Why does Paul McCartney come to Japan almost every year?

Last updated:2022/6/28

a die-hard Beatles fanWada Shinji
From Osaka Prefecture. I’ve been a Beatles fan for decades. I’ve tried many hobbies, but this is the only one that has stayed with me. As a storyteller of the Beatles, I want to pass on their greatness to future generations. A blog that explains the Beatles in a way anyone can understand.

I was surprised when I saw the news dated August 8, 2018.

It announced that Paul McCartney would be performing live in Japan in October and November!

The dates are Wednesday, October 31, Thursday, November 1 at the Tokyo Dome, and Thursday, November 8 at the Nagoya Dome.

For the first time, Nagoya—where he had never performed before—was added to the schedule.

Fans in and around Nagoya must be thrilled.

To commemorate these Japan shows, let’s look back at Paul McCartney’s past performances in Japan.

Announcement of a surprising Japan tour

A message from him to his Japanese fans has been released.

I love Japan. Every time I visit, I make wonderful memories, and I’m always looking forward to going back.

It's always fun to be able to go to new places, and it makes me feel fresh and excited.

“Our fans are truly amazing... Everyone in Tokyo and Nagoya, let’s have a rockin’ party!”

If you’re not a fan,Many people probably wonder, “Why do you come to Japan so many times?”。

a great Japanophile

It's not just lip service.

PaulIt’s well known among fans that he is a great Japanophile.。

It’s probably also largely because the impression I had when I first came to Japan in 1966 as a member of the Beatles was so positive.

This is in a hotel room where they were staying, and it shows Paul striking the signature “Sheh!” pose of Iyami, a character from Fujio Akatsuka’s anime Osomatsu-kun, which was hugely popular among children at the time. He was taught the pose by Rumiko Hoshika, who was the editor-in-chief of the music magazine Music Life, and they’re doing it together.

Even after he went solo, his Japanese fans have continued to support him.

When he released the album 'NEW' in 2013, it reached number one in sales in Japan.

When the Japan tour that same year began, I was deeply impressed by the moment he put his hands together on stage and thanked the fans for it.

In addition, a video message was released in conjunction with the visit to Japan.

Along with the written message, many people might take these as lip service aimed at Japanese fans—the kind of thing foreign artists often do.

However, in his case, he truly believes it from the bottom of his heart.

Proof that (he/she/they) is a big Japanophile

Let me show you one piece of evidence that Paul is a huge Japanophile.

There is a men’s magazine published in the United States called Esquire.

In an interview published in that magazine in 2015, an American reporter, curious about how he travels all the way to distant Japan almost every year to perform live, asked him about it.

No wonder the reporter was puzzled.

Paul was already 73 years old even at the time of the interview.

At that age, it wouldn’t be surprising if they had retired long ago under normal circumstances.

Moreover, he has an enormous fortune and can live a carefree, comfortable life.

Besides, even if we take the same tour, in Europe it’s just a quick hop across the English Channel, so it isn’t that far.

But if it's Japan, it takes 12 hours even by plane.

Anyone would wonder why I keep going back so often to such a distant country, right?

The reporter asks this.

It’s clear that you no longer need wealth or fame.

Why would you go out of your way to hold a series of concerts in Japan when you could just relax in your own backyard?

Paul replies like this.

There are two reasons: because I like it.

And that's because it's my job.

And then there are the audience—they give me an unbelievably warm response when I sing.

「What’s with all this praise? I mean, who would hate this?I'm surprised.

I hadn’t been to Australia even once for 24 years since 1993, and I finally visited in 2017.

By contrast, you’ve been coming to Japan almost every year.

Lady Gaga is also famous as a Japanophile artist, but she doesn’t come every year.

As a fan in Japan, I’m truly grateful that he visits here so often, even though there are still many countries he hasn’t set foot in even once.

A moving experience in Japan

A live concert at the Budokan made a reality

There was an event that made Paul, who had already been fond of Japan, love it even more.

That is,Live at Nippon Budokan on April 28, 2015It was.

At the time, due to work, I just couldn’t make it to the Tokyo Dome show and had to give up with tears in my eyes.

However, when the announcement came that there would be an additional show at the Budokan, I had just wrapped up a major project and had some time to spare, so I couldn’t resist rushing over.

I was given a wristband by the staff when I entered the venue.

Please keep this on your wrist.As a surprise for Paul, it’s a system where the lights are controlled by a computer.It came with an instruction sheet explaining something to that effect.

I did as I was told, put the wristband on my wrist, and while I was waiting, Paul appeared.

Making his first appearance at the Budokan since 1966, he got excited himself and kept shouting “Budokan, Budokan” over and over.

When his staff scheduled the dates, the Budokan was not included as a candidate venue.

It’s simply because the venue has a small audience capacity.

However, the Japanese staff passionately emphasized that the Budokan is a special place for Japanese people—especially for Beatles and Paul fans—and persuaded the British staff.

The Budokan is smaller than the Tokyo Dome, so you’re closer to the artist.

My seat was behind him to the left—definitely not a good spot—but it still felt pretty close.

Live and Let Die is the theme song of the film '007: Live and Let Die,' and whenever it's performed, the customary flames shoot up. The heat was so intense that my face flushed for a moment.

Including a world premiere song

And for a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard the words he announced in English.

Everyone, the next song is being performed at the Budokan for the first time in the world!

And believe it or not, he performed that song live for the first time in the world.

That is,A song from the Beatles era called 'Another Girl'It is.

After their concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park in 1966, the Beatles ceased all concert performances and devoted themselves exclusively to studio recording.

This song had already been included on an album back in 1965, when they were still doing concerts, but they still didn’t perform it.

He didn’t play it even at his shows after going solo.

I was grateful for the miracle of being able to hear it here in Japan—the first time in the world—and even more so that it happened to be at a live show I attended.

A Surprise for Paul

And as the concert drew to a close, the wristbands lit up all at once across the dark audience.

Seeing that, Paul was so moved that he was left speechless.

Because,Because the wristbands lit up, the audience seats were illuminated in the colors of the Japanese flag (Hinomaru) and the British flag, the Union Jack.。

“You’re wonderful,” he couldn’t help but say, moved to the point of addressing the audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfCr6FyKzc

He couldn’t forget how moved he’d felt at the time, and wanting to savor the afterglow, he borrowed a bicycle and went all the way to the Budokan the next day, where he stood for a while just taking it in.

And even after returning to the UK, they repeatedly talked about how amazing the live performances in Japan were.

If I can die on stage, I’ll die happy!

This is something Ms. Reiko Yukawa, who is recognized by herself and others as a Beatles and Paul fan, talked about.

During his 2014 visit to Japan, Paul fell ill and was hospitalized, and in the end he canceled the concert and returned home.

At that time, the doctor who examined me warned, “There’s a risk you could collapse from a heart attack or stroke, so make sure you don’t skip hydration on stage.”

However, he ignored it andAfter that, even in the subsequent live performance, they played straight for three hours without taking a break or even hydrating.It is (that).

“If I could die on stage, I’d have no regrets!” He didn’t say it in so many words, but judging from his attitude toward live performances, it’s hard to think he believes anything else.