For better or worse, the Ryukyu Islands, whose most prominent member is Okinawa, have produced more major J-pop acts since 1995 than any other part of Japan save Tokyo.
On Sunday afternoon, Fuji TV will present the third annual Music Fest Peace of Ryukyu, a J-pop event that was originally organized to coincide with the Okinawan G-8 Summit of 2000. This year's festival celebrates the 30th anniversary of the return of Okinawa to Japanese rule.
Held in the town of Ginowan, the festival will feature all the major J-pop acts who've emerged from the islands in the past several years (including a few that have already broken up): Flame, Folder 5, w-inds and the perennial Max. Hiro, Eriko Imai and Takako Uehara, formerly of the girl group Speed, will all do solo spots. The concert is topped off with an extended performance by Namie Amuro.
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