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 singer and television celebrity most famous for singing the Japanese version of the Village People

Village People

Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....

's hit song Y.M.C.A., called Young Man. Although the original version was camp

Camp (style)

Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...

, Saijō's version was intended to seriously inspire "young men".

Saijō's career spans over three decades. Saijo has endured the ups and downs of the fickle Japanese music buying public and has steadily remained in the public eye. He gained popularity again in the 90s in the cartoon Chibi Maruko-chan

Chibi Maruko-chan

is a shōjo manga series by Momoko Sakura, later adapted into an anime TV series by Nippon Animation, which originally aired on Fuji Television from January 7, 1990 to September 27, 1992. The series depicts the simple, everyday life of a little girl nicknamed Maruko and her family in suburban...

 and by releasing a cover version of the Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...

 song Bailamos

Bailamos

"Bailamos" is a Latin pop song from singer Enrique Iglesias, sung in English and Spanish. It was the debut single of Iglesias in the English-language market, and attained immense success, reaching the #1 spot in the Billboard Hot 100....

. He also sang the Theme song and became the character (specially created for the Japanese version—Lucky Mucho) in The Emperor's New Groove

The Emperor's New Groove

The Emperor's New Groove is a 2000 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures through Buena Vista Distribution on December 15, 2000. It is the 40th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics...

and also performed Turn A Turn, the first opening theme song for ∀ Gundam

Turn A Gundam

is a 50 episode anime series that aired between 1999 and 2000 on Japan's FNN networks and on the anime satellite television network, Animax, which was created for the Gundam Big Bang 20th Anniversary celebration...

.

In 2003, around the time that his 85th single was to be released, he suffered a mild stroke while performing overseas in Korea. With rehabilitation, hard work and dedication, in 2006, he released his 86th single, "Meguriai". Lyrics were set to André Gagnon

André Gagnon

André Gagnon, OC is a Canadian musician and composer. He shifted from a classical musical style to an adult contemporary style in the mid-1970s with albums such as Neiges....

's "Comme au Premier Jour".

In 2009, he released a downloadable single, "Vegetable Wonderful" which is tied to the NHK program, "Time for Vegetables".

He married for the first time in 2001. He has one daughter and two sons.

His sister was the wife of Masaru Takumi

Masaru Takumi

Masaru Takumi was a powerful Japanese organized crime figure assassinated in 1997. Until his death, he was the second-in-command and financial overseer of Japan's largest yakuza gang, the Yamaguchi-gumi...

, a powerful Japanese organized crime figure assassinated in 1997.

Discography

• Koisurukisetsu (1972)
• "Koi no Yaukosku" (1972)
• Chance wa ichido (1972)
• Seishun ni Kakeyou" (1972)
• Jonetsunoarashi (1973)
• Chigireta ai (1973)
• Ai no jujika (1973)
• Bara no kusari (1974)
• Hageshii koi (1974)
• Kizudarake no Lola (1974)
• Kono ai tokimeki (1975)
• Koi no boso (1975)
• Shiroi kyokai (1975)
• Kimiyo dakarete atsukunare (1976)
• Jaguar (1976)
• Wakaki shishitachi (1976)
• Last scene (1976)
• Boomerang street (1977)
• Botanwo hazuse (1977)
• Boots wo nuide choshokuwo (1978)
• Anatato ainotameni (1978)
• Honoo (1978)
• Blue sky blue (1978)
• Young man (1979)
• Hop step jump (1979)
• Yuki ga areba (1979)
• Ainosono (1980)
• Oretachi no jidai (1980)
• Nemurenuyoru (1980)
• Santa maria no inori (1980)
• Little girl (1981)
• Sentimental girl (1981)
• "Sexy Rock'n Roller" (1981)
• Gypsy (1981)
• Minami jujisei (1982)
• Seishoujo (1982)
• Gyarando (1983)
• Night game (1983)
• Do you know (1984)
• Dakishimete jiruba (1984)
• Ichimankonen no ai (1985)
• Udenonakae (1985)
• Tsuioku no hitomi (1986)
• Rain of dream (1986)
• Yakusoku no tabi (1986)
• New York girl (1987)
• Blue sky (1988)
• Hashire Shojikimono (1991)
• Sayyea Jan-go (1994)
• Tasgareyo sobani ite (1995)
• Moment (1997)
• 2R Kara Hajimeyou (1998)
• Saigono ai (1999)
• Turn A Turn (opening theme for ∀ Gundam Episodes 2~28) (1999)
• Bailamos ~ Tonight We Dance (1999)
• Love Torture (2000)
• Tokino kizahashi (2000)
• Jasmine (2001)
• Everybody Dance (2002)
• Sodai Gomi Jyane (2003)
• Meguriai (2006)
• "Vegetable Wonderful" (2009)