TOKYO, Japan (Jun 2026) — Proving that Pinoy music belongs on the global stage, Baguio-based pop-rock band Cup Of Joe just made history at the Toyota Arena Tokyo. The rising stars took home the Special Award: Philippine Popular Music for their hit single “Multo” at the second annual Music Awards Japan 2026 on Saturday, June 13, 2026. They also secured a major nomination for Best Song Asia and blew the international crowd away with a live performance.
Taking over the Toyota Arena
The band delivered a captivating live performance of “Multo” during the afternoon’s Premiere Ceremony, earning massive praise from the global audience. The event, organized by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association, was guided by its mission of connecting with the world and illuminating the future of music.
This year’s showcase celebrated standout entries from Southeast Asian artists alongside the Philippines, including Indonesia’s Hindia, who won the Special Award: Indonesian Popular Music for the song “everything u are”.
A massive night for Asian music
With a voting pool of over 5,000 music industry professionals and global public fan voting, the event honored achievements across 70 diverse categories. The main categories of the awards showcased incredible creativity, featuring wins like Artist of the Year for Mrs. GREEN APPLE and Album of the Year for Fujii Kaze’s “Prema”. The Best Song Asia award went to South Korea’s HUNTR/X for “Golden”.
Music and Entertainment PR Manager Bianca Balderas shared her excitement, calling it an incredibly beautiful night for Pinoy music, celebrated alongside massive regional stars. The historic event was broadcast live on NHK and streamed worldwide on YouTube.
To view the complete list of winners, fans can visit the Music Awards Japan website.
