After reaching a record high in 2017, the Japanese live music market once again increased in value in 2018, according to new data from promoters’ association ACPC.

ACPC (All-Japan Concert and Live Entertainment Promoters Conference)’s 2018 research report, covering 1 January–31 December, surveyed all 68 of its members, and found that while the number of shows declined slightly on 2017 – 192, or 0.6%, fewer – the Japanese market grew 3.7%, boosted by increased attendances for local acts and higher ticket prices.

Total revenues reached ¥344,823,220,000 (US$3.1bn), up ¥12bn ($108m) on 2017:

According to the association, the decline in the number of events is largely a result of an “insufficiency of venues caused by the preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics”, as well as a growing concentration of shows at the weekend.

The number of arena or stadium performances by domestic artists and bands increased, however, growing 1.7% to nearly 4.9 million. The number of attendees grew 3.9%.

For international acts, the figures were -4.6% and -11.1%, respectively.

In addition to the growing demand for homegrown talent, the slight decline in international shows was offset by ticket price growth of 2%, to an average of ¥7,092 ($64).

ACPC, headquartered in Tokyo, represents 68 concert companies, along with 102 associate members.

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Following two sold-out dates, Bruno Mars has added a historic third Hawaii show to his successful 24k Magic world tour.

Produced and promoted by Live Nation, the newly announced concert will take place on Thursday 8 November at the 50,000-capacity Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The trio of homecoming performances by the Honolulu-born star is a record for the stadium, with no other artist in its history having booked so many dates in succession.

Mars (pictured) will also play Aloha Stadium on 10 and 11 November, with special guests the Green and Common Kings.

The 24K Magic tour, Mars’s third world tour, will have made more than 135 stops in the Americas, the UK and Europe by the time it wraps up with the final Honolulu show. According to Pollstar’s mid-year top 100 tours chart, Mars sold nearly 739,575 tickets in H1 2018.

The 24K Magic tour is the Grammy winner’s first since 2013’s Moonshine Jungle world tour, which sold two million tickets worldwide from 155 sold-out dates.

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