Promoters in Japan are currently in dire straits due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Ticket sales lost because of cancellations and postponements from the pandemic totaled approximately $333 million (36.3 billion yen) in 2020.
Earlier this month, Japan extended a state of emergency until the end of May for Tokyo and three other areas amid a fourth wave of coronavirus cases, which are hitting Tokyo and Osaka particularly hard. Japan, where more than 12,100 people have died from COVID-19, recorded 216 deaths on May 18, the most since early January, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The members of the new IPAJ are Avex Entertainment Inc., Creativeman Production Co., Hanshin Contents Link Co. (Billboard Japan), Hayashi International Promotions Ltd., Kyodo Tokyo, Inc., Live Nation Japan G.K., M & I Company Ltd., Promax Inc., Smash Co., and Udo Artists, Inc.
After the 10 IPAJ promoters made an appeal to the Japanese government earlier this year, concerts by foreign artists were finally included in the J-LODlive (Japan Content Localization and Distribution Live Entertainment) grant after nearly a year of not being eligible.
But while large-scale concerts and festivals have gradually begun to resume in the U.S. and U.K., where vaccinations are progressing at a faster rate, concerts by international artists in Japan aren’t even on the drawing boards yet. Just over 3% of Japan’s population has been vaccinated. The country is banning foreigners from most countries to enter Japan, including from the United States, Canada and Europe.
The recent virus spike is imperiling the Tokyo Olympics yet again, which were planned for last year and are currently scheduled to kick off July 23. Japan is not granting visas for tourists to attend the games. And organizers have yet to announce the music lineups for the opening and closing ceremonies. (Japanese boy band Arashi was scheduled to perform at the opening ceremonies in 2020.)
Despite health experts and public opinion strongly calling for the games to be canceled, the International Olympic Committee has continued to insist the games will take place as scheduled. Last week, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga for the first time appeared to bow to the pressure of public opinion, saying the government would “not put the Olympics first.” But he added that ultimately, the IOC would make the final call.
