition byAvex songwriterTetsuya Komuro is released since his fraud case in 2008. He wrote the music for the songs on pop groupAAA's single "Aitai Riyū/Dream After Dream (Yume Kara Sameta Yume)."^[53]
• May 10 –The Brilliant Green announces at their official sit the leaving of guitaristRyo Matsui from the band's line-up. The band plans to continue on as a duo.^[54]
• May 12 –RIAJ certifiesLady Gaga's albumThe Fame (released May 2009) as double platinum album. The previous Western album to be certified so highly wasMichael Jackson'sKing of Pop (Japan Edition) in November 2009.^[55][56]
• May 14 – Oricon reports thatKobukuro's 2006 greatest hits albumAll Singles Best achieves the sales of over three million copies, becoming the first album to do so in 7 years 10 months sinceSouthern All Stars' 1998 albumUmi no Yeah!! in 2002.^[57][58][59]
• May 19 –Namie Amuro receives the award for best selling Asian artist at the 2010World Music Awards.^[60]
• May 21 –Kana Nishino's "Aitakute Aitakute" reaches #1 on theRIAJ Digital Track Chart, making this Nishino's fourth consecutive #1 song on the chart. Because of this, Nishino becomes the artist with most #1 songs on the chart, as well as becoming the artist with most weeks at #1 (with seven weeks in total).^[61]
• May 22 –Erika Sawajiri returns to the music scene, with a performance at the fashion and music eventGirls Award 2010 held at theYoyogi National Gymnasium. She had been on hiatus for two and a half years, due to the controversy around her comments at a press conference for the filmClosed Note.^[62]
• May 25 – BoybandArashi's single "Monster" sells 543,000 copies in its first week, making it the biggest selling first week of a single in 2010. The single beat out the sales of the group's previous single, "Troublemaker," by only 1,000 copies.^[63]
• May 25 –Exit Tunes Presents Vocalogenesis feat. Hatsune Miku becomes the firstvocaloid album to top the Oricon weekly charts.^[64]
• May 28 – RapperSticky of the Japanese hip-hop groupScars was arrested for possession of 30 grams of cannabis, found at his home inKawasaki.^[65]
• May 29 – The 9thMTV Video Music Awards Japan are held at theYoyogi National Gymnasium.Exile's "Futatsu no Kuchibiru" won the award for the best video of 2009. Other major awards went toShota Shimizu's "Utsukushii Hibi yo,"Namie Amuro's "Fast Car" andTohoshinki's "Share the World."^[66]

• June 1 – Idol groupAKB48's single "Ponytail to Chouchou" sells 513,000 copies in its first week, becoming the biggest first week for a female idol single sinceMorning Musume's "Ren'ai Revolution 21" in 2000, and the biggest first week for a female artist sinceHikaru Utada's "Can You Keep a Secret?" in 2001.^[17]
• June 1 – BoybandTohoshinki memberXiah Junsu's single "Xiah" sells 195,000 copies in its first week, becoming the biggest first week sales of the year by a solo artist.^[67]
• June 4 – July 13 –Visual kei metal bandVersailles embark on their first world tour, with dates in South America and Europe.^[68][69] The band have previously performed single concerts in the US in 2008.
• June 10 –RIAJ certifiesHideaki Tokunaga's albumVocalist 4 as double platinum, and his albumVocalist (released September 2005) as a million selling album.^[70]
• June 13 –Misia performs her song "Maware Maware" from the2010 FIFA World Cup official albumListen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album at theNelson Mandela Square inJohannesburg, and also unveils a 3D music video for the song.^[71]
• June 13 –Surface disband at their final concert at theTokyo International Forum.^[72]
• June 15 –Kaela Kimura reaches #1 onOricon's single charts with her song "Ring a Ding Dong," making this the first time she has topped the single charts since she debuted in 2004.^[73]
• June 19–20 –Jin Akanishi, member of the boybandKAT-TUN, performed three concerts in Los Angeles as a part of hisYou & Jin solo tour. This is the first solo performance by aJohnny's artist in the US. Further concerts over the United States are planned for September and October.^[74] Consequently, Akanishi did not attend KAT-TUN's Asian tour.^[75]
• June 20 – Kaela Kimura's song "Ring a Ding Dong" is certified by the RIAJ for 1,000,000 ringtone downloads between its release date, May 26, and the end of May.^[76]
• June 25 –Ai Otsuka marriedRIP SLYME member SU.^[77] The announcement of the marriage had been released on her official website on June 26.^[78]
• June 28 –Otonamode will play their final live with their current line-up. After this date, vocalist/guitarist Keita Takahashi will continue on as the band's lead, however with different members.^[79]

• July 1–4 – Many Japanese artists plan to perform atAnime Expo inLos Angeles, includingAKB48 andRSP on July 1,May'n,Megumi Nakajima andI've singerMell on July 2,Beni and rock bandSophia on July 3.^[80]
• July 1–4 – Many Japanese artists plan to perform atJapan Expo inParis, includingDoping Panda on July 1,C-Zone andMorning Musume on July 2,Vivid on both July 2 and 3,Long Shot Party on July 3, andSeikima-II andX Japan membersToshi andYoshiki on July 4.^[81]
• July 15 – Daisuke Ochida, former vocalist of visual kei bandsKagerou and the studs dies at the age of 31.
• July 16–24 –Gackt plans to tour Europe for the first time in his career, with dates in England, France, Germany and Spain planned.^[82]
• July 30 – August 1 – TheFuji Rock Festival is planned to be held over three days.^[83]
• July 31 – August 28 –Johnny & Associates bandKAT-TUN plans to tour Asia, with dates in South Korea andTaiwan scheduled. The band will tour without band memberJin Akanishi.^[75]

• August 6–8 – TheRock in Japan Festival is planned to be held over three days, making it 10 years since the debut of the event.^[84]
• August 8 –X Japan intends to perform at the USLollapalooza festival in Chicago.^[85][86]
• August 7–8 – TheSummer Sonic Festival is planned to be held, making it 10 years since the event began.^[87]
• August 13–14 – TheRising Sun Rock Festival will be held.^[88]
• August 28–29 –Animelo Summer Live 2010 -evolution-

• October 1–31 –Nippon Columbia's month-long celebration of its centennial.
• October 1 – November 6 – Rock bandVamps (formed withHyde ofL'Arc-en-Ciel,K.A.Z ofOblivion Dust) plan to tour the United States, Spain, France, China andChile. This will be the band's third tour, and the second to be performed overseas (theirVamps Live 2009 tour reached the US andTaiwan).^[89][90][91]
• October 8–24 –Kokia plans to hold her fifth string of European concerts, with dates inAustria, England, Germany, France,Poland andRussia.^[92]

• December 30 – The 52ndJapan Record Award is planned.
• December 31 – Annual New Year's music events are planned, such as the 61stKōhaku Uta Gassen song contest and the 8thCountdown Japan festival.

• Emi Maria
• F.T. Island
• Galileo Galilei
• Kinoco Hotel (キノコホテル,Kinoko Hoteru)
• Momoiro Clover
• S/mileage
• Sug

• The Brilliant Green
• Def Tech
• Double
• Vivian Hsu
• Ketsumeishi
• Kuroyume
• SADS
• Tetsuya Komuro
• Love Psychedelico
• Kanae Matsumoto (as "Utahime Surprise" (歌姫☆サプライズ)
• One Ok Rock
• Erika Sawajiri
• Tetsuya (L'Arc-en-Ciel)
• Tina
• LUNA SEA

• Akina Nakamori
• Mika Nakashima
• Maki Ohguro
• Snowkel
• Tohoshinki
• Hikaru Utada

• Rina Aiuchi
• Flame
• Fumido
• High and Mighty Color
• Maria
• Melon Kinenbi
• Surface
• Yura Yura Teikoku

Currently, there are four major charts for song popularity in Japan:Oricon singles charts,Soundscan singles charts, theBillboardJapan Hot 100 andRIAJ digital tracks.Oricon andSoundscan track sales of physical single releases, thoughSoundscan separates each version of the release (for example, CD+DVD and CD Only versions are tracked separately). TheJapan Hot 100 tracks song popularity based on radio airplay and physical single sales data fromSoundscan. TheRIAJ digital chart tracks the most popular songs downloaded in their entirety from cellphones (Chaku-uta full). No chart exists that tallies PC downloads as of 2010, though the RIAJ certifies PC download releases.

January

• January 7 –Minami, 34, vocalist ofD-Loop, prescription medicine misdosage.^[96]
• January 17 –Maki Asakawa, 68, jazz singer, heart failure.^[97]

February

• February 26 –Nujabes, 36, hip-hop track maker, car accident.^[98]

March

• March 27 –Hatsumi Shibata, 57, singer, acute heart failure.^[99]

May

• May 17 –Osamu Yoshioka, 76, lyricist, acute heart failure.^[100]

• 2010s in music
• 2010 in Japan
• 2010 in Japanese television
• List of Japanese films of 2010

• 2010 in Japanese music
• 2010 in music

• CS1 uses Japanese-language script (ja)
• CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from June 2013
• Articles with obsolete information from January 2011
• All Wikipedia articles in need of updating
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from March 2010
• Pages with broken anchors
• Pages containing broken anchor template with unsupported parameters
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• Articles with hatnote templates targeting a nonexistent page
• Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2025
• All articles containing potentially dated statements