Koshi Inaba
His soaring, emotive voice defined the sound of Japan's best-selling music act, B'z, shaping the nation's rock landscape for decades.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Japanese musician·Birthday: September 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Koshi Inaba emerged from the industrial city of Toyohashi with a voice that would become one of Japan's most recognizable instruments. While his partnership with guitarist Tak Matsumoto in B'z catapulted them into stratospheric commercial success, Inaba's artistry always extended beyond the duo. His solo work reveals a different, often more introspective side, exploring blues, funk, and soul with a craftsman's touch. Collaborations with global rock figures like Slash weren't mere novelties but genuine musical dialogues, showcasing his respect and reach. More than just a frontman, Inaba is a meticulous lyricist and a multi-instrumentalist whose quiet intensity offstage contrasts with the volcanic energy of his performances, securing his place as a pillar of Japanese popular music.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Koshi was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Koshi Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Koshi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As vocalist and lyricist for B'z, he is part of the best-selling music act in Japanese history.
- He has released six solo studio albums that all reached number one on the Japanese charts.
- Collaborated with Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash on the 2009 single 'Sahara'.
- His 2022 single 'Hoshikuzu Venus' topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed pharmacist, having earned his license before his music career took off.
Inaba is known for his intense privacy and rarely gives interviews or appears on television.
He designed his own unique microphone stand, which is a signature part of his stage presence.
An avid baseball fan, he threw the ceremonial first pitch at a Nippon Professional Baseball game in 2013.
“I want to sing until I die. That's my only wish.”
