is Zard

Zard

was a Japanese pop group. Originally a group of five members, with lead vocalist Izumi Sakai as group leader. However, Sakai was the only member who stayed on in the group while others joined and left regularly. As such, Zard and Sakai may be referred to interchangeably. Zard's work was sold under...

's 22nd single released on August 20, 1997. The song "Eien" was composed by Akihito Tokunaga

Akihito Tokunaga

is a Japanese musician and composer, who wrote the music for the anime Dragon Ball GT, and the fourth Dragon Ball movie. He is also a member of the Japanese hard rock band doa.-Selected works:*Dragon Ball GT*Dragon Ball GT: A Hero's Legacy...

 with the lyrics written by Izumi Sakai

Izumi Sakai

, born 6 February 1967 in Kurume, Japan – 27 May 2007 was a Japanese Pop singer, song writer, and member of the group Zard.- Biography :Born in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan, Sakai grew up in Hadano, Kanagawa. Her father was a driving instructor, and she had a younger brother and younger sister...

. The song was used as the main theme of Japanese television drama

Japanese television drama

, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

 adaptation of the novel A Lost Paradise

A Lost Paradise

is 1997 novel by Japanese author Junichi Watanabe. It tells the story of a 54-year-old married former magazine editor, his affair with a 37-year-old married typesetter and their double-suicide. The couple, Kūki and Rinko, are modeled after the famous case of Sada Abe.The book became a bestseller...

. Junichi Watanabe

Junichi Watanabe

is a Japanese writer, known for his portrayal of extra-marital affairs of middle aged people. His 1997 novel A Lost Paradise became a bestseller in Japan and over Asia, and was made into a film and a TV miniseries...

, the writer of the novel, wrote the title word "Eien" of the CD cover. The single debuted at number 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. When Izumi Sakai died in 2007, it was elected as her fifth best song on the Oricon polls.