Junichi Inagaki
稲垣 潤一
Born (1953-07-09) July 9, 1953
Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
drums
Years active1982–present
LabelsToshiba EMI
Fun House/BMG Victor/BMG Japan
Teichiku Entertainment
Universal Music Japan
Websitej-inagaki.com

Junichi Inagaki (Japanese: 稲垣 潤一, Hepburn: Inagaki Jun'ichi, born July 9, 1953) is a Japanese popular music singer.

Biography

Inagaki was born and raised in Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, and graduated from Miyagi Prefectural Technical High School. One of his earliest musical influences was Stevie Wonder. While a student in middle school, he joined a local band called Faces as a vocalist and drummer. Later, he also performed in bands that entertained United States military personnel stationed in Yokosuka and Tachikawa. Beginning with his commercial debut single "Rainy Regret" (雨のリグレット Ame no riguretto) in 1982, Inagaki released a series of popular hits.

Inagaki's music became especially well known throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His songs have appeared on several drama programs and numerous commercial advertisements on Japanese television. His 1992 ballad "When The Christmas Carols Play" (クリスマスキャロルの頃には Kurisumasu kyaroru no koro ni wa) was featured on the TBS drama series Homework (ホームワーク), and remains one of the most popular holiday songs in Japan.[1]

As of 2010, Inagaki continues to tour in Japan, and performed in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya in June 2010.[2] In a rare performance abroad, he held a private concert in San Francisco sponsored by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California on January 11, 2009.[3]

Inagaki's first wife of more than 30 years died in 2006. He remarried in October 2007, and hosted a wedding reception in Tokyo for family and close friends in March 2008.[4]

Discography

Original studio albums

YearTitleRelease Date
1982246:3AMJuly 21, 1982
1983Shylights
Japan Record Award for one of the 10 Best Albums of 1983[5]
February 1, 1983
1983J.I.September 1, 1983
1984PersonallyMay 19, 1984
1985No StringsMay 1, 1985
1986Realistic
Japan Record Award for Outstanding Album[6]
March 1, 1986
1987Mind NoteMarch 4, 1987
1988Edge of TimeApril 25, 1988
1989Heart & SoulApril 19, 1989
1990Self PortraitApril 4, 1990
1991WillApril 3, 1991
1992Sketch of HeartMay 20, 1992
1993For my DearestMarch 24, 1993
1994Signs of TrustApril 6, 1994
1995J's DimensionJune 14, 1995
1996PrimarySeptember 21, 1996
1997V.O.Z.November 21, 1997
2000My OneJune 21, 2000
2001endless chainNovember 21, 2001
2002Junichi InagakiNovember 21, 2002
2011Just For You... (たったひとりの君へ… Tatta hitori no kimi e)April 20, 2011

Compilation and live albums

YearTitleRelease Date
1983J. LiveDecember 21, 1983
1985CompleteAugust 22, 1985
1985Ballad Selection/P.S. I Want to Give You A Hug (抱きしめたい Dakishimetai)September 29, 1986
198816 CandlesDecember 1, 1988
1990New Best Now CompleteSeptember 27, 1990
1992On TelevisionDecember 2, 1992
1998Super Best CollectionSeptember 30, 1998
1999Super Best/Single Hits CollectionJanuary 21, 1999
1999Super Best/Album Favorite CollectionJanuary 21, 1999
2001Love Ballad Best Collection/P.S. I Want to Give You A Hug (抱きしめたい Dakishimetai)August 22, 2001
2002Love Beat Best Collection/Dramatic Rain (ドラマティック・レイン)January 23, 2002
2002Super Best Single Hits Collection
Released on DVD Audio only.
December 18, 2002
2003Slow Songs (スロー ソングス)November 26, 2003
2005Complete Single CollectionDecember 16, 2005
2007Rainy Voice 〜greatest hits & mellow pop〜 September 5, 2007
2009Ballad Best (バラードベスト)March 11, 2009

Cover and duet albums

YearTitleRelease Date
1986Another PageJuly 2, 1986
1990TenDecember 1, 1990
1996RevivalDecember 4, 1996
1999FM AORMarch 25, 1999
2004Revival IINovember 3, 2004
2005Unchained MelodyDecember 23, 2005
2008A Man and A Woman (男と女 Otoko to onna) Two Hearts Two VoicesNovember 19, 2008
2009A Man and A Woman 2 (男と女2 Otoko to onna 2)October 28, 2009
2009A Man and A Woman 2 (男と女2 Otoko to onna 2) Special EditionOctober 28, 2009
2010A Man and A Woman 3 (男と女3 Otoko to onna 3)September 29, 2010
2010A Man and A Woman 3 (男と女3 Otoko to onna 3) Special EditionSeptember 29, 2010

Singles

YearTitleRelease Date
1982"Rainy Regret (雨のリグレット Ame no riguretto)"January 21, 1982
1982"246:3AM"July 21, 1982
1982"Dramatic Rain (ドラマティック・レイン)"October 21, 1982
1983"Escape (エスケイプ)"March 1, 1983
1983"Summer Horn (夏のクラクション Natsu no kurakushon)"July 21, 1983
1983"Long Version (ロング・バージョン)"November 1, 1983
1983"Ocean Blue (オーシャン・ブルー)"April 28, 1984
1985"Blue-Jean' Pierrot (ブルージン・ピエロ)"March 21, 1985
1985"Bachelor Girl (バチェラー・ガール)"July 1, 1985
1986"A Dozen Excuses (1ダースの言い訳 1 dāsu no iiwake)"February 21, 1986
1987"Thinking of the Beach Club (思い出のビーチクラブ Omoide no bīchikurabu)"
TBS Japan Songwriting Award Grand Prize[7]
April 22, 1987
1987"A Ballad For You (君のためにバラードを Kimi no tame ni barādo wo)"October 5, 1987
1988"Southern Cross (サザンクロス)"March 5, 1988
1988"1-2-3"July 25, 1988
1989"Seventy Colors Girl (セブンティー・カラーズ・ガール)"January 25, 1989
1989"You Don't Know (君は知らない Kimi wa shiranai)"/
"An Afternoon With You (君に逢いたい午後 Kimi ni aitai gogo)"
May 25, 1989
1989"Unrequited Love 1969 (1969の片想い 1969 no kataomoi)"October 25, 1989
1990"Shine On Me"March 25, 1990
1990"Honesty From The Heart (心からオネスティー Kokoro kara onesutī)"/
"The Closest Stranger (いちばん近い他人 Ichiban chikai tanin)"
June 1, 1990
1990"They Don't Say Merry Christmas (メリークリスマスが言えない Merī kurisumasu ga ienai)"November 1, 1990
1991"Second Kiss/Rewind (セカンド・キス/リワインド)"April 3, 1991
1991"Farewell My Love (さらば愛しき人よ Saraba aishiki hito yo)"/"Congratulations"June 26, 1991
1991"They Don't Say Merry Christmas (メリークリスマスが言えない Merī kurisumasu ga ienai)" (Re-release)November 1, 1991
1991"A Dozen Excuses (1ダースの言い訳 1 dāsu no iiwake)"/"April" (Re-release)December 21, 1991
1992"You're Everything (あなたがすべて Anata ga subete)"March 1, 1992
1992"Only You in the World (世界でたったひとりの君に Sekai de tatta hitori no kimi ni)"May 20, 1992
1992"When The Christmas Carols Play (クリスマスキャロルの頃には Kurisumasu kyaroru no koro ni wa)"
Japan Gold Disc Award, One of the Year's Five Best Singles[8]
October 28, 1992
1993"I'm Still Here (僕ならばここにいる Boku naraba koko ni iru)"January 13, 1993
1993"Marathon Race (マラソンレース)"June 10, 1993
1993"When The Christmas Carols Play (クリスマスキャロルの頃には Kurisumasu kyaroru no koro ni wa)"/
"They Don't Say Merry Christmas (メリークリスマスが言えない Merī kurisumasu ga ienai)" (Re-release)
November 26, 1993
1994"After The Kiss (キスなら後にして Kisu nara ato ni shite)"March 24, 1994
1994"They Don't Say Merry Christmas (メリークリスマスが言えない Merī kurisumasu ga ienai)" (Remix version)/
"Eternal Kiss (永遠より長いキス Eien yori nagai kisu)"
November 26, 1994
1995"Don't Talk (語らない Kataranai)"May 25, 1995
1996"Rainy Days, Windy Nights (雨の朝と風の夜に Ame no asa to kaze no yoru ni)"August 21, 1996
1997"Starting Over"May 21, 1997
1997"Endless Love Song (終わらないLOVE SONG Owaranai LOVE SONG)"October 22, 1997
1998"J's Love Song"October 21, 1998
1999"Small Miracle (小さな奇蹟 Chīsa na kiseki)"October 21, 1999
2000"The Way Your Eyes Look (君の瞳はそのままに Kimi no hitomi wa kono mama ni)"February 23, 2000
2000"They Don't Say Merry Christmas (メリークリスマスが言えない Merī kurisumasu ga ienai)" (Re-release)November 21, 2000
2001"Prayer"October 24, 2001
2002"On the Canary Islands (カナリア諸島にて Kanaria shotō ni te)"/
"Endless Chain-With You Time Flies (きみという時の流れよ Kimi to iu toki no nagare yo)"
February 27, 2002
2002"Platinum Astronauts (プラチナ・アストロノーツ)"June 26, 2002
2002"Tokyo Elegy"October 23, 2002
2007"Grown-Up Summer Scene (大人の夏景色 Otona no natsu keshiki)"July 4, 2007
2008"A Message From Sayonara (サヨナラからのメッセージ Sayonara kara no messēji)"February 6, 2008
2008"Can't Stop The Sadness (悲しみがとまらない Kanashimi ga tomaranai)"
Duet with Yuki Koyanagi. Cover version of song originally released by Anri in 1983.
November 5, 2008
2009"When The Christmas Carols Play (クリスマスキャロルの頃には Kurisumasu kyaroru no koro ni wa)"
Duet with Kohmi Hirose. Remake of song originally released by Inagaki in 1992.
November 18, 2009
2011"The More I Think of It, The Sweeter It Gets (思い出す度 愛おしくなる Omoi dasu tabi ito oshiku naru)"
Duet with Midori Karashima.
February 23, 2011

References

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