J-pop star Joe Inoue in Manila for Anime songfest

Japanese pop singer Joe Inoue, the voice behind “Closer,” one of the theme songs in the globally popular animation series “Naruto: Shippuden” (Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles), is hoping to attract a wider Filipino audience for the J-pop music genre during his first visit to the Philippines this week.

On Saturday, Inoue is performing as the special guest in the 2013 J-Pop and Anime Singing Contest Grand Finals to be held in a Pasay mall.



He said the Philippines ranks second among the 180 countries in the world that listens to J-Pop or Japanese pop, which started to become popular in the 1990s.

“I hope my first visit to the Philippines can spur more interest in J-Pop in the Philippines. And I sincerely hope that the Japanese and Filipinos can share a sense of peace and love,” Inoue said in an interview Friday, a few hours before hosting a fan day event.

“We drove around Metro Manila yesterday. What caught my attention was the wide smiles on the faces of children playing on the streets and playgrounds. Seeing them, as a first-timer in Manila, the smiles of children gave me a welcoming feeling. Everyone is so nice to us,” he added.

Inoue is a co-host of “J-Melo,” a program showcasing Japanese music and musicians aired by Japan’s public broadcast station, NHK,through its global television station, NHK World. “J-Melo” is a combination of the words Japanese, melody, and mellow.

“The lyrics of J-Pop music have a bright positive message. Filipinos can relate to this kind of lyrics. This is the reason why Filipinos love to listen to J-Pop,” said Inoue, explaining its global appeal.

Inoue gained worldwide attraction through his song “Closer.” His fifth single “Kaze no Gotoku” is also one of the theme songs in the anime “Yorinuki Gin Tama-san.”

Born in Los Angeles, California, Inoue grew up in an environment filled with music. He started listening to music seriously in his middle school years.

In 2005, he decided to send several music demos to Japan, and eventually signed a record deal with Ki/oon Music/Sony.

Since then, he has released four singles and two albums. This year, he started a new music project called “Tenguboy.”

Rare guitar performance

Inoue is one of the judges in Saturday's J-pop grand finals, which will feature performances from 10 Filipinos.

One of the highlights of the event is the rare guitar public performance of Setsuo Omori, a minister of the Japanese Embassy in Manila, together with other Japanese diplomats posted here.

“We call our band, the No Plan Band, which was started by Japanese diplomats five years ago. I will perform theme songs from Japanese anime,” Omori said in a separate interview.

The J-Pop and Anime Singing Contest Grand Finals is one of the events lined up for the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month 2013, which included the recently-concluded Eiga Sai film festival. – YA, GMA News


Photo courtesy of the Japanese Embassy in Manila