“Music is fun. That’s what drives me.” On the Eve of Their 30th Anniversary, Hiroshi Inaba of “B’z” Reveals His “Non-Rock” Side

The one-of-a-kind artist, whose songs have been featured in both the WBC and the World Cup, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his solo debut next January. We caught a glimpse of his off-duty persona, which underscores his spectacular career――.

Why He’s a Standout Choice for Sporting Events

On a mid-afternoon in mid-June, Hiroshi Inaba (61), the vocalist of “B’z,” emerged from a multi-tenant building in Tokyo. While he exuded the extraordinary aura befitting a “rock star,” his casual attire—a T-shirt and pants—was anything but “rock.” Since making his debut in 1988 at the age of 23, Inaba has been a driving force in the Japanese music scene. Even now, with a career spanning over 35 years, his immense influence remains immeasurable.

In fact, for the Netflix edition of the “World Baseball Classic (WBC)” held this past March, Inaba covered the theme song from the timeless anime classic “Touch” as the official support song for the tournament.During a pre-game ceremony for the first match of the first round against the Czech Republic, Inaba himself took the stage and sang passionately, sending the Tokyo Dome into a frenzy and bringing the excitement to a fever pitch.

Japan went on to win the game 9–0, with Chicago White Sox player Munetaka Murakami (26) hitting a grand slam. It was the perfect way to build excitement for the match.

Furthermore, for the “2026 FIFA World Cup,” which kicked off on June 11, he wrote an original song titled “Kanzen Muketsu” as the official theme song for the Nippon TV network’s coverage.His powerful voice and music led Japan to a 4-0 victory over Tunisia in their second Group Stage match, helping the team advance to the next round.

“In 2019, they performed ‘Hei, Hashiru’ as the support song for the Japan national rugby team, and with appearances at the WBC and the World Cup, ‘B’z’ has been notably featured at major sporting events in recent years. Behind this trend lies not only Inaba’s powerful vocal tone but also the excellent compatibility with ‘B’z’s’ signature up-tempo style.“I think viewers find it easy to associate the music with the dynamic energy of sports, and it’s simply a pleasure to listen to,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

The man who has made an overwhelming impression at major sporting events watched by the world once shared the following thoughts in an interview with the magazine *anan*:

“Music is fun. It’s simple, but that’s what drives me.”

“I want to create music and perform live in the cities where my fans live. That is my greatest mission and joy as Hiroshi Inaba.”

As if to prove those words, Inaba—who will mark the 30th anniversary of his solo debut next January—continues to take the stage across the nation. As “B’z,” he held a dome tour at the end of last year and just completed an arena tour in June, performing 20 shows at 10 venues nationwide.With the announcement of a 30th-anniversary tour starting in September, his momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

He loves and enjoys music from the bottom of his heart—Koshi Inaba is truly the “perfect” rock star.