is a Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese pop

Pop music

Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

 and actor.

Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of Star Tanjō!

Star Tanjō!

The was a Japanese talent show from Nippon Television.- Most winners :*Masako Mori*Junko Sakurada*Momoe Yamaguchi*Hiromi Iwasaki*Pink Lady*Mako Ishino*Yoshie Kashiwabara*Kyōko Koizumi*Akina Nakamori*Yukiko Okada...

in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as "Yume o Shinjite" (the first ending theme of the anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 series Dragon Warrior: Legend of the Hero Abel) and "Kowarekake no Radio" in 1990, his single "Wednesday Moon" reached No. 1 on Oricon

Oricon

, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 weekly charts in 1991. He was also known for Vocalist album series, comprising his covers of female songs. Vocalist, Vocalist 2, Vocalist 3 and Vocalist 4 were released in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 respectively.

Tokunaga is the first male artist to have at least one album to reach the number-one position on the Japanese Oricon

Oricon

, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 weekly charts for four decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s).

Tokunaga also composed other singers' songs such as KinKi Kids

KinKi Kids

is a Japanese duo consisting of Koichi Domoto and Tsuyoshi Domoto under the talent agency Johnny & Associates. Although the members share the same surname, the only relation they have to each other is that they both hail from the Kinki region, hence the duo's name....

' "Eien Ni" (from their 2007 album Phi

Phi (album)

Phi is the tenth studio album of the Japanese duo KinKi Kids. It is the first album by KinKi Kids to have a Greek-lettered title, rather than the traditional Latin-lettered album title.-Track list:-Charts:-External links:*...

).

Career

Tokunaga took part in the Japanese television program Star Tanjō!

Star Tanjō!

The was a Japanese talent show from Nippon Television.- Most winners :*Masako Mori*Junko Sakurada*Momoe Yamaguchi*Hiromi Iwasaki*Pink Lady*Mako Ishino*Yoshie Kashiwabara*Kyōko Koizumi*Akina Nakamori*Yukiko Okada...

in 1982. The program produced many Japanese stars such as Momoe Yamaguchi

Momoe Yamaguchi

is a former Japanese singer, actress, and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. In that time, she became one of the most notable singers in Japanese music, and an acclaimed actress. She withdrew from the entertainment business at the peak of her career to marry her frequent costar, fellow...

, Pink Lady

Pink Lady (band)

is a Japanese female pop music duo of the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring Mitsuyo Nemoto and Keiko Masuda...

 and Akina Nakamori

Akina Nakamori

is a Japanese pop singer and actress. She was one of the most popular singers of the 1980s in Japan. She is known for her deep, power-house voice....

. However, Akiko Matsumoto

Akiko Matsumoto

is a Japanese TV personality and actress.-TV:* Dempa Shōnen series * Daisuki! * TV Champion * Tsubasa -External links:* *...

 passed the test at that time, while Tokunaga and Minako Honda

Minako Honda

, born Minako Kudo was a Japanese "idol" pop-star and musical singer. She became famous and popular as "Japan's Madonna" because of her sexy fashion and live performances in the mid to late 1980s...

 were rejected.

On January 21, 1986, Tokunaga debuted with the album Girl and the single "Rainy Blue". In 1987, his third studio album Birds reached the number-one position on the Japanese Oricon

Oricon

, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 charts. In the early 1990s, he became well known in the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 when the song "Saigo no Iiwake" (from his 1989 album Realize) was covered in Tagalog

Tagalog language

Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...

 as "Ikaw Pa Rin" by an unlikely singer, a non-Tagalog-speaking, fellow Japanese Ted Ito. However, his 1991 album Revolution had been his last number-one album until 2007.

Tokunaga began to release Vocalist album series, in which he covered many Japanese songs of female singers. On September 14, 2005, he released the album Vocalist, the first work of the series. The album included his cover versions of Miyuki Nakajima

Miyuki Nakajima

is a Japanese vocalist, guitarist, lyricist, composer and radio personality. As a principal Japanese female veteran singer-songwriter she is often compared to Yumi Matsutoya, she has released 37 studio albums, 40 singles, 2 live albums and multiple compilations to date, and whose sales have been...

's 1975 song "Jidai" and Momoe Yamaguchi's 1977 song "Cosmos". The album was certified Million by RIAJ for shipment of 1,000,000 copies.

On August 30, 2006, Tokunaga released the album Vocalist 2. The album included his cover versions of Akina Nakamori's 1982 song "Second Love" and Mika Nakashima

Mika Nakashima

is a Japanese singer, model, and actress. She has achieved five number-one albums in Japan and also embarked on an acting career, most notably in the live-action movie Nana, based on the manga of the same name.- Early life and debut :...

's 2003 song "Yuki no Hana

Yuki no Hana

- Charts :"Yuki no Hana" - Oricon Sales Chart - Charts :"Yuki no Hana" - Oricon Sales Chart...

". The album was certified Triple Platinum by RIAJ for shipment of 750,000 copies.

On August 15, 2007, Tokunaga released the album Vocalist 3. The album included his cover versions of Akiko Kobayashi

Akiko Kobayashi (singer)

, also known by her alias Holi, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, composer and arranger.Kobayashi collaborated with Brian Eno and U2 on their 1995 project, the Passengers...

's 1985 song "Koi ni Ochite (Fall in Love)" and Every Little Thing's 1998 song "Time Goes By

Time goes by

"Time Goes By" is a song by Japanese j-pop group Every Little Thing, released as their eighth single on February 11, 1998. It was used as the theme song for the drama Amai Kekkon. Hideaki Tokunaga covered the song on his 2007 album Vocalist 3...

". His cover version of Namie Amuro

Namie Amuro

is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...

's 1997 song "Can You Celebrate?

CAN YOU CELEBRATE?

"Can You Celebrate?" is Namie Amuro's seventh solo single under the Avex Trax label. Released on February 19, 1997, "Can You Celebrate" is the best-selling single by a solo female artist in Japanese music history with sales of 2,296,200 copies....

" was the final track of the album, but there was also a first press limited edition which included a bonus track, his cover version of Naomi Chiaki

Naomi Chiaki

, is a Japanese singer and actress who worked from the late 1960s to the early 1990s.Chiaki made her debut as a singer in 1969, and released her breakthrough single "Yottsu no Onegai" in the following year. "Kassai", a song which has been commonly considered her signature song was released in 1972...

's 1972 song "Kassai". Vocalist 3 reached the number-one position on the Oricon weekly album charts, making it his first number-one album in 15 years 10 months. Vocalist 3 topped the Oricon weekly album charts for two weeks. The album was certified Million by RIAJ for shipment of 1,000,000 copies.

On November 1, 2007, Tokunaga also covered Noriko Awaya

Noriko Awaya

was a Japanese female Soprano chanson and popular music singer. She has been dubbed the "Queen of Blues" in Japan.- Life and career :...

's at the Tokyo International Forum

Tokyo International Forum

The is a multi-purpose center in Tokyo, Japan.One of its halls seats 5,000. In addition to seven other halls, it includes exhibition space, a lobby, restaurants, shops, and other facilities....

 as a part of Ryoichi Hattori

Ryoichi Hattori

was a Japanese pop and jazz composer. Katsuhisa Hattori is his son. He had a great influence on Japanese pop and was awarded the People's Honor Award. Japanese jazz was downtrodden during World War II, but he created a jazz boom in Japan after the war. He composed many songs for various artists...

's 100th Anniversary Concert.

On May 6, 2009, Tokunaga released his studio album We All. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon weekly album charts. With the album, he became the first solo male artist who debuted in 1980s to have at least one studio album to top the Oricon weekly charts for three decades (1980s, 1990s and 2000s).

Tokunaga released the single "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" on March 31, 2010. It was his cover version of Teresa Teng

Teresa Teng

Teresa Teng , was an immensely popular and influential Chinese pop singer from Taiwan. Teresa Teng's voice and songs are instantly recognized throughout East Asia and in areas with large Asian populations...

's 1986 song and its B-sides were his cover versions of Seiko Matsuda

Seiko Matsuda

is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. Due to her popularity in the 1980s and her long career, she has been dubbed the "Eternal idol" by the Japanese media.- Biography :...

's 1982 song "Akai Sweet Pea" and Juju

Juju (singer)

is a Japanese jazz singer. She is represented by Sony Music Associated Records Inc.-Biography:She currently resides in New York City. She dreamed of being a jazz singer while growing up in Kyoto, and participated in all sorts of music-related activities. At age 18, she left for the US alone...

's 2009 song "Yasashisa de Afureru yōni." Those songs were included by the album Vocalist 4, released on April 20, 2010. The album included his cover version of Hikaru Utada's 1999 song "First Love." Vocalist 4 debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon weekly charts. Because of the album, he became the first male artist to have at least one album to top the Oricon weekly charts for four decades.

Studio albums

• Girl (1986)
• Radio (1986)
• Birds (1987)
• Dear (1988)
• Realize (1989)
• Justice (1990)
• Revolution (1991)
• Nostalgia (1993)
• The Sun Boy (1995)
• Bless (1997)
• Honesto (1999)
• Remind (2000)
• Love, Please (2002)
• My Life (2004)
• We All (2009)

Cover albums

• Vocalist (2005)
• Vocalist 2 (2006)
• Vocalist 3 (2007)
• Vocalist 4 (2010)

Compilation albums

• Intro (1987)
• Intro II (1992)
• Ballade of Ballade (1997)
• Single Collection (1986–1991) (1998)
• Single Collection (1992–1997) (1998)
• Intro III (2001)
• Shining Forever~ Self-Cover Best (2003)
• Beautiful Ballade (2006)
• Singles Best (2008)
• Singles B-side Best (2008)

External links

• Hideaki Tokunaga Official Site