“Japanese cars run on roads worldwide. Nothing would bring me greater joy than helping bring artists to the world.”

This episode features Music Awards Japan Week, held June 5 to 13, as well as a co-writing* camp held as part of the Music Way Project (a collaborative project between CEIPA and the Toyota Group) and highlights from the Music Awards Japan 2026 awards ceremony.
^{*A songwriting approach that brings together multiple creators, combining diverse perspectives and ideas to explore new musical possibilities.}

Song Bridge 2026, held over three days during Music Awards Japan Week, marks the third edition of this co-writing camp, following camps in Kyoto last May and Tokyo last December. It brought together 14 musical acts and 30 creators from 11 countries.

Participants in the camp drew inspiration from one another, saying, “This way of writing might suit me,” and “I'm excited to see what kind of new chemistry we can create.”

At the awards ceremony held at Toyota Arena Tokyo (Koto City) on the last day of Music Awards Japan Week, musicians on the red carpet shared their hopes for bringing Japanese music to the world.

Chairman Akio Toyoda also took the stage as a presenter for the Best Global Hit From Japan category, honoring the winner and delivering opening remarks.

With “Japanese music drives the world” as its slogan, the Music Way Project will continue developing talent and creating spaces to help share Japanese music with audiences around the globe.