The music world is buzzing with the announcement of the Japan Music Awards 2026 ceremony and the release of its nominations, which are heavily dominated by members of the global supergroup BTS.
The most- awaited event is set to take place over a full six-day period, from June 08 to June 13, 2026, with the main ceremony hosted at the Toyota Arena in Tokyo. This annual celebration will feature live performances from top international and domestic artists.
Japan Music Awards 2026: Nomination List
Best K-pop song in Japan: ‘Don’t Say You Love Me by Jin‘, ‘Killin‘ It Girl’ & ‘Sweet Dreams’ by J-Hope
Best Artist: Jin
Song of the Year: Don’t Say You Love Me by Jin
Best Album: Echo by Jin
Permission to Dance on the Stage: Live by BTS
Best K-pop Artist: BTS
Jin, J-Hope, Jimin, Jungkook
In the album category, the full group’s live project, ‘Permission to dance on the stage: Live by BTS,’ is also nominated for ‘Best Album.’
Japan Music Awards 2026: Voting Details
The voting process for the awards is split into two phases:
Primary Voting (March 19 to April 8, 2026) and Final Voting (April 30 to May 20, 2026). The nominations will be formally announced on April 30, 2026.
All voting must be done online via the authorized MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN portal, with voters required to select a minimum of two and a maximum of five entries.
BTS’s Last Performance
This huge awards news comes as excitement builds for BTS’s long-awaited comeback following their mandatory military service.
Reports indicate the group is preparing for a major return in March 2026 with a new album and an enormous 65-show world tour, marking their first full group album release in years.
The full group’s last official performance was the “Yet To Come in Busan” concert on October 15, 2022, a free event held to support Busan’s World Expo 2030 bid.
Their strong presence at the Japan Music Awards is expected to serve as a powerful launchpad for their 2026 return to the global stage.
