The number 60 has special meaning in Japan. It is known as Kanreki, and people who reach that age are said to experience a rebirth.

Jamaica and Japan marked 60 years of diplomatic relations this year, a milestone marked by several cultural events, including a reggae concert in October at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in St Andrew.

Reggae has played a major role in strengthening ties between the countries. The music’s popularity in the Asian country peaked during the 1980s when the annual Japansplash festival attracted massive crowds to cities like Tokyo, the capital.

Yasuhiro Atsumi, Japan’s ambassador to Jamaica, hosted the Edna Manley College event, as well as a reggae-themed party at his St Andrew residence. In an interview with the Jamaica Observer he spoke about the current state of Japan-Jamaica ties.

“We have maintained a very good relationship; economic and cultural relations are very strong and we look forward to extending that relationship for another 60 years,” said Atsumi.

The 67-year-old diplomat is from Shizuoka, a city near Tokyo. Jamaica is his first overseas appointment, but he visited the country during the 1990s when he worked with the International Monetary Fund’s Western Hemisphere Department.

Atsumi disclosed that there are more than 300 Jamaicans living in Japan. Many of them are assigned to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme under which English is taught to Japanese youth. Others are part of the JUNTOS Programme, which comprises Caribbean students eager to learn about Japanese culture, foreign policy, and environment.

He acknowledged reggae’s part in keeping that bond intact, disclosing that of the 170 Japanese citizens in Jamaica registered with his office, many operate businesses linked to music.

One of those entrepreneurs is 59-year-old Yumiko Gabe, known in local dance circles as SJ Yumi, owner of the Yumi Hi Power sound system. She is also an executive member of the Japanese Association of Jamaica.

From Saitama, a city on the outskirts of Tokyo, Yumi first visited Jamaica in 1991 and has lived here for over 25 years. She discovered reggae in the mid-1980s, and lived in the United Kingdom before making her maiden voyage to Jamaica.

Yumi believes the Japanese impact on Jamaica transcends music.

“Japan has many sound systems and they cut a lot of dub plates, so they must be contributing to the Jamaican economy. Sound men spend several times more money in Jamaica than tourists who stay in luxury hotels and take luxurious trips. Unfortunately, the number of Japanese travellers has decreased since COVID-19 due to the weak Yen and the decline in the popularity of Jamaican music in Japan in recent years,” Gabe noted.

One of the first reggae acts to visit Japan were The Cimarons, a Jamaican band based in the UK. They had a groundbreaking tour there in 1975.

Bob Marley toured the country in 1979 for eight shows in Tokyo and Osaka. In the 1980s, Japansplash brought the leading names in reggae-dancehall, including Sugar Minott, Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor, Maxi Priest, Tenor Saw, and Yami Bolo.

That presence inspired a wave of Japanese reggae artistes like Nakhi and Ackee and Saltfish. The Mighty Crown, a sound system from Tokyo, became a global dancehall powerhouse.

While Jamaican artistes still perform in Japan, the reggae market has cooled considerably. For Yumi, her country’s love affair with Jamaican culture remains strong.

“Japanese love the heavy beat of Jamaican music. Jamaican music is deep, it’s endless fun to explore. Perhaps this kind of thing suits the Japanese character, who likes to delve deep,” she said. “Japanese also like the positive message of the Jamaican music that cheers you up, as Japanese people are so overworked that they’re literally dying of stress. Some people seem to feel a sense of affinity because Japan and Jamaica both started as island nations.”