1962 in Japanese music

The 5th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 12 April to 5 May 1962.^[1] The 4th Japan Record Awards were held on 27 December 1962.^[2] The 13th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1962.^[3]

The 11th Otaka prize was won by Akira Miyoshi.^[4]

Utamatic

The following reached number 1 according to the weekly Utamatic singles chart published in Billboard:

• 6 January: Ueo Muite Arukoo - Kyu Sakamoto^[5]
• 13 January, 20 January, 27 January, 3 February, 10 February, 17 February and 24 February: Koshu (Japanese: 湖愁) - Akira Matsushima [ja]^[6]
• 3 March, 10 March, 17 March, 24 March, 31 March, 14 April and 21 April: Ame No Hanazono (Japanese: 雨の花園) - Miki Nakasone [ja]^[7] (This is the B side of Kawa Wa Nagareru [ja]).
• 7 April, 28 April, 5 May, 12 May, 19 May, 26 May and 2 June: Eriko [ja] - Yukio Hashi^[8]
• 9 June, 16 June, 23 June, 30 June, 7 July and 14 July: Too Many Rules - Connie Francis.^[9] The Japanese name of this song is "Otona Ni Naritai" (大人になりたい).
• 21 July, 28 July, 4 August, 11 August, 18 August, 25 August, 1 September, 8 September, 15 September, 22 September, 29 September, 6 October, 13 October, 20 October, 27 October, 3 November, 10 November, 17 November, 24 November, 1 December, 8 December and 22 December: Ousho [ja] - Hideo Murata^[10]
• 15 December: Vacation - Connie Francis (MGM) and Michi Aoyama [ja] (Polydor)^[11]
• 29 December: L'Eclisse - Colletto Tempia (Japanese: コレット・テンピア) (Victor) and Mari Sono [ja] (Polydor)^[12]

Local

The following reached number 1 according to the weekly local singles chart published in Cash Box:

• 6 January, 20 January, 27 January, 3 February, 17 February, 24 February, 10 March and 17 March: Ueo Muite Arukoo - Kyu Sakamoto^[13]
• 3 March: Koshu (Japanese: 湖愁) - Akira Matsushima [ja]^[14]
• 24 March, 31 March, 7 April, 14 April, 21 April, 28 April, 5 May, 12 May, 19 May, 23 June and 30 June: Eriko [ja] - Yukio Hashi^[15]
• 26 May and 9 June: Yama Otoko No Uta [ja] - Dark Ducks [ja] (King) and Mitsuo Sagawa [ja] (Victor)^[16]
• 16 June: Aizen Katsura (Tabi No Yokaze [ja]) - Katsue Takaishi [ja]^[17]
• 7 July, 21 July, 28 July, 11 August, 18 August, 1 September, 8 September, 29 September, 10 November, 17 November, 24 November, 1 December and 15 December: Ousho [ja] - Hideo Murata (Columbia), Ichiro Mayama [ja] (King) and Mitsugoro Teppo (Teichiku)^[18][19]
• 14 July and 25 August: Hoshikuzu-no Machi (Japanese: 星屑の町) - Michiya Mihashi^[20]
• 4 August: Bungacha-Bushi (Japanese: ブンガチャ節) - Saburō Kitajima (Columbia) and Hiroshi Inuzuka (Teichiku)^[21]
• 6 October, 13 October, 20 October and 3 November: Wakai Yatsu [ja] - Yukio Hashi^[22]
• 8 December and 22 December: Itsudemo Yume O [ja] - Yukio Hashi^[23]

International

The following reached number 1 according to the weekly international singles chart published in Cash Box:

• 6 January, 13 January, 20 January, 27 January, 3 February and 17 February: Moliendo Café - Sachiko Nishida [ja] (Polydor), Hugo Blanco (Polydor), Shoichiro Matsumiya (Japanese: 松宮庄一郎) (Toshiba) and Ray Anthony (Capitol).^[24][25] The Japanese language cover version of this song is called Coffee Rumba.
• 10 February, 24 February, 3 March, 10 March and 17 March: You Don't Know - Helen Shapiro (Columbia), Mieko Hirota (Toshiba) and Midori Tashiro [ja] (Teichiku).^[26] The Japanese name of this song is "Kanashiki Kataomoi" (悲しき片想い) and it is sometimes the B side of Don't Treat Me Like a Child (Japanese: 子供じゃないの).^[27]
• 24 March: (Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame - Elvis Presley^[28]
• 31 March, 7 April and 14 April: Oh My Darling, Clementine - The Browns (Victor) and Jimmie Tokita [ja] (King)^[29]
• 21 April: Going Home To Mary Lou - Neil Sedaka^[30]
• 28 April, 5 May, 12 May: Hats Off to Larry - Del Shannon (Atlantic), Kyu Sakamoto (Toshiba) and Hisahiko Iida [ja] (Columbia)^{[31][32][33][34]} The Japanese name of this song is "Hanasaku Machikado" (花咲く街角).
• 19 May and 26 May: Tonight - Richard Beymer (Columbia), Ferrante & Teicher (United Artists), Don Mackey, Peggy Hayama (King)^[35]
• 9 June, 16 June, 23 June, 30 June, 7 July, 14 July, 21 July, 28 July, 4 August and 11 August: Pretty Little Baby (Too Many Rules) - Connie Francis (MGM), Kayoko Moriyama [ja] (Toshiba), Kumiko Goto [ja] (Columbia), Yukari Itoh [ja] (King), Ririko Sawa (Japanese: 沢リリ子) (Teichiku) and Mie Nakao (Victor)^[36]
• 18 August, 25 August, 8 September and 20 October: Young World - Ricky Nelson (Imperial), Keijiro Yamashita [ja] (Toshiba) and Six Joes (Japanese: シックス・ジョーズ) (Victor)^[37]
• 1 September: Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley (Victor), Kaoru Minami [ja] (King) and Masayuki Hori (King)^[38]
• 29 September, 6 October and 13 October: Good Luck Charm - Elvis Presley (Victor) and Masayuki Hori (King)^[39]
• 3 November, 10 November, 17 November, 24 November, 1 December, 8 December, 15 December and 22 December: I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles (ABC Paramount) Takashi Shikauchi [ja] (King) and Frank Akagi [ja] (Polydor)^[40][41]

Yukio Hashi and Sayuri Yoshinaga's Itsudemo Yume O [ja] (Japanese: いつでも夢を) was number 1 in the Japanese kayokyoku annual singles chart published in Billboard.^[42]

The Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra was established.^[43]

The music of Harakiri and Pitfall, by Tōru Takemitsu, won the 17th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.^[44]

Shichiji ni aimashō was first broadcast on 7 April 1962.^[45][46]