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NHK Announces 2025 Kōhaku Song Contest Lineup

The Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) announced the lineup for the 76th Kōhaku Uta Gassen ("Red and White Song Contest"), Japan's most-watched music television program, on Friday. The show will feature 20 primarily female musical acts in the Red Team and 17 primarily male musical acts in the White Team.

The full lineup for the 76th Kōhaku Uta Gassen is:

(Note: The number in parentheses indicates how many times each musical act will have appeared on the program, including this year.)

RED TEAM

WHITE TEAM

NHK further announced singer Kiyoshi Hikawa and Masaaki Sakai will appear during a “Hōsō 100 Nen Kōhaku Tokubetsu Kikaku” (100 Years of Broadcasting: Kōhaku Special Event) special event during the live show. The event will see Sakai perform a medley of his songs as well as a performance with MISIA and Rockon Social Club. Hikawa, in turn, will perform covers of songs that shaped the 100-year radio and television broadcast history of NHK.

Starto Entertainment (formerly Johnny & Associates) will see its idol group M!LK perform on the show for the first time. This is the first time in three years a Starto Entertainment artist will perform on the show. Also debuting on Kōhaku Uta Gassen are Aina The End, Lilas Ikuta, aespa, CANDY TUNE, Chanmina, HANA, HUMBERT HUMBERT, FRUITS ZIPPER, and &TEAM.

NHK announced the four hosts for the 76th Kōhaku Uta Gassen on October 14. The hosts are comedian Hiroiki Ariyoshi, actresses Haruka Ayase and Mio Imada, and NHK announcer Naoko Suzuki.

The 76th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen will air in Japan on December 31 from 7:20 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. on NHK General TV, BSP4K, BS8K, NHK Radio 1, and NHK ONE (formerly NHK Plus).

Sources: Kōhaku Uta Gassen's X/Twitter account, NHK (link 2, link 3, link 4), Mainichi Shimbun