# 1983 in Japanese music

In 1983 (Shōwa 58), Japanese music was released on records and performed in concerts, and there were charts, awards, contests and festivals.
During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world.

## Awards, contests and festivals

The 12th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 27 March 1983. The 25th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 April to 8 May 1983. The 25th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 15 May 1983. The 26th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 2 October 1983. The 14th World Popular Song Festival was held from 29 to 30 October 1983. The final of the 12th FNS Music Festival was held on 20 December 1983. The 25th Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1983. The 34th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1983.

## Concerts

Yumi Matsutoya had a concert at the Nippon Budokan on 6 July 1983.

## Number one singles

The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
| 3 January | "3 Nenme no Uwaki [ja]" | Hiroshi & Kibo [ja] |
| 10 January | "3 Nenme no Uwaki [ja]" | Hiroshi & Kibo [ja] |
| 17 January | "Second Love" | Akina Nakamori |
| 24 January | "Second Love" | Akina Nakamori |
| 31 January | "Midnight Station [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| 7 February | "Midnight Station [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| 14 February | "Himitsu no Hanazono [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 21 February | "Himitsu no Hanazono [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 28 February | "Pierrot [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 7 March | "½ no Shinwa" | Akina Nakamori |
| 14 March | "½ no Shinwa" | Akina Nakamori |
| 21 March | "½ no Shinwa" | Akina Nakamori |
| 28 March | "½ no Shinwa" | Akina Nakamori |
| 4 April | "½ no Shinwa" | Akina Nakamori |
| 11 April | "½ no Shinwa" | Akina Nakamori |
| 18 April | "Yagiri no Watashi [ja]" | Takashi Hosokawa |
| 25 April | "Yagiri no Watashi [ja]" | Takashi Hosokawa |
| 2 May | "Yagiri no Watashi [ja]" | Takashi Hosokawa |
| 9 May | "Manatsu no Ichibyo [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| 16 May | "Tengoku no Kiss [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 23 May | "Megumi no Hito [ja]" | Rats & Star |
| 30 May | "Shower na Kibun [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 6 June | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 13 June | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 20 June | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 27 June | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 4 July | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 11 July | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 18 July | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| 25 July | "Tameiki Rockabilly [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| 1 August | "Tameiki Rockabilly [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| 8 August | "Tameiki Rockabilly [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| 15 August | "Glass no Ringo / Sweet Memories [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 22 August | "Saraba... Natsu [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 29 August | "Saraba... Natsu [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 5 September | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" Japanese title: (フラッシュダンス...ホワット・ア・フィーリング) | Irene Cara |
| 12 September | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" Japanese title: (フラッシュダンス...ホワット・ア・フィーリング) | Irene Cara |
| 19 September | "Kinku" | Akina Nakamori |
| 26 September | "Cat's Eye" | Anri |
| 3 October | "Cat's Eye" | Anri |
| 10 October | "Cat's Eye" | Anri |
| 17 October | "Cat's Eye" | Anri |
| 24 October | "Cat's Eye" | Anri |
| 31 October | "Glass no Ringo / Sweet Memories" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 7 November | "Hitomi wa Diamond / Aoi Photograph [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 14 November | "Royal Straight Flash" (ロイヤル・ストレート・フラッシュ) | Masahiko Kondō |
| 21 November | "Hitomi wa Diamond / Aoi Photograph" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 28 November | "Loving [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 5 December | "Loving [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 12 December | "Loving [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 19 December | "Love Is Over [ja]" | Ouyang Fei Fei |
| 26 December | "Love Is Over [ja]" | Ouyang Fei Fei |

## Number one albums and LPs

Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
* 21 March: Yokan - Miyuki Nakajima
* 7 March and 14 March: Reincarnation [ja] - Yumi Matsutoya
* 21 February and 28 February: Another Page - Christopher Cross
* 7 February and 14 February: Eve Only [ja] - Toshihiko Tahara
* 24 January and 31 January: Variation (Hensoukyoku) - Akina Nakamori
* 10 January and 17 January: Seventeen [ja] - Akina Nakamori
Cash Box
The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box of Japan chart:
* 17 December: Seiko Plazza [ja] - Seiko Matsuda
* 24 September, 29 October, 5 November, 12 November and 10 December: Soundtrack of "Flashdance"
* 13 August, 20 August and 3 September: Kireyi [ja] - Southern All Stars
* 16 July: Utopia [ja] Seiko Matsuda
* 28 May: Vitamin [ja] - EPO [ja]
* 7 May: Fantasy (Gensoukyoku) - Akina Nakamori
Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon LP chart:
* 6 June: Naughty Boys - Yellow Magic Orchestra
* 4 July: Melodies - Tatsuro Yamashita
* 22 August and 29 August: New Akina Etranger - Akina Nakamori

## Music industry

Polydor Japan introduced the uniform coding system.

## Film and television

The music of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, by Ryuichi Sakamoto, won the 38th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music. The music of The Geisha and Kairei (Japanese: 海嶺) and Sensei (all from 1983), by Masaru Sato, won the 7th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1984). Musicals include Toshi in Takarazuka – Love Forever.

## Overseas

The song Forbidden Colours, by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, reached number 16 on the UK singles chart, and also charted in Ireland, Australia and Iceland. The single Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, by Ryuichi Sakamoto, reached number 93 on the UK singles chart, and also charted in Australia and New Zealand. The album Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, by Ryuichi Sakamoto, reached number 36 on the UK albums chart, and also charted in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland and the Netherlands.

## Debuts

* April: Azumi Inoue released her debut single "Star Storm" (Japanese: スターストーム). The song is included in her first album "Space Fantasy" (Japanese: スペースファンタジー).
* Hiromi Koide [ja]

## Other singles released

* Twilight (Yūgure Dayori) by Akina Nakamori
* Ai No Jidai by Saki Kubota
* Summer Suspicion by S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe
* Haru na no ni by Yoshie Kashiwabara
* "O-kay" by Mico
* 23 April: Koukiatsu Girl [ja] by Tatsuro Yamashita
* 21 November: Tasogare Dancing [ja] by Miki Asakura [ja].

## Other albums released

* Service by Yellow Magic Orchestra
* Timely!! by Anri
* Nefertiti by Saki Kubota
* Lunatic Doll and Romantic Night by Mari Hamada
* Photographs and Jive Jive by Casiopea
* The Law of Devil's Land and Live-Loud-Alive: Loudness in Tokyo by Loudness
* Holy Expedition by Bow Wow
* The Water of the Rainbow by T-Square