Perhaps the biggest indicator that the Music Awards Japan (MAJ) had leveled up for its second edition was the surprise appearance of one of the country¡¯s most recognizable faces.

Ahead of the two awards ceremonies on June 13, MAJ organizers held a gala in the ballroom of Shibuya¡¯s Cerulean Tower. The room was filled to the brim with industry types, media and a smattering of entertainers. Everyone snapped to attention, however, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took the stage.?

¡°Let us work together to raise Japanese music to the highest levels of the world stage,¡± said the premier (and avid heavy metal fan), emphasizing the government¡¯s strategic support of the music industry¡¯s international expansion. ¡°Let us do everything we can to secure a place in the global market.¡°?