Underscoring his status as an international icon, X JAPAN bandleader YOSHIKI is set to perform the Japanese national anthem, “Kimigayo,” at the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Aramco Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, March 29 — a performance that will broadcast to over 180 countries.
YOSHIKI will deliver a first-of-its-kind arrangement of “Kimigayo” featuring both piano and drums, and he’ll play in front of an in-person audience of nearly a quarter million people, as 200,000 spectators are expected to gather at Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix, making it one of the world’s major sporting events.
“I am deeply honored to perform the national anthem at such a prestigious venue as the Suzuka Circuit,” YOSHIKI commented. “Following my third surgery and an extensive period of recovery, I am looking forward to delivering my full sound to the world. I hope to share a special moment of unity through music on this global stage.”
Widely recognized as one of Japan’s leading artists, YOSHIKI has built a global career spanning rock, classical music, film, fashion, philanthropy and now Formula 1 racing. In 2025, he became the first Japanese artist selected for TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” (TIME100).