| Junichi Inagaki 稲垣 潤一 | |
| Birth Date: | 9 July 1953 |
| Birth Place: | Sendai, Miyagi, Japan |
| Genre: | J-pop |
| Occupation: | Singer |
| Instrument: | Vocals drums |
| Years Active: | 1982–present |
| Label: | Toshiba EMI Fun House/BMG Victor/BMG Japan Teichiku Entertainment Universal Music Japan |
is a Japanese popular music singer.
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]
| Year | Title | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 246:3AM | July 21, 1982 | |
| 1983 | Shylights Japan Record Award for one of the 10 Best Albums of 1983[5] | February 1, 1983 | |
| 1983 | J.I. | September 1, 1983 | |
| 1984 | Personally | May 19, 1984 | |
| 1985 | No Strings | May 1, 1985 | |
| 1986 | Realistic Japan Record Award for Outstanding Album[6] | March 1, 1986 | |
| 1987 | Mind Note | March 4, 1987 | |
| 1988 | Edge of Time | April 25, 1988 | |
| 1989 | Heart & Soul | April 19, 1989 | |
| 1990 | Self Portrait | April 4, 1990 | |
| 1991 | Will | April 3, 1991 | |
| 1992 | Sketch of Heart | May 20, 1992 | |
| 1993 | For my Dearest | March 24, 1993 | |
| 1994 | Signs of Trust | April 6, 1994 | |
| 1995 | J's Dimension | June 14, 1995 | |
| 1996 | Primary | September 21, 1996 | |
| 1997 | V.O.Z. | November 21, 1997 | |
| 2000 | My One | June 21, 2000 | |
| 2001 | endless chain | November 21, 2001 | |
| 2002 | Junichi Inagaki | November 21, 2002 | |
| 2011 | Just For You... (たったひとりの君へ… Tatta hitori no kimi e) | April 20, 2011 |
| Year | Title | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | J. Live | December 21, 1983 | |
| 1985 | Complete | August 22, 1985 | |
| 1985 | Ballad Selection/P.S. I Want to Give You A Hug (抱きしめたい Dakishimetai) | September 29, 1986 | |
| 1988 | 16 Candles | December 1, 1988 | |
| 1990 | New Best Now Complete | September 27, 1990 | |
| 1992 | On Television | December 2, 1992 | |
| 1998 | Super Best Collection | September 30, 1998 | |
| 1999 | Super Best/Single Hits Collection | January 21, 1999 | |
| 1999 | Super Best/Album Favorite Collection | January 21, 1999 | |
| 2001 | Love Ballad Best Collection/P.S. I Want to Give You A Hug (抱きしめたい Dakishimetai) | August 22, 2001 | |
| 2002 | Love Beat Best Collection/Dramatic Rain (ドラマティック・レイン) | January 23, 2002 | |
| 2002 | Super Best Single Hits Collection Released on DVD Audio only. | December 18, 2002 | |
| 2003 | Slow Songs (スロー ソングス) | November 26, 2003 | |
| 2005 | Complete Single Collection | December 16, 2005 | |
| 2007 | Rainy Voice 〜greatest hits & mellow pop〜 | September 5, 2007 | |
| 2009 | Ballad Best (バラードベスト) | March 11, 2009 |
| Year | Title | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Another Page | July 2, 1986 | |
| 1990 | Ten | December 1, 1990 | |
| 1996 | Revival | December 4, 1996 | |
| 1999 | FM AOR | March 25, 1999 | |
| 2004 | Revival II | November 3, 2004 | |
| 2005 | Unchained Melody | December 23, 2005 | |
| 2008 | A Man and A Woman (男と女 Otoko to onna) Two Hearts Two Voices | November 19, 2008 | |
| 2009 | A Man and A Woman 2 (男と女2 Otoko to onna 2) | October 28, 2009 | |
| 2009 | A Man and A Woman 2 (男と女2 Otoko to onna 2) Special Edition | October 28, 2009 | |
| 2010 | A Man and A Woman 3 (男と女3 Otoko to onna 3) | September 29, 2010 | |
| 2010 | A Man and A Woman 3 (男と女3 Otoko to onna 3) Special Edition | September 29, 2010 |
| Year | Title | Release 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 |