Suntory song aims to boost Japan morale

A total of 71 celebrities, including Akiko Wada, Masahiko Kondo and Yuko Takeuchi, gathered to perform versions of Kyu Sakamoto’s Ue wo muite arukou (Sukiyaki song) and Miagete goran yoruno hoshi wo. Sukiyaki achieved international success in the early 1960s and remains a fixture of Japanese popular culture.

The participation in the commercial is understood to have been an unpaid voluntary gesture on the part of the celebrities. The 30 and 60-second TV spots will be aired throughout Japan.

One of Japan’s leading food and beverage companies along with Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo, Suntory features celebrities widely in its advertising and was among the first Asian companies to employ American popular figures in its marketing efforts.