57th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen
Encyclopedia
The , referred to from hereon as "Kōhaku," aired on December 31, 2006. This event was filmed and aired from NHK Hall
in Japan
. Air time was from 19:20 to 23:45 (with an interruption from 21:25 to 21:30 for news). All times are JST
. Viewership ratings: 30.39 (1st half), 37.39 (2nd half)
November 17: Yukie Nakama
will be hostess of the Red Team. Previously, Monta Mino was supposed to be an emcee of the event, but was not offered the position in the 57th event due to a conflict of being both singer and emcee (Monta released a CD earlier in 2006.)
November 29: List of singers and groups announced, as well as the remainder of the program's team hosts and mediators. Participants include (note that the songs listed are as of the announcement. Song selections may change leading up to the event):
Singers/groups who received invitations to the 57th event but declined include:
December 27: Order of the performances and song assignments are announced.
. Two buckets are used to hold the balls, one colored red and the other colored white. At the end of the event, the number of balls in each bucket will equal the total number of points for each team.
First, each of the two balls representing the first-half voting are placed in the bucket of the winning teams. The buckets are then placed in a box with a hole on top - large enough for an arm to reach in.
Next, the ten judges are each handed a ball. They then leave their seats and walk up to the box. Each judge places his/her ball secretly into either the white or red bucket, indicating the team they prefer, and without anyone else seeing. Once the ten balls have been placed in the buckets, the buckets are taken out of the box and then handed to two women. The two women then walk up on stage with the buckets. A third woman follows the buckets while holding a basket containing six additional balls - representing the remaining points to be earned.
Next, everyone witnesses the total number of votes for all the 2nd-half categories (see the distribution table below.) The woman with the basket of balls then place the balls into each of the two buckets, based on the points earned by the 2nd-half voting.
From here, the baskets are given to the team hosts. And then while counting up in ascending order, the team hosts throw each ball into the audience at the same time. Once a team host runs out of balls, everyone knows who the winning team is - as the winning team host continues to throw balls.
told the media his performance on Kōhaku would be something special. He performed his hit song, "Age Age Every Night" live at approximately 22:22 JST. After the performance, NHK received 252 complaints within about one hour, prompting Tamio Miyake to read an official bulletin later at 23:45 JST, explaining what happened during the performance. The bulletin sent giggles throughout NHK Hall.
During DJ OZMA's performance, several of the women performers removed pieces of clothing, revealing what appeared to be naked breasts. In the NHK bulletin, Tamio explained that the women were actually wearing flesh-colored bodysuits with drawn-on breasts, and assured the audience that no nudity occurred. Further inspection via recordings show flaws in the bodysuits, such as wrinkling of the skin and the breasts on all the women looking identical.
Despite the stunt being completely fake, viewers considered the performance to be distasteful and inappropriate for children. The performance was shown after family time, however it is tradition that the Kōhaku is a family event - as children would stay up with their families and watch Kōhaku while celebrating New Year's Eve. NHK is also a Japanese government-run TV network, and viewers hold the network to a high level of quality in their programming.
Before the performance on December 31, DJ OZMA announced he would be on the TBS
show CDTV Special, putting on the same performance he would be performing on Kōhaku. It is unknown whether or not TBS received complaints about the up-coming performance.
January 1: NHK posted on their web site the following message:
To loosely translate, NHK mentions that the background dancers were wearing bodysuits and therefore were not naked. The network did not know such an act would happen in the NHK broadcast. During rehearsal, the dancers were not wearing clothes like they did in the live performance. The performance did not meet the program's theme. We are sorry for the unpleasant events presented to you, our viewers.
Contrary to NHK's explanation, sports newspapers reported on December 30 - one day before the event - to expect the performance to be done in a bodysuit.
750 complaints were called in leading up to January 1 23:00 JST. On January 4, NHK president Genichi Hashimoto formally apologized about the event on-air.
January 10: Hashimoto Genichi appeared in an interview regarding the DJ OZMA event:
January 14: DJ OZMA expresses his apologies. But at the same time, he pointed out that NHK was evading responsibility, and mentioned the Kōhaku's producer by name.
On tape-delayed broadcasts via NHK World Premium, the video portion of DJ OZMA's performance was replaced with coastal scenery. On United States-based TV stations, the entire performance of DJ OZMA was completely removed. Viewers suspect this is in response to Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction incident in 2004
. Interesting enough, Tamio Miyake's bulletin later in the event was left in, causing viewers to wonder exactly what they missed. This caused Internet savvy users scurrying to on-line video sites such as YouTube
to view the censored segment.
NTV
TBS
Fuji TV
TV Asahi
TV Tokyo
All viewership ratings are from Video Research, Ltd., and they represent only the Kantō region.
NHK Hall
NHK Hall is a part of the NHK Broadcasting Center, located in Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Address is 2-2-1, Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-8001. This facility has a 3677-seat capacity.* 1955, NHK Hall opened in Tokyo's Uchisaiwai-cho district...
in 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...
. Air time was from 19:20 to 23:45 (with an interruption from 21:25 to 21:30 for news). All times are JST
Japan Standard Time
Japan Standard Time or JST is the standard timezone of Japan, and is 9 hours ahead of UTC. For example, when it is midnight in UTC, it is 09:00 in Japan Standard Time. There is no daylight saving time, though its introduction has been debated several times. Japan Standard Time is the same as...
. Viewership ratings: 30.39 (1st half), 37.39 (2nd half)
Broadcast stations
- In JapanJapanJapan 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...
: Sōgō Television, NHK Hi-Vision – High-definition TVHigh-definition televisionHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
, NHK BS-2 and NHK Radio. The 57th event marked its first Kōhaku to be broadcast on Ultra HDTV. It was also the world's first ever Ultra HDTV broadcast to be relayed over IP. - In overseas markets: NHK World Premium and NHK Radio 1.
- Non-subscribers of NHK World Premium were able to receive the program on KTSFKTSFKTSF is an independent television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Although licensed to San Francisco, the station's studio building is located in south suburban Brisbane, California. It is owned by Lincoln Broadcasting Company, and broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 27 from a...
in San Francisco, KSCIKSCIKSCI is an independent television station operating in Los Angeles and on KUAN-LP channel 48 in Poway, California, serving the San Diego area. It targets Asian Americans, and most of its programming is in Asian languages....
in Southern California, and KIKUKIKUKIKU-TV is an independent television station based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, KIKU broadcasts on DTV channel 19, Time-Warner Cable 9/Digital 89 , Time-Warner Cable 10/Digital 89 , Time-Warner Cable Digital 89 , Hawaiian Cable 12, and Hawaiian Telcom Cable 20...
in Honolulu.
Events leading up to broadcast date
September 20: Theme of the 57th event announced. "Ai. Kazoku. ~Sedai wo Koeru Uta ga Aru~", literally meaning "Love and Family: Songs that Last for Generations".November 17: Yukie Nakama
Yukie Nakama
is a Japanese actress, singer and former idol. She was born in Okinawa, Japan, in a fisherman's family, the youngest of five siblings.At the start of her career she was a gravure idol and singer , and appeared in bit roles until her career breakthrough playing Sadako in "Ring 0: Birthday ."In 2000,...
will be hostess of the Red Team. Previously, Monta Mino was supposed to be an emcee of the event, but was not offered the position in the 57th event due to a conflict of being both singer and emcee (Monta released a CD earlier in 2006.)
November 29: List of singers and groups announced, as well as the remainder of the program's team hosts and mediators. Participants include (note that the songs listed are as of the announcement. Song selections may change leading up to the event):
- AyakaAyakais a Japanese female singer formerly signed to Warner Music Japan. Born in Osaka, she moved to Tokyo to pursue a singing career. She married actor Hiro Mizushima on February 22, 2009.-2006:...
(debut): Will be singing the theme song Mikazuki, from the NHK show Tsunagaru Television @ Human. - Shikao SugaShikao Sugais a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter from Tokyo. Though he uses katakana for his recording name, the kanji for his name are 菅 止戈男, but the romanization is the same. Suga is his family name and Shikao is his given name....
(debut): Will be singing the song Progress, the theme music from the NHK show Professional Shigoto no Ryūgi, along with the musical group Kōkua. - Miki Imai (debut): Along with husband/guitarist Tomoyasu HoteiTomoyasu Hoteiis a Japanese musician, guitarist and actor. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked Hotei at number 70 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.- Life and career :...
. - Hideaki TokunagaHideaki Tokunagais a Japanese pop singer-songwriter and actor.Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of Star Tanjō! in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as "Yume o Shinjite" and "Kowarekake no Radio" in 1990, his single "Wednesday Moon" reached No...
(debut): Jazz singer. Contracted Moya Moya DiseaseMoya Moya DiseaseMoyamoya syndrome is a disease in which certain arteries in the brain are constricted. Blood flow is blocked by the constriction, and also by blood clots ....
, a cerebral vascular disorder. - Masako MoriMasako MoriMasako Mori may refer to:*Masako Mori - Japanese politician *Masako Mori - Japanese singer and former 1970s idol , see 25th Japan Record Awards...
(15): First Kōhaku appearance in five years (52nd edition was her last.) She'll also be appearing in the same program with her ex-husband Shinichi MoriShinichi Moriis a Japanese male enka singer and composer, who also sings folk and pop music. Nishinippon Shimbun claims that his total sales of gramophone records and CDs has been over 90 million copies....
, who she divorced earlier in 2006. - GAM (debut): A Hello! ProjectHello! Projectis the umbrella name for all female idol Japanese pop recording artists collective that are under contract with the Up-Front Group. The "mothership" group of Hello! Project is the super-group Morning Musume. Hello! Project's current leader is Risa Niigaki, the leader of Morning Musume...
duo consisting of Aya MatsuuraAya Matsuurais a Japanese pop singer from Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.-2000–2009: Hello! Project:Aya auditioned in 2000 for the fourth Morning Musume & Heike Michiyo Protegee Audition and was selected along with Sheki-Dol to become a part of what was later known as Hello! Project. It is a common...
and Miki FujimotoMiki Fujimoto, professionally known by her birth name , is a Japanese pop singer and television actress. After failing the audition to join girl group Morning Musume with the fourth generation members, Fujimoto debuted as solo artist within Hello! Project in 2002 with the single "Aenai Nagai Nichiyōbi"...
. Aya's appearance in this edition does not count towards her personal number of appearances, which stand at 5. - SEAMOSEAMOis a Japanese rapper and hip-hop artist better known under his alias Seamo . He made his debut in 2004 using the alias , but later changed his name to Seamo. He made his solo debut in 2005 with the Japanese record label BMG Japan with the single...
(debut): Released two CDs in 2006 - Lupin the Fire and Mata Aimashō.
Singers/groups who received invitations to the 57th event but declined include:
- Mai KurakiMai Kurakiis a Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter and producer from Funabashi, Chiba. Kuraki debuted in 1999 with the single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow". In 2000, she released her debut album, Delicious Way, which debuted at number-one and sold over 2,210,000 copies in its first week...
- Takurō YoshidaTakuro Yoshidais a Japanese male singer-songwriter. He was born on April 5, 1946 in Okuchi, Kagoshima and raised in Hiroshima. He made his debut with the single "Imeji no Uta / Maku II" on June 1, 1970...
- Yōsui InoueYosui Inoueis a Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, guitarist and record producer, who is an important figure in Japanese music. He is renowned for his unique tone, eccentric lyrics, and dark sunglasses which he always wears....
- KAT-TUNKAT-TUNKAT-TUN is a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates in 2001. The group's name is an acronym based on the first letter of each member's family name until the departure of Jin Akanishi in 2010. As of 2010, KAT-TUN stands for Kazuya KAmenashi, Junnosuke Taguchi, Koki Tanaka, Tatsuya Ueda,...
- Yakkun Sakurazuka
December 27: Order of the performances and song assignments are announced.
Restriction of viewing audience participation
Audience participants at NHK Hall were restricted to those who's subscription fees with Hōsō Hō (Japan's Broadcasting Act) were in good standing. Whether or not this restriction was placed on previous events is unknown. NHK used this criterion as an indicator, to see if the scandals at NHK had an effect on whether or not people were paying the fee. Based on NHK statistics, 365,970 applications for tickets to the NHK Hall event were received, down from 503,721 in 2005.Chairpersons
- Red team host: Yukie Nakama
- White team host: Masahiro NakaiMasahiro Nakaiis a singer, actor and host for music events and variety shows such as the long-running music show Utaban. He is the leader of the Japanese idol group SMAP.-Early life:...
- Mediators: Tamio Miyake and Megumi Kurosaki
- Radio announcers: Sen Odagiri and Yuriko Shimazu
Performance listing
| Red Team | White Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Singer | Song | Singer | Song |
| First-half | |||
| mihimaru GT Mihimaru GT Mihimaru GT is an urban and pop group signed to Universal Music Japan and managed by Tearbridge Productions, a subsidiary of Stardust Promotion and Avex.- History :... (debut) |
"Kibun Jojo" | w-inds. W-inds. W-inds is a Japanese pop boy band that is managed by Vision Factory and has been signed to the Pony Canyon label since 2000. The group consists of the three individuals Ryohei Chiba, Keita Tachibana, and Ryuichi Ogata. They made their formal debut in 2001 and, to date, have released 30 singles... (5) |
"Boogie Woogie 66" |
| BoA BoA Boa Kwon , commonly stylized and known by her stage name BoA, which is a backronym for Beat of Angel, is a Korean singer, active in South Korea, Japan, and the United States and sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Korean Pop Music".... (5) |
"Nana Iro no Ashita ～brand new beat～" | Ichirō Toba (19) | "Kyodaifune" |
| Yōko Nagayama Yoko Nagayama Yōko Nagayama is a Japanese enka singer, former J-pop singer, and actress.- Early life :Nagayama was born in Tokyo. At the age of four, she began attending min'yo group singing lessons with her father... (13) |
"Kizuna" (along with Tokinori Kageyama) | SEAMO SEAMO is a Japanese rapper and hip-hop artist better known under his alias Seamo . He made his debut in 2004 using the alias , but later changed his name to Seamo. He made his solo debut in 2005 with the Japanese record label BMG Japan with the single... (debut) |
"Mata Ai Macho Kōhaku" |
| Fuyumi Sakamoto Fuyumi Sakamoto is a Japanese female enka singer under EMI Music Japan.-Career:On March 4, 1987, Sakamoto debuted as a recording singer with the single "Abare Daiko". In 1988, she took part in the 39th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen for the first time... (18) |
"Iwai Zake" | Takeshi Kitayama (2) | "Otoko no Ken" |
| GAM (debut) ＆ Morning Musume Morning Musume , sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs... (9) |
"Thanks!, Aruteru, 2006 Ambitious Version" | Aqua Timez Aqua Timez is a Japanese pop rock band signed to Epic Records.-Overview:Futoshi and OKP-Star met on with9.com in 2000 and attempted to start a band together. Unable to agree on the band's future, the two disbanded. In 2003, the current band members gathered and formed Aqua Timez. Their first independent music... (debut) |
"Ketsui no Asa ni" |
| Ayako Fuji Ayako Fuji , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese enka singer. She is signed onto Sony Music Japan. Born in Kakunodate, Akita, Fuji graduated from Akita Prefectural Kakunodate South High School.- Hit songs :* Utakata no Koi, 1998* Miren, 1995... (15) |
"Yuki Shinshin" | Takashi Hosokawa Takashi Hosokawa , born 細川貴志 on 15 June 1950, Makkari, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese male enka singer.In 1975, he debuted with song "Kokoro Nokori". Hosokawa immediately became one of the most popular enka and pop singers in Japan... (32) |
"Naniwabushi dayo Jinsei wa" |
| Minna no Uta Minna no Uta , literally Everyone's Songs, is a five minute NHK TV and radio program broadcasting several times daily since 1961. The program is generally used as filler at the end of regular television programs... 45 Years Kids Show |
|||
| 攻守交代（白先攻） | |||
| Natsuko Godai (13) | "Kinmokusei" | Shikao Suga Shikao Suga is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter from Tokyo. Though he uses katakana for his recording name, the kanji for his name are 菅 止戈男, but the romanization is the same. Suga is his family name and Shikao is his given name.... (debut) |
"Progress" (along with Kōkua) |
| Ayaka Hirahara (3) | "Chikai" | Takao Horiuchi Takao Horiuchi is a Japanese pop and enka singer. He won a 1990 Japan Record Award for enka.- External links :*... (17) |
"Itoshii Hibi" |
| Ai Otsuka Ai Otsuka is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and actress from Suminoe-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. She is a popular artist on the Avex Trax label and is best known for her 2003 hit "Sakuranbo," which stayed in the Top 200 Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for 103 weeks.A piano... (3) |
"Ren'ai Shashin" | Kenichi Mikawa Kenichi Mikawa is a Japanese singer and TV personality, known for his outspoken views and style.Mikawa was born in Suwa, Nagano as . He recorded a number of hit songs as a male enka singer in the 1960s and 1970s. The most well-known of his songs include "Sasoriza no Onna" and "Yanagase Blues"... (23) |
"Sasori za no Onna 2006" |
| 攻守交代（紅先攻） | |||
| Kaori Kōzai (14) | "Saihoku Kōro" | Orange Range Orange Range is a 5-member Okinawan alternative rock band, based in Okinawa, Japan. Formed in 2001, the band began with Spice Music and later signed with Sony Music Japan's gr8! records division in 2003. The group left gr8! records in 2010 to start their own label, Super Echo.... (2) |
"Champione" |
| Rimi Natsukawa Rimi Natsukawa is an Okinawan singer. She is best known for her 2001 single "Nada Sōsō."- Childhood :Natsukawa was born in Ishigaki, the largest city in the Yaeyama Islands chain. From a young age she enjoyed singing, and wanted to be a singer after hearing her father sing Yaeyama folk songs, such as and... (5) |
"Hana" | Akira Fuse Akira Fuse is a Japanese singer who was once married to Olivia Hussey. He debuted in 1965 with the single . His greatest hits are and . He currently makes consistent appearances on television, performs occasional seasonal tours, hosts a late night talk show, and is involved in a number of stage plays... (22) |
"Imagine" |
| Masako Mori Masako Mori Masako Mori may refer to:*Masako Mori - Japanese politician *Masako Mori - Japanese singer and former 1970s idol , see 25th Japan Record Awards... (15) |
"Bara Iro no Mirai" | Kiyoshi Maekawa Kiyoshi Maekawa is a Japanese singer and tarento.He is best known as the first lead vocalist of Hiroshi Uchiyamada and Cool Five, which was formed in 1967 and debuted in 1969 with the Japan Record Award-winning song "Nagasaki wa Kyō mo Ame Datta"... (16) |
"Nagasaki wa Kyo mo Ame datta" |
| BONNIE PINK Bonnie Pink , known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician. She lived in New York during 1998 and speaks English . She writes and composes all her songs, and plays guitar and piano... (debut) |
"A Perfect Sky" | Gospellers Gospellers The Gospellers are a Japanese a cappella vocal group made up of Tetsuya Murakami, Kaoru Kurosawa, Yuji Sakai, Yoichi Kitayama and Yutaka Yasuoka.... (6) |
"Furusato" |
| Sayuri Ishikawa Sayuri Ishikawa , is a Japanese enka singer. She is a popular contestant on the annual NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen broadcast, having appeared 32 times since 1977. Ishikawa made her name performing the classic "Tsugarukaikyo-Fuyugeshiki"... (29) |
"Meoto Zenzai" | Shinichi Mori Shinichi Mori is a Japanese male enka singer and composer, who also sings folk and pop music. Nishinippon Shimbun claims that his total sales of gramophone records and CDs has been over 90 million copies.... (39) |
"Ofukuro-san" |
| 2nd-half | |||
| Ayaka Ayaka is a Japanese female singer formerly signed to Warner Music Japan. Born in Osaka, she moved to Tokyo to pursue a singing career. She married actor Hiro Mizushima on February 22, 2009.-2006:... (debut) |
"Mikazuki" | WaT WaT WaT is a Japanese pop duo composed of singers/songwriters Eiji Wentz and Teppei Koike. They met each other in 2002 and formed WaT, playing live street performances with their guitars. Their debut single, "Boku no Kimochi", was released in 2005. Wentz, who is half German-American and half Japanese,... (2) |
"5 Centi." |
| Ayumi Hamasaki Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to... (8) |
"Jewel" | Sukima Switch Sukima Switch is a Japanese jazz fusion duo consisting of core members , born May 9, 1978, and , born February 25, 1978, formed in 2003. Formerly with BMG Japan , they signed with Sony Music Japan's Ariola Japan label in September 2009.-History:... (2) |
"Boku Note" |
| 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 :... (5) |
"Hitoiro" | TOKIO Tokio Tokio is an alternative spelling for Tokyo, the capital of Japan, used primarily in non-english speaking countries.Tokio may also refer to:-Music:*Tokio , a Japanese pop/rock band**Tokio , the debut by Tokio... (13) |
"Sorafune" |
| 2006 Super Review | |||
| aiko Aiko (singer) Aiko is a J-Pop singer-songwriter and vocalist. She studied popular music vocals at the Osaka College of Music, and after graduating in 1996, she became a DJ on FM Osaka... (5) |
"Hitomi" | Porno Graffitti Porno Graffitti , also known as is a Japanese male rock band from Innoshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The band got their name from the album Pornograffitti by the band Extreme... (5) |
"Haneuma Rider" |
| Sachiko Kobayashi (28) | "Ōedo Kenka Bana" | DJ OZMA DJ Ozma DJ OZMA, born as on April 26 in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, and legally known as , is a Japanese pop singer and musical artist. He first came to prominence in early 2006 and is notorious for his performance at the 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, during which his female dancers stripped themselves of... (debut) |
"Age Age Every Night Age Age Every Night is the debut single of DJ OZMA. It peaked at #4 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and for the year of 2006 it was the #41 song on the annual charts. For the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, it won in the Best Dance Video of the Year. It is coupled with the song "BOYS BRAVO!", a cover/remix of a song... " |
| Angela Aki Angela Aki , born Kiyomi Angela Aki on September 15, 1977, is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist from Itano, Tokushima, Japan.-Early life:... (debut) |
"Home" | Masashi Sada Masashi Sada is a Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, novelist, actor, and a film producer.Sada formed the folk duo Grape with Masami Yoshida in 1972, and made debut as a recording artist a year after. The pair rose to fame owing to a hit of a song "Shourou Nagashi" composed by Sada, which peaked at the... (18) |
"Kakashi" |
| Kaori Mizumori Kaori Mizumori ' is a Japanese female enka singer. Her real name is .Her songs are usually titled after Japanese landmarks and Japanese nature. Thus Kaori gained her popularity as an Enka singer in Japan.- External links :*... (4) |
"Kumanokodō" | Kiyoshi Hikawa Kiyoshi Hikawa is a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977 in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. His real name is and he is known as "The Prince of Enka" due to his young age and popularity... (7) |
"Ikken" |
| Miki Imai (debut) | "PRIDE" | Hideaki Tokunaga Hideaki Tokunaga is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter and actor.Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of Star Tanjō! in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as "Yume o Shinjite" and "Kowarekake no Radio" in 1990, his single "Wednesday Moon" reached No... (debut) |
"Kowareru no Radio" |
| Akiko Wada Akiko Wada is a female Japanese singer and television performer of Korean ancestry, originally hailing from , Ikuno-ku, Osaka. Born Kim Bok-Ja , like many Zainichi Koreans, she also had a name for everyday use, which was Japanicized . On her selection of Japanese citizenship, her name became , which upon... (30) |
"Mother" | Masafumi Akikawa Masafumi Akikawa is a Japanese tenor singer. He has released a number of CDs, in which he has sung a broad range of genres, from classical to pop. He appeared on the 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen broadcast.... (debut) |
"Sen no Kaze ni Natte" |
| Yoshimi Tendō (11) | "Inochi no Kagiri" | Kobukuro Kobukuro is a Japanese band, which formed in 1998 and made its major label debut in 2001. The name is a portmanteau of the two family names, Kentarō Kobuchi and Shunsuke Kuroda.- Members :... (2) |
"Kaze" |
| Kumi Koda Kumi Koda , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game... (2) |
"Yume no Uta" | Hiroshi Itsuki Hiroshi Itsuki is a Japanese male singer and composer. He sold 20 million records of singles and 4 million copies of LP albums by 1987.Itsuki is usually regarded as an enka singer, but he even covered Southern All Stars' J-pop song "Tsunami".... (36) |
"Takasebune" |
| Dreams Come True (11) | "Nandodemo Love Love Love 2006" | SMAP SMAP SMAP is a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. While originally consisting of six members, the current group members are Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori... (14) |
"Arigatō" |
| Miyuki Kawanaka Miyuki Kawanaka Miyuki Kawanaka is a Japanese Enka singer.She was born Kimiko Kawanaka in Suita, Osaka. At a young age she moved to Osaka where she grew up. In 1973 she debuted as Kasuga Harumi with the song Shinjuku Tenshin. She later tried to become an idol with the release of Kantsubaki no Shima Kara... (19) |
"Futari Sake" | Saburō Kitajima Saburo Kitajima is a well-known Japanese enka singer, lyricist and composer.He was born Minoru Ōno , in a little town in Hokkaidō to a fisherman. He was very poor because of the effects of World War II, and he was forced to work while he studied.... (43) |
"Matsuri" |
Judges
- Yōko AkiYōko Akiis a Japanese actress and novelist. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 5th Hochi Film Award for Shiki Natsuko.-References:...
, songwriter. Her husband, Ryudo Uzaki sat behind Yōko. He made a comment that he was impressed with Ichirō Toba's song. - Masaaki Uchino, actor. He will be playing the main character in the NHK Taiga dramaTaiga dramais the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
Fūrin Kazan. - Minoru Kamata, physician. NHK Radio personality.
- Jakuchō SetouchiJakucho Setouchi, formerly , is a Buddhist nun, writer and activist.- Biography :Setouchi was born in Tokushima. She attended Tokyo Woman's Christian University and graduated with a degree in Japanese Literature...
, writer and Buddhist nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. Recipient of the Order of Culture - Sō TaguchiSo Taguchiis a Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder who is currently playing with the Orix Buffaloes. Previously, he has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball, and with the Orix BlueWave in Nippon Professional Baseball.Taguchi is the first...
, baseball player. Plays outfielder for the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, who won the Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in the United States earlier in 2006. - Naomi FujiyamaNaomi Fujiyamais a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 25th Hochi Film Award and at the 22nd Yokohama Film Festival for Face.-References:...
, actress. Plays the heroine role in the NHK morning drama Imo Tako Nankin. - Sakura YokomineSakura Yokomineis a Japanese professional golfer. She is one of the leading players on the LPGA of Japan Tour and was in the top twenty of the February 2006 debut edition of the Women's World Golf Rankings...
, LPGA of Japan TourLPGA of Japan TourThe Japan LPGA Tour is a professional golf tour for women organised by the Ladies Professional Golfers' Association of Japan. It is the second richest women's golf tour in the world. The U.S.-based LPGA Tour is the most important women's tour, but the prize money gap has closed markedly since the...
golf professional. Sakura's father, Yoshirō YokomineYoshiro Yokomineis a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Kagoshima Prefecture and high school graduate, he was elected for the first time in 2007. He is the father of professional golfer Sakura Yokomine.- External links :* in Japanese....
was among the audience. He also appeared on-stage in the 2006 Super Review event. - Miyako YoshidaMiyako YoshidaMiyako Yoshida is a Japanese ballet dancer. She was a Principal Guest Artist of The Royal Ballet as well as a Principal dancer in K-ballet, Japan.-Biography:...
, ballerinaBallerinaA ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
. Miyako plays an active part in the British Royal BalletRoyal Ballet, LondonThe Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the four major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in 1931 by Dame Ninette de Valois, it became the resident ballet...
. - Lily Franky, illustrator. The autobiography Tokyo Tower is based on Lily's family.
- Ken WatanabeKen Watanabeis a Japanese stage, film, and television actor. To English-speaking audiences he is known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best...
, actor. Ken stars in the American movie Letters from Iwo JimaLetters from Iwo Jimais a 2006 war film directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood, and starring Ken Watanabe and Kazunari Ninomiya. The film portrays the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers and is a companion piece to Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers, which depicts the same battle from the...
and Japanese movie Ashita no Kioku.
Special guest
- Shizuka ArakawaShizuka Arakawais a Japanese figure skater.She is the 2006 Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles and the 2004 World Champion. Arakawa is the first Japanese skater to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating and the second Japanese skater to win any Olympic medal in figure skating, after Midori Ito, who won silver...
, figure skater. Winner of the gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics2006 Winter OlympicsThe 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
.
Performing guests
- Hiromitsu AgatsumaHiromitsu AgatsumaHiromitsu Agatsuma is a Japanese shamisen artist who plays the Tsugaru-jamisen, a larger shamisen with thicker strings than those used for most other styles.He was born in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture....
, Tsugaru-jamisenTsugaru-jamisenTsugaru-Shamisen is a genre of shamisen music originating in Aomori prefecture in the northernmost area of the Japanese island of Honshū. It is today performed throughout Japan, though associations with the Tsugaru area of Aomori remain strong....
player. Played alongside Ayako FujiAyako Fuji, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese enka singer. She is signed onto Sony Music Japan. Born in Kakunodate, Akita, Fuji graduated from Akita Prefectural Kakunodate South High School.- Hit songs :* Utakata no Koi, 1998* Miren, 1995...
. - Jake ShimabukuroJake ShimabukuroJake Shimabukuro is an ukulele virtuoso known for his complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz and rock.- History :...
, UkuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
player. Played alongside Rimi NatsukawaRimi Natsukawais an Okinawan singer. She is best known for her 2001 single "Nada Sōsō."- Childhood :Natsukawa was born in Ishigaki, the largest city in the Yaeyama Islands chain. From a young age she enjoyed singing, and wanted to be a singer after hearing her father sing Yaeyama folk songs, such as and...
. - Shima Ken, pianist. Played alongside GospellersGospellersThe Gospellers are a Japanese a cappella vocal group made up of Tetsuya Murakami, Kaoru Kurosawa, Yuji Sakai, Yoichi Kitayama and Yutaka Yasuoka....
. - Tomoyasu HoteiTomoyasu Hoteiis a Japanese musician, guitarist and actor. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked Hotei at number 70 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.- Life and career :...
, guitarist. Played alongside Miki Imai.
Using the ball system
With the 57th event, the judging by balls was revived (balls were not used in the 56th event.) One ball represents one point. No one knows how many points each team earned until the very end of the event. To announce the winner, balls are used as visual propsTheatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
. Two buckets are used to hold the balls, one colored red and the other colored white. At the end of the event, the number of balls in each bucket will equal the total number of points for each team.
First, each of the two balls representing the first-half voting are placed in the bucket of the winning teams. The buckets are then placed in a box with a hole on top - large enough for an arm to reach in.
Next, the ten judges are each handed a ball. They then leave their seats and walk up to the box. Each judge places his/her ball secretly into either the white or red bucket, indicating the team they prefer, and without anyone else seeing. Once the ten balls have been placed in the buckets, the buckets are taken out of the box and then handed to two women. The two women then walk up on stage with the buckets. A third woman follows the buckets while holding a basket containing six additional balls - representing the remaining points to be earned.
Next, everyone witnesses the total number of votes for all the 2nd-half categories (see the distribution table below.) The woman with the basket of balls then place the balls into each of the two buckets, based on the points earned by the 2nd-half voting.
From here, the baskets are given to the team hosts. And then while counting up in ascending order, the team hosts throw each ball into the audience at the same time. Once a team host runs out of balls, everyone knows who the winning team is - as the winning team host continues to throw balls.
Winner and distribution
The 57th event was won by the White Team with a total of 13 points. This win breaks the tie of wins overall between the Red and White teams, as the White Team now leads with 29 victories (Red Team has 28). The table below documents the voting and points distribution:| Method | Points | Red Team | White Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voting at mid-way of event | |||
| Number of votes via 1seg & digital TV poll | 1 | 8,188 votes | 7,430 votes |
| Number of votes via cellular phone | 1 | 4,446 votes | 6,196 votes |
| Voting at end of event | |||
| Number of votes by NHK Hall audience | 2 | 1,178 votes | 1,437 votes |
| Number of votes via cellular phone | 2 | 3,768 votes | 8,528 votes |
| Number of votes via 1seg & digital TV poll | 2 | 23,440 votes | 27,677 votes |
| Judges vote (1 point for each vote) | 10 | 4 points | 6 points |
| Results | 18 | 5 points | 13 points |
DJ OZMA performance controversy
Days prior to the 57th event, DJ OZMADJ Ozma
DJ OZMA, born as on April 26 in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, and legally known as , is a Japanese pop singer and musical artist. He first came to prominence in early 2006 and is notorious for his performance at the 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, during which his female dancers stripped themselves of...
told the media his performance on Kōhaku would be something special. He performed his hit song, "Age Age Every Night" live at approximately 22:22 JST. After the performance, NHK received 252 complaints within about one hour, prompting Tamio Miyake to read an official bulletin later at 23:45 JST, explaining what happened during the performance. The bulletin sent giggles throughout NHK Hall.
During DJ OZMA's performance, several of the women performers removed pieces of clothing, revealing what appeared to be naked breasts. In the NHK bulletin, Tamio explained that the women were actually wearing flesh-colored bodysuits with drawn-on breasts, and assured the audience that no nudity occurred. Further inspection via recordings show flaws in the bodysuits, such as wrinkling of the skin and the breasts on all the women looking identical.
Despite the stunt being completely fake, viewers considered the performance to be distasteful and inappropriate for children. The performance was shown after family time, however it is tradition that the Kōhaku is a family event - as children would stay up with their families and watch Kōhaku while celebrating New Year's Eve. NHK is also a Japanese government-run TV network, and viewers hold the network to a high level of quality in their programming.
Before the performance on December 31, DJ OZMA announced he would be on the TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
show CDTV Special, putting on the same performance he would be performing on Kōhaku. It is unknown whether or not TBS received complaints about the up-coming performance.
January 1: NHK posted on their web site the following message:
To loosely translate, NHK mentions that the background dancers were wearing bodysuits and therefore were not naked. The network did not know such an act would happen in the NHK broadcast. During rehearsal, the dancers were not wearing clothes like they did in the live performance. The performance did not meet the program's theme. We are sorry for the unpleasant events presented to you, our viewers.
Contrary to NHK's explanation, sports newspapers reported on December 30 - one day before the event - to expect the performance to be done in a bodysuit.
750 complaints were called in leading up to January 1 23:00 JST. On January 4, NHK president Genichi Hashimoto formally apologized about the event on-air.
January 10: Hashimoto Genichi appeared in an interview regarding the DJ OZMA event:
- The number of complaints increased to 1,796.
- NHK will implement a written agreement between the TV network and the performers so that future performances are done within broadcast ethics.
January 14: DJ OZMA expresses his apologies. But at the same time, he pointed out that NHK was evading responsibility, and mentioned the Kōhaku's producer by name.
On tape-delayed broadcasts via NHK World Premium, the video portion of DJ OZMA's performance was replaced with coastal scenery. On United States-based TV stations, the entire performance of DJ OZMA was completely removed. Viewers suspect this is in response to Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction incident in 2004
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
. Interesting enough, Tamio Miyake's bulletin later in the event was left in, causing viewers to wonder exactly what they missed. This caused Internet savvy users scurrying to on-line video sites such as YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
to view the censored segment.
Competition
NHK- 19:20 - 21:25 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (1st-half) - 30.3
- 21:30 - 23:45 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (2nd-half) - 37.3
NTV
- 18:00 - 21:00 Omisoka Gentei! Izumi PinkoIzumi PinkoSeptember 11, 1947 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress and singer.- Television :* Chichi yo, Anata wa Erakatta * Tonari no Shibafu as Takahira Shino * Kurobe no Taiyo as Kuramatsu Tsuru...
Weekender - 21:00 - 24:15 Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai Yaarahende - 10.2
TBS
- 18:00 - 23:34 K-1 PREMIUM Dynamite! - 16.3 (1) / 19.9 (2) / 10.1 (3)
Fuji TV
- 19:00 - 21:00 Hosoki Kazuko no Nippon no Omisoka - 10.3
- 21:00 - 23:00 ALL JAPAN Medalist on Ice 2006 - 9.9
- 23:00 - 23:45 Saikyoun Geinojin Ketteisen 2006 - 9.9
TV Asahi
- 18:00 - 19:54 Doraemon SP -
- 20:00 - 23:00 Beat Takeshi's TV Tackle - 5.3
- 23:00 - 25:30
TV Tokyo
- 17:00 - 21:30 39th Annual Toshiwasure Nippon no Uta - 9.3
- 21:30 - 23:30 Gaia New Year's Eve SP
- 23:30 - 24:45 Tokyu JIRUBESUTA Concert
All viewership ratings are from Video Research, Ltd., and they represent only the Kantō region.