The P-pop kings brought their global momentum to Japan with a national television debut, back-to-back Summer Sonic performances and a viral ‘GENTO’ collaboration
SB19 is making a bigger push into Japan.
Fresh from a high-profile run in the United States, the P-pop group spent August expanding its presence in the Japanese music scene with its first live national TV appearance, performances at Summer Sonic in Osaka and Tokyo, a collaboration with Japanese singer-actor Kento Nakajima, and a fan event in Yokohama.
The packed schedule marks another step in SB19’s continuing effort to bring Filipino music to a wider international audience.
A Japan TV debut
On Aug. 13, SB19 made its first live appearance on Japanese television through NTV’s morning program DayDay, where Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin performed “LAWLESS” and joined host Ryota Yamasato, popularly known as Yama-chan, for a game segment.
“This will be our very first time performing on a Japanese TV so we’re very excited and we’re very thankful for this opportunity,” Justin said ahead of the appearance.
He also described the Japanese television debut as a “huge milestone” for the group as it continues to introduce SB19 and its music to new audiences.
The appearance followed the group’s recent activities in the United States, including its Lollapalooza 2026 performance in Chicago and appearance at the Grammy Museum’s Global Spin Live.
‘GENTO’ With Kento Nakajima
Days after its television debut, SB19 took the stage at Summer Sonic, performing in Osaka on Aug. 14 before heading to Tokyo on Aug. 16.
The group brought a mix of fan favorites and recent releases to the festival, but one of the biggest moments came during its Tokyo set when Kento Nakajima joined SB19 for a special performance of “GENTO.”
Nakajima delivered a Japanese verse written for the track before joining Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin for its signature choreography.
The collaboration built on previous interactions between SB19 and Nakajima, but bringing it to the Summer Sonic stage gave the crossover a much bigger audience.
“There was definitely pressure putting new lyrics on ‘GENTO’ — such an important song for SB19 — but the members kindly told me, ‘Just be yourself, as always,’ so I poured in everything that came to mind,” Nakajima said.
The performance quickly drew attention from fans of both artists online, giving SB19 another cross-cultural moment as it builds its profile in Japan.
Sights set on bigger Japan presence
SB19’s Japan activities extend beyond television and festival appearances.
The Japanese edition of the group’s Simula at Wakas is also being made available through major record stores and online retailers in Japan, strengthening its presence in a market where physical music remains significant.
SB19 also capped its activities with a fan event in Yokohama, giving Japanese A’TIN an opportunity to connect with the group outside the festival circuit.
For the members, the goal is to build on that momentum.
“We would love to have more performances, television appearances, and features in Japanese publications, but most importantly, we want to continue introducing our music and sharing who we are as SB19,” Ken said.
“We hope that more people will discover our songs and embrace us as artists.”
The Japan run comes as SB19 continues to widen its international reach following major appearances in the United States.
But rather than treating Japan as another stop on its overseas schedule, the group appears focused on building something more lasting—through local media, major festival stages, collaborations, music releases and direct engagement with Japanese fans.
