"Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto

In 2020 K-Pop group BTS made history when their song "Dynamite" hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That having been said, BTS were not the first East Asian artists to have a no. 1 single on the Hot 100, nor were they the first artists to have a no. 1 single in an East Asian language to have a hit on the Hot 100. That honour would go to Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto, who hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his song "Sukiyaki" in June 1963. It was not only the first song in an East Asian language to hit no. 1 on the chart, but the first song in a non-European language.

Of course, "Sukiyaki" was not the song's original title. Its original title (and the one it still bears outside of English) is "Ue o Muite Arukō" (in English, "I Look Up as I Walk"). "Ue o Muite Arukō" was written by by lyricist Rokusuke Ei and composer Hachidai Nakamura. Rokusuke Ei wrote the lyrics when he was walking home from a protest  against the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the United States and Japan. He felt frustration and disappointment at the United States' continued military presence in his country. While "Ue o Muite Arukō" was inspired by Rokusuke Ei's feeling of dejection over the failed protests, its lyrics were written so that they could refer to any loss, such as lost love.

"Ue o Muite Arukō" was recorded by Kyu Sakamoto, who had been a member of Danny Iida & Paradise King before he launched his own solo career. "Ue o Muite Arukō" would be his first hit as a solo artist, topping Japanese magazine Music Life's Popular Music Selling Record chart for three months. It was in 1963 that Louis Benjamin, chief executive of the British recording label Pye Records, visited Japan. He heard "Ue o Muite Arukō" several times while in Japan and decided to bring it to the United Kingdom. It was Louis Benjamin who renamed the song "Sukiyaki." He thought "Ue o Muite Arukō" would be too hard for English speakers to pronounce and chose "Sukiyaki" because it was recognizably Japanese and he thought it sounded catchy. Of course, sukiyaki is a Japanese beef dish. A columnist in Newsweek said it would be something like renaming the song "Moon River," "Beef Stew" in Japan.

Regardless, "Sukiyaki" proved to be a hit in the United Kingdom, reaching no. 6 on the UK singles chart. Capitol Records released "Sukiyaki" in the United States where it proved even more successful. It hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963 and topped the chart for three weeks.

Today "Ue o Muite Arukō" may not seem that significant, but in 1963 its international success was very significant. Alongside the anime shows that made their way to the United States and Europe, as well as various Japanese movies, "Ue o Muite Arukō" signified Japan's reentry onto the world stage following World War II. Perhaps more importantly, it helped erode any mistrust of Japan on the part of Americans after the war. Beginning in the Sixties, Japan would increasingly be viewed not as an old enemy, but as a valued ally. "Ue o Muite Arukō" and other pop culture artefacts imported from Japan would help a good deal in bridging any gap between Japan and the United States.