Makoto Liang, a Pioneer in Promoting Japanese Music in Taiwan: It Takes a Real “Long Stay” to Break into a Local Market

Looking back on the history of Japanese music in Taiwan, the name Makoto Liang (梁秩誠) evokes a small boat that has sailed steadily through gentle currents and expansive waters for 35 years. He has long been dedicated to developing Japanese pop music (J-pop) in Taiwan, as well as planning strategies and organizing initiatives for music exchange between Taiwan and Japan. As both a key driving force behind and a witness to this development, he observes that the commercial logic he began building in the 1990s remains relevant today.

Makoto remains confident in Japanese music. From Pop music and songs featured in films and television to ACG music, its diverse audience segments continue to be supported by devoted fans who help sustain their respective cultures. Meanwhile, new types of venues such as Zepp New Taipei and Billboard Live TAIPEI are adopting a hybrid Taiwanese-Japanese approach to create new ways to experience live music.

Makoto stresses that whether Japanese music is entering the Taiwan market or Taiwanese music is expanding into Japan, artists who genuinely want to establish themselves in a local market cannot rely solely on social media or streaming platforms. Instead, they need to undertake a “long stay,” spending substantial time on the ground and creating more opportunities to connect with local audiences.

▴Makoto has been a key driving force in the development of Japanese music in Taiwan and has long promoted cultural exchange between Taiwan and Japan. (Photo: Makoto Liang)

The Taboo Era: Japanese Music Found Its Touchpoints Underground

“If we were to talk about the major milestones in Taiwan-Japan music exchange over the past 35 years, I wouldn’t categorize them using labels such as ‘J-dramas, Visual Kei, anime, idols, or streaming.’ To me, the more important keyword is ‘touchpoints.”

Makoto began promoting Japanese music in 1991, when he joined Pony Canyon, a Japanese audiovisual publishing company. He later worked at Sony Music and Avex Taiwan before returning to Sony, helping major labels establish divisions dedicated to Japanese music. Along the way, he witnessed restrictions on Japanese music in Taiwan gradually being lifted, allowing the market to flourish.

Why was Japanese music once considered taboo? After World War II, the Taiwanese government implemented de-Japanization policies and imposed controls under martial law, leaving Japanese popular culture in a grey area for many years. At the time, Japanese music could not be freely broadcast on television or radio, while Japanese-language records had to undergo government review before they could be released or imported. Even during this “underground” period, Japanese pop music continued to establish touchpoints through bootleg records, cassette tapes—often released as chart compilations—and print media such as magazines and newspapers.

Makoto also ran a column titled “Japanese Music Information Station,” providing newspapers and other print publications with first-hand information. “Around 1993, before the government had fully lifted its restrictions on Japanese music, I asked my company to establish a Japanese music division. My manager asked me how I planned to promote it, so I proposed a strategy: I would write columns, submit articles, and provide information to journalists, using newspapers as our primary promotional channel.”

The Golden Age of J-pop: The Power of the Johnny’s and TK Family

Although martial law was lifted in 1987, it was not until October 1993, when the Government Information Office issued an official directive, that restrictions on Japanese music on television and radio were partially lifted. As the media environment continued to open up and copyright frameworks gradually took shape, Japanese music began to enter the mainstream commercial market. Taiwanese record companies started establishing dedicated Japanese music divisions, increasing budgets, allocating more resources, and adopting more systematic operations. By linking media marketing, promotional visits by artists, and concerts into a broader commercial system, they brought Japanophiles out of the underground and into public view.

As the J-pop market expanded rapidly, Japanese record labels moved beyond licensing their music to local partners. They began investing directly in the long-term development of the Taiwanese market.

Makoto participated in promoting Japanese artists in Taiwan, including Rie Miyazawa, PUFFY, Tokyo Performance Doll (TPD), and DREAMS COME TRUE. He points out that idol culture and Japanese television dramas served as important touchpoints through which audiences encountered Japanese music.

▴Popular Japanese singer Ai Otsuka signed Makoto’s laptop, encouraging him on his journey toward becoming a company president! (Photo: Makoto Liang)

＊Touchpoint 1: Prime-Time J-Dramas

During the golden age of J-dramas, musicians who performed their theme songs, including CHAGE and ASKA, as well as Southern All Stars, also rose to prominence. Makoto believes that when promoting Japanese music in Taiwan, it is more effective not to lead with the music itself, but to adopt a “flanking strategy” by introducing audiences to Japanese music through other channels first. J-dramas proved to be an effective vehicle for doing so.

“Before the mid-2000s, musicians all hoped that their songs would be featured in the Getsuku slot—the prime-time drama slot airing at 9 p.m. on Monday nights. At the time, many viewers first encountered Japanese music through J-dramas and idol magazines. In other words, audiences did not discover a song first; they were drawn into a Japanese story and then fell in love with the music featured in it. The influence accumulated by J-dramas often expanded into major pop-cultural phenomena, conveying everything from ideas about romance and fashion styles to a professional ethos.”

＊Touchpoint 2: Idol Collectives

In J-pop’s glory days, artists rarely broke through as solo acts, but through coordinated group efforts. Examples included Johnny’s boy bands, Morning Musume, the Tetsuya Komuro-led “TK Family,” and Yasushi Akimoto’s AKB48. These idol groups' music took root in Taiwan not through record sales alone, but through constant touchpoints across television, radio, and other media, giving audiences daily exposure to the artists. The variety show Gakkou e Ikou!, hosted by idol group V6, is a representative example.

＊Touchpoint 3: Bands and Live Performances

Legendary Japanese rock bands such as B’z, Mr.Children, X JAPAN, LUNA SEA, GLAY, and L’Arc~en~Ciel each established a distinctive musical identity. Since 2000, artists and bands including ONE OK ROCK, King Gnu, and Fujii Kaze have toured worldwide.

＊Touchpoint 4: Anime and Virtual Singers

Following the introduction of VOCALOID voice-synthesizer technology, Hatsune Miku debuted in 2007, further driving the rise of virtual singers and online music creation. Artists like Kenshi Yonezu and YOASOBI member Ayase both gained experience through VOCALOID creator culture.

Makoto says, “VOCALOID expanded the openness of music creation and unleashed new creative energy.” After nearly two decades of development, further fuelled by the spread of online fan-created derivative works, this creative ecosystem has gradually emerged as a new force influencing Japanese popular music and further enriching the world of ACG—anime, comics, and games.

An Era Beyond the Constraints of Time and Place: Finding Your Own Entry Point

As the internet became widespread, the constraints of time and place were lifted, opening up a much wider range of touchpoints. Makoto notes that both drama and music have shifted toward more personalized choices. Today, everyone can find their own entry point through YouTube, anime, streaming platforms, or live performances.

“Audiences have become fragmented. It has become much harder to get everyone to hear the same song at the same time and turn it into a major trend. Today, it is difficult to build a singer or song into the kind of national phenomenon seen in the past.”

He also reminds contemporary musicians that, as promotion becomes increasingly difficult, they must ask themselves: “Where is your touchpoint with the audience? Can you create your own entry point? If creating one yourself is too difficult, could you meet audiences at someone else’s entry point instead? For example, could you appear on some shows and use their influence to enter the market?”

Looking at artists who have entered the Japanese market, Makoto considers BLACK BISCUITS, the group featuring Vivian Hsu (徐若瑄), a relatively successful example. He emphasizes the importance of establishing a genuine local presence and cultivating the market over the long term.

“Short-term overseas promotion and a true long stay are two completely different things. Signing with a local talent agency and having a local team arrange your performances, business, and artist management are extremely important if you want to establish a genuine presence in the Japanese market.”

Reflecting on the experiences of Taiwanese bands such as Sunset Rollercoaster and Elephant Gym in Japan, Makoto notes that each has developed its own distinctive musical aesthetic, one that remains relatively uncommon in Japan. Their approach begins with audiences being drawn to the music itself, followed by connections formed among musicians within the industry. These connections can lead to invitations to perform as guest acts, hold headline shows, or appear at festivals such as SUMMER SONIC, allowing them to cultivate an audience over time.

Given that relatively few Taiwanese artists have gained attention in the Japanese market so far, there is still considerable room for Taiwanese musicians to be discovered and carve out their own space.

Taiwan as a Touchstone for the Asian Market: Reshaping the Live Music Ecosystem Through New Venues

In the eyes of the Japanese music industry, Taiwan is an important gateway into the broader Asian market. Makoto observes that Taiwan is highly receptive to foreign cultures. There is even a running joke that Taiwan has “N1 per capita” (referring to the highest level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) to describe the local audience’s familiarity with the Japanese language and culture. The Japanese music industry therefore places considerable importance on Taiwan, often viewing it as a key testing ground for gauging overseas popularity and gathering market feedback. In 2025, Billboard Live TAIPEI opened in Taipei’s Xinyi commercial district, building on the venue management experience developed by Billboard Live in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, and other Japanese cities.

As Director of Strategic Planning of Billboard Live TAIPEI, Makoto points out that venue size usually reflects an artist’s stage of development. As their popularity and box office draw grow, artists gradually move up to larger venues, making each step a concrete career milestone. Billboard Live TAIPEI, however, introduces an entirely different concept. With a capacity of 288 people, the Taipei venue aims to bring audiences closer to the stage. By presenting two shows a day, each lasting about 70 to 75 minutes, it allows audiences to enjoy food and drinks while experiencing a more intimate connection with the performers.

“This isn’t simply a 'smaller concert venue'. The intimate setting magnifies every word, subtle expression, and emotional shift from the artist. When an artist opens up and shares personal thoughts here, the effect is completely different from performing in front of tens of thousands of people. This is a concept that will take time for the Taiwanese market to understand.”

 

 

 

 

 

在 Instagram 查看這則貼文

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billboard Live TAIPEI（@billboardlive_taipei）分享的貼文

▴ Billboard Live TAIPEI。

Furthermore, the unique “theater” concept found in Japanese idol culture also offers a useful model. Makoto explains that it forms part of a comprehensive business model built around the idea of a “home base.” It gives fans more opportunities to interact with idols face-to-face, while mechanisms such as handshake events let them meet regularly and naturally accompany idols as they grow. The “AKB48 Theater” in Akihabara, Tokyo, for example, is a dedicated performance venue for AKB48’s various teams. “You can actually meet an idol in person and say, ‘Keep up the great work. I’m rooting for you.’”

▴“Theater” serves as an important home base where artists and audiences can build lasting relationships.

Industry Collaboration and Step-by-Step Artist Development Are Essential

In Taiwan, successful large-scale idol groups remain relatively rare. Makoto explains that developing an idol group requires substantial investment. Today, appearing on talent shows, dramas, variety shows, or in subgroups does not necessarily guarantee visibility, much less the ability to recoup costs and generate profits. Compared with singer-songwriters and musicians who distinguish themselves through lyrical expression or technical skills, idols can quickly “open doors” and reach audiences through their appearance and dance performances. Building a lasting career, however, still requires artists to develop their abilities steadily, one step at a time.

“What makes it difficult for Taiwanese artists is that most of them are still fighting their battles alone. As the traditional role of record companies gradually weakens, songwriting, production, marketing, and promotion have become increasingly disconnected,” Makoto says. While he understands why independent musicians want to keep costs low and avoid commissions, he emphasizes that those commissions support the professional teams helping to move their careers forward.

“What emerging artists need most is a clear path forward. Live performance experience, songwriting, band skills, dance performance, and the ability to interact with audiences all take time to develop. Emerging artists may want to spend some time honing their craft in the indie scene first. Once they have accumulated solid achievements, practical know-how, and a deeper understanding of the industry, they can begin exploring partnerships with major labels.”

Taiwan’s entertainment industry also needs to become more integrated, allowing artists to build healthy relationships with labels and management companies. With a professional division of labor, artists can access more funding, industry connections, and viable career paths. As Taiwan’s concert and music festival scene continues to flourish, exchanges among Taiwanese and Japanese festival organizers, event promoters, and live house operators have also grown increasingly active.

Makoto emphasizes that industry professionals cannot focus solely on quick profits. They must also invest in the industry’s “manufacturing base”—the long-term development of talent, content, and brands. Organizations such as the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) are working to bring together resources from industry, government, and academia, giving the industry stronger foundations from which to grow.

“If we want the industry to improve, collaboration is essential. Everyone must be willing to invest in new talents and work together to create a healthy, virtuous cycle.”

Author: 蔡舒湉 Lala
Translator: 劉韋琪 Yuki Liu