Matt Murton
Matt played for the Hanshin Tigers from 2010 to 2015 and was beloved by fans nationwide. In his rookie season in 2010, he recorded 214 hits, breaking Ichiro’s single-season hit record and becoming a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) legend.
In his six seasons with the Tigers, Matt recorded 1,020 hits and a batting average of .310, was selected to the All-Star team four times, was named to the Best Nine four times, and was the Central League batting champion in 2014. Prior to coming to Japan, he spent five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.
He now lives in the U.S.
Junko Cheng
A Japanese-American singer and actress based in Southern California, Junko grew up in Osaka and moved to New York with her family at the age of eight.
She has performed in Japan and internationally. She has collaborated with many famous artists, including Yumi Matsutoya, Seiko Matsuda, Michael W. Smith, Mark Schultz, and Avalon. She has also appeared in numerous commercials and is a radio personality on the show “Junko’s Big & Small Radio Show.” She has released 10 albums, including “Lavishing GOD.”
Meg (Awano Megumi)
Meg is a singer and director representing the Japanese gospel music scene. She has founded and directed gospel choirs across Japan. Together with her husband, gospel pianist Piano Koji, she has created new Japanese gospel music and released numerous CDs, including Gospel Praise!! – 13 and JOY!, which are loved throughout Japan and overseas. She continues to share her passion for conveying the wonders of gospel to people of all ages, from children to adults.
Kumiko Yoshida
Kumiko graduated from Kobe College, majoring in vocal music, and studied abroad in Germany. She completing the regular courses at the Hamburger Conservatory and the Brahms Conservatory, obtaining a performer qualification.
She was a member of the Tokyo Music Center and worked as a bridal singer, while also studying opera with the Kansai Opera Company. She made her debut as an opera soloist in the role of Mercedes in the Itami City Opera’s Carmen. She won first place at the Hamburger Vocal Competition. She studied under Junko Tanaka, J. Scovotti, and V. Borisova.
Akane Ando
Akane graduated from the Vocal Music Department of the Toho Gakuen School of Music and completed her postgraduate studies at the same university. In 1996, she moved to Europe and continued her studies in Dresden and Berlin.
Akane has appeared in numerous operas and concerts. She has also appeared in many stage productions, including singing Amazing Grace in a commercial for Morinaga’s “Chocoball” Japanese sweets, and singing the national anthem at the opening game of the Ishikawa Million Stars baseball team. While working with choirs and teaching the next generation, she formed the music unit “Littor Alis” in 2017 and has been planning and performing at welfare facilities and other venues. In the early music unit “Letters from the Past,” she holds concerts in churches with the chambo and recorder.
Misa Kamiyama
Misa is a Gospel folk singer. Born in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. Currently living in Tokyo. She won the grand prize at a Mos Burger contest in 1998. She moved to Tokyo and joined a music agency, where she performed street shows in front of Shinjuku Station, and appeared on TV Asahi’s “Street Fighters,” where she won first place in a national popularity poll and gained many fans. The song was also used as an insert song for the Spanish film “A Secret I Can Only Tell You.”
Since 2011, Misa has been visiting disaster-stricken areas to encourage people through praise. In 2013, she made her major label debut with Universal Music. In 2025, Misa will release her second best album. She is actively involved in domestic and international tours and as a radio personality.
Sing Gospel Unity Choir with PRS
Maskwire was formed with the aim of uniting in worship after nine gospel choirs active in the Hokuriku region gathered and performed together at the Hokuriku Gospel Choir Festival in October 2023.
They performed “Prayer Song = Gospel – Pray for Noto” at the Gargantua Music Festival in May 2024, the Japan Gospel Choirs Fellowship Concert in July, and at the Gargantua Music Festival “Festival of Choruses” in May 2025. Together, the various choirs deepen their interactions with one another, rejoicing in and praising and connecting in harmony.
This time, Praise Recovery Singers, who are mainly in their 20s, have joined the group, expanding the group to include people of all generations.
Night de Light
Formed in Sapporo, Hokkaido in 2006, this four-member rock band sings songs of hope.
In January 2012, their song “Unending Dream” was adopted as the official theme song for Consadole Sapporo. In August 2014, their song “Stain” was used as the walk-up song for Hanshin Tigers player Matt Murton.
Since 2025, they have been delivering messages of life’s meaning and hope for the future through “Heart Live Classes” at schools across Hokkaido.
https://night-de-light.com
