Written by Patrick Balfe
Global Citizen, the world’s largest movement to end extreme poverty, is putting together a massive gig at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo.
What to expect
Global Citizen’s first-ever event in Japan will raise funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which will provide children with access to quality education in over 150 countries. Headlined by X Japan’s Yoshiki and pop outfit &TEAM, the concert will also see performances from Japanese-American singer AI and Japanese rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer Yuki Chiba. The event will also be hosted by J-Wave radio personality Chris Peppler.
What went down in 2026
The 2026 event was packed to the rafters and full of surprises. AI kicked off the festivities with a brief but energetic set, performing hit songs Happiness, Not So Different, and I Wanna Know. Yuki Chiba kicked things up a notch with tracks like Team Tomodachi, Shinzo, and Jiyu, bringing the capacity crowd to their feet and slapping high fives as he took a victory lap around the audience.
The venue filled with screams as Japanese-born global group &TEAM hit the stage. The 9-member outfit performed signature songs such as Firework, We on Fire, and Run Wild, with the ecstatic crowd providing backing vocals and synchronized chants.
Finally, the multi-hyphenate Yoshiki appeared on stage, straddling a drum kit before launching into a drum solo, followed by performances with more than a handful of surprise special guests, including Hyde, Kiyoharu, Miyavi, and Beverly. The set featured hits such as Endless Rain, Art of Life, and Red Swan, the theme song for the TV anime Attack on Titan.
The night was as much a showcase of Japan’s most impressive musical talent as it was of the Global Citizen ethos and the crucial work it does around the world. If the 2026 event is anything to go by, we can expect to see plenty more successful Global Citizen events and initiatives embraced and supported in Japan in the near future.
Tickets
Tickets for the show are available from the official website for ¥12,000 for reserved seats and ¥20,000 for VIP tickets, which will get you front-row access, a VIP-only entrance, and special merch. Ticket lotteries are running until May 7; any remaining general release tickets will be on sale after the lotteries end. Tickets can be purchased via local or international outlets online.
Schedule
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m, performances will start from 6:30 p.m.
Add to Calendar
- 250 m from Yurakucho Station Yurakucho Line (Y18)Yamanote Line (JY30)Keihin-Tōhoku Line (JK25)
- 385 m from Ginza-itchōme Station Yurakucho Line (Y19)
- 440 m from Nijūbashimae Station Chiyoda Line (C10)
