Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Joint statement by Japanese music artistes and associations against ticket scalping

A total of 116 music artistes and groups as well as 24 music event organisers released a joint statement together with the Federation of Music Producers Japan, Japan Association of Music Enterprises, All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoter's Conference and Computer Ticketing Conference on 22 August where they asked for the prevention of ticket scalping. Since 1998, CD software sales has been dropping but the concert market has been expanding. According to the "Live Entertainment Hakusho" released by 13 music industry organisations, there were only 47,632 concerts held 10 years ago in 2006 but the figure rose to 56,042 in 2015. The number of concert goers also rose from 24.54 million in 2006 to 44.86 million last year.

However, this popularity boom for concerts has resulted in the resale market for concert tickets on a large scale whereby many tickets were bought in bulk and sold at high prices for exorbitant profits. News of fraud cases involving concert tickets sold online are also prevalent. This not only prevents true fans from being able to purchase concert tickets but the high resale prices are also a deterrent for them to attend the concerts. Even for those who manage to buy these tickets, they may also face problems of being unable to enter the concert venue if it is found that they aren't the original purchasers or that the tickets were actually forged.

Being concerned and furious about the inability of fans to attend their concerts and buy related merchandise, some artistes and music event organisers have already started using the face recognition systems and setting up official trading websites for fans who are unable to attend the concerts and have to resell their tickets. However, the costs of these measures and the time spent on verifying the concert-goers are proving to be problematic. In a bid to solve these issues, the music industry is looking at ways to restructure the ticketing and pricing systems.

As the first step in showing their stand in this issue, the artistes, music event organisers and music industry organisations published a full-page ad on the 23rd August issue of Asahi Shinbun and Yomiuri Shinbun's morning edition where they said that they objected to the ticket scalping phenomenon which will rob the music industry's future and called upon people to give this problem more attention. For those who are interested in knowing more about this movement, you can visit this website.

The list of the music artistes are as follows:
aiko
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
amazarashi
Amuro Namie
Arashi
[Alexandros]
Ieiri Leo
Ikimonogakari
VAMPS
UVERworld
A.B.C-Z
Every Little Thing
m-flo
Oda Kazumasa
GACKT
the GazettE
KAT-TUN
KANA-BOON
Kahara Tomomi
Kanjani 8
Kishitari Kaori
Kis-My-Ft2
Kikkawa Koji
KICK THE CAN CREW
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
KinKi Kids
Kuraki Mai
GRANRODEO
Chris Hart
GReeeeN
GLAY
KREVA
Gesu no Kiwami Otome
Ketsumeishi
Koda Kumi
Go Hiromi
Golden Bomber
Gospellers
Kobukuro
Kondo Masahiko
THE YELLOW MONKEY
Saito Kazuyoshi
Sakanaction
Southern All Stars
Sada Masashi
The Birthday
the HIATUS
the pillows
THE BAWDIES
THE ALFEE
THE ORAL CIGARETTES
Zeebra
Johnny's WEST
Johnny's Jr.
JAM Project
Shonan no Kaze
Sukima Switch
Spitz
Seikima II
Sexy Zone
Takahashi Mariko
Takeuchi Mariya
Takki & Tsubasa
TUBE
Teshima Aoi
DEPAPEPE
10-FEET
Tohoshinki
Dohatsuten
TRICERATOPS
Dragon Ash
DREAMS COME TRUE
AAA
Naoto Inti Raymi
Nakajima Miyuki
Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi
Nishino Kana
NEWS
Hi-STANDARD
Hata Motohiro
back number
Perfume
Hamsaki Ayumi
Hamada Shogo
B'z
Himuro Kyosuke
Funky Kato
Fukuyama Masaharu
Fujii Fumiya
flumpool
BREAKERZ
Project Love Life!
Hey! Say! JUMP
BABYMETAL
Hoshino Gen
Porno Graffiti
My Little Lover
Matsutoya Yumi
MAN WITH A MISSION
MISIA
Mr.Children
May J.
May'n
MONGOL800
Yamazaki Masayoshi
Yamashita Tatsuro
Yamashita Tomohisa
Yusuke
YUKI
Yuzu
UNISON SQUARE GARDEN
Unicorn
RADWIMPS
L'arc en Ciel
LiSA
lecca

The list of music events which support this initiative:
Animelo Summer Live
ARABAKI ROCK FEST.
AIR JAM
a-nation
Augusta Camp
Kyoto Daisakusen
JOIN ALIVE
Jounetsu Tairiku SPECIAL LIVE SUMMER TIME BONANZA
SWEET LOVE SHOWER
TV Asahi Dream Festival
TOKYO・OSAKA METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL
TREASURE05X
NANO-MUGEN FES.
NUMBER SHOT
KNOTFEST JAPAN
Haha ni kansha Concert
VIVA LA ROCK
FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL
MONSTER baSH
RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL in EZO
RUSH BALL
RADIO CRAZY
ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL
WILD BUNCH FEST.

Source: Oricon

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