Namie Amuro Gives Final Live Performance, in Her Home Okinawa

September 17, 2018

Ginowan, Okinawa Pref.- "Really, really thank you," iconic Japanese pop singer Namie Amuro told thousands of fans at the end of her final live stage performance, held in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on Saturday, the day before her retirement from the show business.

"At the concert, everyone got excited and no one looked sad," said Yoji Toriumi, a 29-year-old corporate employee in Tokyo. Amuro, now 40 years old, sang eight songs and danced for a total of 40 minutes before some 3,500 people who were lucky enough to get tickets to the concert at the Okinawa Convention Center, which was joined by Okinawan band Begin and solo musicians including Ken Hirai.

After finishing her last performance, Amuro, an Okinawa native, expressed her appreciation to the audience. Then she bowed together with all other musicians and left the stage while waving her hand. The fans in the hall kept calling her name for a while even after she was gone.

Outside the event venue was also crowded by fans coming to say goodbye.

Miho Kashiwa, 30, another Tokyo company worker, said she sang "Never End," a song sung by Amuro at the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit 2000, with other fans near her.

"I heard many people saying 'Thank you' and 'Take a rest' to Amuro," Kashiwa said. She also offered her gratitude to the outgoing star, saying, "I was given a plenty of happiness."

Born in Naha, the capital of the southernmost prefecture, Amuro made her debut as a member of pop idol group "Super Monkey's" in 1992, when she was 14 years old. Outstanding in singing and dancing, she quickly became a star performer with successive mega hits including "Chase the Chance" and "a walk in the park."

She also acted as a fashion leader for girls, many of whom imitated her style to create a social phenomenon called "Amurar."

After releasing single "Can You Celebrate?" in 1997, which sold 2.29 million copies, an all-time record for Japanese female solo singers, Amuro got married with dancer Sam the same year (divorced in 2002) and took a year off in 1998 to give birth. She returned to the music scene as she promised, becoming a role model for many women.

In September last year, she abruptly announced her retirement a year later. "The decision was made to mark the 25th anniversary of my debut," she noted. Jiji Press