Ryuichi Sakamoto is organizing a music festival for July to express opposition to nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.
"I want to express the desire to achieve a nuclear-free (world), not only feelings against nuclear power plants but also against nuclear weapons," the 60-year-old composer said Tuesday at a news conference in Tokyo.
The event, called "No Nukes 2012," will be held July 7 and 8 at the Makuhari Messe convention complex in Chiba.
Nine individuals and groups, including singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito, Yellow Magic Orchestra — the electro-pop band to which Sakamoto belongs — and rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation, have signed up, and the number of performers will likely increase.
All of the revenue from the festival will be donated to a citizens' group called the 10 Million People's Action to say Goodbye to Nuclear Power Plants, according to Sakamoto.