Anti-war songs that pierce the heart: Japan’s masterpieces conveying prayers for peace
Music sometimes has the power to move people’s hearts and exert a great influence on society.
Among such works, anti-war songs imbued with wishes for peace have appealed across generations, conveying both the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace to many.
The anti-war songs etched into Japan’s musical history contain profound messages that we who live today must never forget.
In this article, we highlight Japanese anti-war songs—focusing mainly on popular Japanese music—and explain the backgrounds of the tracks and the sentiments embedded in their lyrics.
We invite you to take this opportunity to reflect anew on war and peace.
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Antiwar Songs That Pierce the Heart: Japanese Classics Conveying Prayers for Peace (71–80)
Only One,Only YouGLAY
As a visual kei rock band, GLAY has been active on the front lines for over 20 years.
Their 60th single, “Only One, Only You,” released in 2022, is an anti-war song written by the band’s leader, TAKURO, in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The lyrics, depicting everyday life falling apart and cityscapes reduced to rubble, likely resonate with many who have seen these heartbreaking realities on the news or social media.
Stop the fighting, and wish for peace not just for yourself, but for everyone.
It’s a song that strongly conveys that sentiment.
The War SongCulture Club
The anti-war song sung by Culture Club, a band that epitomized the New Romantic movement popular in the UK in the 1970s, is the single “The War Song,” released in 1984.
It reached No.
2 on the UK charts and conveys how war is a futile and foolish act.
The band’s vocalist, Boy George, is also known for his fondness for Japan, and a Japanese message is included at the end of “The War Song.”
Silent AfghanistanNagabuchi Tsuyoshi
The song that addresses the Afghanistan conflict following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States is Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s “Shizuka Naru Afghan” (“Silent Afghan”).
Nagabuchi is one of the few musicians known for using the power of music to voice opinions about his country and politics.
Released as a single in 2002, “Shizuka Naru Afghan” features the kind of frank and uncompromising lyrics characteristic of Nagabuchi.
Unfortunately, the lyrics were considered too direct, which led to the song being banned from television and radio broadcasts, but it’s an anti-war song I really hope you’ll listen to at least once.
We won’t fightAKB48
Here is a song by AKB48 that was released in 2015.
It was their first attempt at singing a song with peace as its motif, which makes it memorable in itself.
In the music video, members dressed in white as “non-fighting” angels and members dressed in black as “fighting” devils appear alternately, and in the end they choose not to fight.
Indeed, if we keep fighting there is no end, and hatred begets hatred, so it’s important for someone to break that chain.
I think it’s very meaningful for a nationally recognized group like AKB48 to release a song like this.
Our Yamatohannya
A track by the hugely popular rapper Hannya from Japan’s hip-hop scene, chosen as a support song for the film “Men of Yamato/YAMATO.” Over a chic, piano-driven beat, Hannya delivers a calm yet fervent and passionate rap.
The lyrics depict the young people of the time who had no choice but to go to the battlefield “for their country,” and simply listening makes your heart ache, compelling you to reflect that such history must never be repeated.
Himeyuri ~Poem of the Lily~MONGOL800
When we hear “Himeyuri,” it evokes events related to the Battle of Okinawa, such as the Himeyuri Student Corps and the Himeyuri Monument.
This song carries the hope that it will serve as an opportunity for today’s younger generation—who may feel distant from war—to learn about those tragic events that occurred in Okinawa just 70 years before the song’s release in 2015.
The lyrics, which express a yearning for peace, are filled with words that prompt reflection on peace and are sure to move the listener.
heiwaRIZE
RIZE’s 2000 track “heiwa” carries a powerful anti-war message.
More than just delivering a pleasant melody, the song directly conveys the band’s strong rejection of war and their desire for peace.
While RIZE has long had a distinctive presence in Japan’s rock scene, this work captures listeners with a quiet, heartfelt emotion that contrasts with their typically energetic sound.
In particular, its compelling content prompts us to reconsider our awareness of peace today and is sure to resonate across generations.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for songs about peace or wanting to feel a message that truly speaks to the heart through music.