Maki Goto sings on Sunday night.

Koda, Goto, Amuro perform at Avex annual concert for stockholders

Monday 23rd June, 12:27 PM JST

Avex group on Sunday held its annual concert for stockholders at Saitama Super Arena. The event was part of the general shareholders’ meeting and 8,910 stockholders attended. Eleven Avex artists performed.

Kumi Koda, 25, made a return to performing in public after she was suspended for remarking on a radio program on Jan 30 that “women over 35 had ‘rotten’ fluid in their wombs.” Koda started to cry after apologizing to the stockholders.

Exile, Namie Amuro, Noriyuki Makihara, Ai Otsuka and Maki Goto, who recently joined Avex, also performed, but Ayumi Hamasaki was absent due to her nationwide tour.

Avex said it had recorded 104.6 billion yen sales in 2007, which is the highest in its 20-year history.

Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

northlondon at 02:48 PM JST - 23rd June

Avex, just another super-sized Japanese corporation that just happened to choose record sales as it's medium for turning a huge profit from a majority share of the market in Japan. Ever wondered why modern Japanese music sounds so formulaic and artificial ? Because there is no independent share of the market here. If you want to make it as a recording artist in Japan then you have no other choice but to sell your soul to one of these corporations. At least in the UK and the US there is such thing as successful independent labels, managers and promoters. Sad state of affairs. No wonder Japanese youth has no artistic medium to be inspired from and has no choice other than to join one of these mammoths even as a recording artist.
Coligny at 05:45 PM JST - 23rd June

northlondon: At least in the UK and the US there is such thing as successful talented people, creative minds and literate audience.

there... fixed for ya pal'
northlondon at 06:07 PM JST - 23rd June

Why thank you. Although I'm sure there are plenty of creative and talented Japanese kids too, especially in the music field. Corporations like Avex just suffocate that creativity unfortunately.
Peaceful_Man at 07:13 PM JST - 23rd June

Goto sane "Saving all my love for you" and the J media were going on about her great singing in Engrish, but, as always, her Rs and Ls were all over the place, Maybe she needs to go to Nova?
northlondon at 10:57 PM JST - 23rd June

I'd like to teach Goto all right. In fact, I'd even become her slave if she wants.
lipscombe at 11:04 PM JST - 23rd June

do a little dance for your masters
thepro at 11:20 PM JST - 23rd June

northlondon: Japan has many good independent bands that are quite well known: such as Boris.
lipscombe at 11:33 PM JST - 23rd June

hmm, plenty of independent labels in Japan that are making a living and garnering the repsect they deserve. dont have to whore yourself to a major label like avextrax, unless you see it purely as a business in which case dont make music. 90% of all media in Japan (as elsewhere) in total rubbish, but there are still artists in the true sense of the word. the best musicians in Japan release their own records and play shows to 50 people.
OssanULTRA at 11:57 PM JST - 23rd June

"Goto sang "Saving all my love for you" and the J media were going on about her great singing in Engrish, but, as always, her Rs and Ls were all over the place, Maybe she needs to go to Nova?"

I always got a good laugh at J-pop singers and their pathetic English (Listen to Koyanagi Yuki doing "I feel the earth move under my feet" to know what ROTFLMAO really means)......until someone asked me to "name a few US or UK singers who can sing in perfect Japanese. Or any Japanese at all." Made me think and I shut up after that. And I don't think Jello or whatever counts.
urufuls at 04:53 AM JST - 24th June

OssanULTRA

I know what you mean. This isn't music to my ears.

US singer who can sing in perfect Japanese: Jero. He's just one that I know of. He sings enka, and he's pretty darn good at it.

By the way, enka isn't music to my ears either.
tokyotom at 11:39 AM JST - 24th June

mainichi scoops JT with this photo JT had one of Amuro a couple of years ago ("Want Me Want you") caption, but had to take it off, still haven't forgotten! http://mdn.mainichi.jp/photospecials/graph/080623avex/1.html
DenshaDeGO at 01:24 PM JST - 24th June

"name a few US or UK singers who can sing in perfect Japanese. Or any Japanese at all." Made me think and I shut up after that.

Why? No one ASKED the Japanese to sing in English, they bring laughter upon themselves. They are the only ones who think singing nonsense Japlish like "I TOUCH BELIEVE FUTURE" suddenly in the middle of a song makes them cool.

Current popular music is so patheticly banal, what good are these entertainers if we can't laugh at them?
OssanULTRA at 11:45 PM JST - 24th June

"Why? No one ASKED the Japanese to sing in English"

Come on get real. Musicians from all over the world sung in English even if they can't speak the language. It's part of the industry. I still think ABBA was cool. The issue is that I seriously doubt many US/UK singers could sing even in totally garbled Japanese even if their managers/recording companies demanded it.
zanza123 at 09:03 AM JST - 30th June

What about MISIA singing amazing grace??? She can sing that song with a bit of alright then.
zanza123 at 09:05 AM JST - 30th June

On the other hand, Nakashima Mika tried to sing Amazing Grace, but failed miserably in her pronunciation.