Jun 08, 2020 (Nikkei) - For concert promoter Hiromichi Hayashi, the live music business this year has been all but dead due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Concert cancellations began to roll in on February 26, the day Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe requested citizens to avoid large cultural events. As of the end of May, 220 of his shows have been canceled. "We lost sales of 4.2 billion yen ($39 million) due to the cancellations," sighed Hayashi.
His company, Tokyo-based Hayashi International Promotions, has enough cash and income for about a year thanks to its noncore real estate business, he said. But he does not know if he can hold out if the pandemic persists. "Everyone in the live show industry is bleeding amid the crisis," he said.
Hayashi is far from alone. The contagion and subsequent social distancing measures dealt a significant blow to the music industry. According to an estimate by Pia Research Institute, about 150,000 concerts worth 330 billion yen have been canceled in Japan as of May end.
Since February, both central and local governments have requested the industry to refrain from hosting events to curb the contagion. From early on, shows and concerts have been hot spots for new virus clusters, especially after an outbreak was confirmed in live music clubs in Osaka and Tokyo.
Growing public pressure has been another reason to push artists and promoters to scrub events. Singer Ringo Shiina was roundly criticized on social media after performing live in late February.
