1965 in Japanese music

The 8th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 12 April to 2 May 1965.^[2] The 7th Japan Record Awards were held on 25 December 1965.^[3] The 16th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1965.^[4]

The 14th Otaka prize was won by Michio Mamiya.^[5]

The following reached number 1 according to weekly singles charts published in Billboard:

• 2 January, 9 January, 16 January, 23 January, 30 January, 6 February and 13 February: Ozashiki Kouta [ja] - Mahina Stars [ja] and Matsuo Kazuko [ja]^[6]
• 20 February: Anko Tsubaki Wa Koi No Hana [ja] - Harumi Miyako^[7]
• 27 February, 6 March, 13 March, 20 March and 27 March: La plus belle pour aller danser - Sylvie Vartan^[8]
• 3 April, 10 April, 17 April, 24 April, 1 May, 8 May, 15 May, 22 May, 29 May and 5 June: Matsunoki Kouta (Japanese: まつのき小唄) - Yukiko Ninomiya [ja] (King) and Toshio Mishima [ja] (Columbia)^[9]
• 12 June: Abashiri Bangaichi [ja] - Ken Takakura (Teichiku) and Kazuo Shirane [ja] (Toshiba)^[10]
• 19 June, 26 June, 3 July, 10 July, 17 July, 24 July, 31 July, 7 August, 14 August, 21 August, 28 August, 4 September, 11 September, 18 September and 2 October: Onna Gokoro No Uta [ja] - Bob Satake [ja]^[11]
• 9 October, 16 October, 23 October, 30 October, 6 November, 13 November, 20 November, 27 November, 4 December: Aishite Aishite Aishichattanoyo [ja] - Mahina Stars [ja] and Miyoko Tashiro [ja]^[12]
• 11 December, 18 December, 25 December: Futari No Sekai - Yūjirō Ishihara^[13] (Theme song of the film Futari No Sekai [ja])

Sega Enterprises

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

• 25 September: Onna Gokoro No Uta [ja] - Bob Satake [ja]^[14]

Local

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

• 2 January, 9 January, 16 January, 23 January, 30 January, 6 February, 13 February, 20 February, 27 February, 6 March, 13 March, 20 March, 27 March and 3 April: Ozashiki Kouta [ja] - Mahina Stars [ja] and Matsuo Kazuko [ja]^[15]
• 10 April, 17 April, 24 April, 1 May, 8 May, 15 May and 22 May: Matsunoki Kouta (Japanese: まつのき小唄) - Yukiko Ninomiya [ja] (King), Yukiji Asaoka (Toshiba) and Toshio Mishima [ja] (Columbia)^[16]
• 29 May, 5 June and 12 June: Abashiri Bangaichi [ja] - Ken Takakura^[17]
• 19 June, 26 June, 3 July, 10 July, 31 July, 7 August, 14 August, 21 August, 28 August and 4 September: Onna Gokoro No Uta [ja] - Bob Satake [ja]^[18]
• 11 September, 18 September, 25 September, 2 October, 9 October, 16 October, 23 October, 30 October, 6 November, 13 November, 20 November, 27 November, 4 December, 11 December and 18 December: Aishite Aishite Aishichattanoyo [ja] - Mahina Stars [ja] and Miyoko Tashiro [ja]^[19]
• 25 December: Namida No Renraku-sen [ja] - Harumi Miyako^[20]

International

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

• 2 January, 9 January, 16 January and 23 January: Soundtrack of La Ragazza Di Bube^[21]
• 30 January, 6 February, 13 February, 20 February, 27 February and 6 March: La plus belle pour aller danser - Sylvie Vartan (Victor) and Mie Nakao (Victor)^[22]
• 13 March, 20 March, 27 March, 3 April, 10 April and 17 April: Un buco nella sabbia - Mina (Fontana), Mieko Hirota (Columbia), Aiko Ito [ja] (Victor) and Sumiko Sakamoto (Toshiba)^[23][24]
• 24 April and 1 May: Diamond Head - The Ventures^[25]
• 8 May, 15 May and 22 May: Slaughter on 10th Avenue - The Ventures (Liberty) and Chappell (Folster)^[26]
• 29 May, 5 June and 12 June: Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey (UA), John Barry and his Orchestra (UA) and The Astronauts (RCA)^[27]
• 19 June: Do the Clam - Elvis Presley^[28]
• 26 June: Ticket to Ride - The Beatles^[29]
• 3 July, 10 July and 31 July: Dynamite - Cliff Richard^[30]
• 7 August and 14 August: Pearly Shells - Billy Vaughn^[31]
• 21 August, 28 August, 4 September, 11 September, 18 September, 25 September, 2 October and 9 October: Caravan - The Ventures^[32]
• 16 October, 23 October, 30 October and 6 November: Help! - The Beatles^[33]
• 13 November, 20 November, 27 November, 4 December, 11 December, 18 December: Poupée de cire, poupée de son - France Gall^[34]
• 25 December: Namida-Kun Sayonara [ja] - Johnny Tillotson (MGM) and Kyu Sakamoto (Toshiba)^[35]

Hibari Misora's Yawara [ja] was number 1 in the Japanese kayokyoku annual singles chart published in Billboard.^[36]

The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra was founded.^[37]

There was an electric boom (Japanese: エレキブーム, ereki būmu) in the popularity and sales of electric guitar music and electric guitars. This was also called the "electric guitar boom" and the "electric guitar fad".^{[38][39][40][41]}

The first discotheque opened on 18 November 1965.^[42]

The music of Tokyo Olympiad by Toshiro Mayuzumi won the 20th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.^[43]

From April to September, $35.3 million worth of records were sold by the Japan Phonograph and Record Association.^[44] The music market was larger than Latin America's.^[1]