Calling on the Caribbean region to take greater pride in its culture and every essence that makes it unique and loved by other countries, Caribbean entertainers have once again taken foot on the land of Japan for a week-long Soca in Japan (SIJ) festivities. Johnny “Problem Child” Fontainne, a well-known soca artist from Vincentia, was the main act in this year’s lineup of DJs and performers. He took delight in witnessing the impact of soca music outside of the Caribbean for the first time.
Other Caribbean artists, like DJ Jel Roberts of New York and T&T producer Keshav Chandradath Singh, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago. In a recent interview performers discussed their experiences in Japan, the prospects of the SIJ program, and further measures that may be taken to advance Caribbean culture beyond the area.
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This year’s SIJ experience took place from September 19–23 and featured Japan Soca Weekend (JSW), a six-day travel and activities package that allowed participants to enjoy daytime attractions in and around Tokyo, the capital prefecture of Japan, and nighttime festivities with a Caribbean theme. The highlight of the celebrations was the September 23 Japan Caribbean Carnival (JCC), a parade held in Saitama Prefecture with a Caribbean theme.
The quick response from Problem Child to the question of how the Caribbean can keep promoting its culture abroad was, “Oh, that’s easy.” We ought to be a little more proud of our culture.
He stated that the Caribbean needs to unite more than concentrate on the talent that comes from nations.
“There is talent everywhere. If you are from another island and somebody discovers soca through you, they might be introduced to my music.”
He remarked that becoming a member of SIJ was an amazing experience since it allowed him to combine his passion for music and travel.
After seeing some of the city after three days of travel, he was eager to spend the next few days of the tour learning more about the local way of life.
“I’m here for the whole experience. I’m an open book. Whatever comes my way, I’m trying to see as much as I can.”
He claimed that prior to receiving his invitation to participate in the tour this year, he had only heard vague rumors about SIJ.
“Life is such a blur for me because I have heard of it but in traveling and creating music, I did not have time to really have an opinion.”
Having personally experienced it, he expressed his desire to share the news.
“I think it’s a splendid idea. Having soca anywhere, especially in places where it is not so culturally sound, in addition to traveling, is great for anyone. People always say, if you don’t like to read the next best thing is travel. You learn so much more.”
The Vincy soca artist expressed his amazement at how well Caribbean culture was received in Japan and expressed his admiration for how much of their repertoire they knew.
“What I’ve noticed is that songs that may not be mainstream in North America and the Caribbean, get so much more love here and I always say that there are so many other songs that need to be highlighted and given a chance. Being on this side (of the world) and seeing the songs that people (in Japan) gravitate to, it’s not always the obvious hits and that’s something to appreciate.”
Problem Child expressed his pride in the success of his popular song Holiday, which has been a favorite among local SOCA DJs in Japan since its debut in 2023, “What’s amazing is how the song came about. I always had it in my mind to do a song called Me Day (a day for me) but, I thought it would have taken too much explanation. However, everyone knows what a holiday is. I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head. I don’t ask for production. When the (music) comes to me, I will know. I got the beat and I went to the studio and 15 minutes later, the song was finished. To see that it’s doing this much is what is amazing to me.”
He promised to keep promoting the song since he thinks it has further potential, even in addition to other projects he has planned for Vincy Mas and T&T Carnival the next year.
“I see that people have gravitated to it, even those who aren’t into soca culture. Even if they don’t know anything else, they know that one.”
Problem Child claimed that his trip to Japan will always stick in his memory, “I love the culture here. I love how clean Tokyo is. I love how mannerly and polite the people are. It’s very warming to experience that.”
He loved visiting Asakusa Sensōji, a prominent Buddhist temple and retail strip in Tokyo, and attending a sumo wrestling event while traveling with the group, much to the delight of the other tour bus passengers. In addition, he ventured out on his own and visited a few eateries and the teamLab Planets modern art museum.
The last of Soca’s week-long activities in September, the Japan Caribbean Carnival, brought together Caribbean visitors, foreigners residing in Japan, and Japanese citizens in Saitama prefecture. The package includes parties with a Caribbean theme, cultural events, and tours of Tokyo.
“I’ve only ever seen sumo on TV, so that was something new for me. The food here is immaculate. I have not had anything that I did not like.” He said that when dining at the well-known fine-dining Chinese restaurant Sense in Tokyo, he was astonished not just by the cuisine but also by the attentive treatment provided by the wait staff, who took the time to explain the background of each dish they sampled.
Regarding the idea of soca tourism, he stated that as long as the group keeps promoting it, SIJ has room to expand.
He shared that “more awareness needs to be brought to it…There are a lot of Caribbean people who travel (and) a lot of them travel for the sake of soca music. When those people become more aware, it will obviously grow. I know about it (now) but I haven’t heard a lot of people talking about it. Now that I’m here, I’ll bring awareness to it. So many people who know that I’m here are already (saying) they want to come to Japan.”
He said that the chance to travel and the extra vigor of soca music will entice a lot more islanders to take part in this sort of activity.
“I can see (SIJ) going far as long as they don’t give up,” he remarked.
DJ Jel, a native of Couva, who is doing his second year of performances in Japan, shared his enthusiasm for SIJ and other programs that support soca music beyond the Caribbean.
“I think (SIJ) is a great initiative,” he expressed.
“It links the Caribbean diaspora living and working in Japan back to their roots. There are (people) here that may not be able to go home to play mas due to work or lack of available flights. SIJ also introduces soca music to a new audience.”
He claimed that even though well-known soca performers like Mical Teja and Nailah Blackman had performed in Japan, the country is yet unexplored.
“There are Japanese citizens who come to TT for Carnival annually and also participate in panorama, mas and other traditional elements of our Carnival. (SIJ) provides a unique opportunity for us to export our culture and I think it’s something that the Ministries of Trade and Tourism should explore.”
According to him, soca music, dancehall, and Caribbean culture are highly valued by the Japanese, “I would say reggae and dancehall is more widely received, based on what I’ve been hearing in clubs and lounges.”
He claimed that to keep spreading Caribbean culture outside of the area, artists must be encouraged and deployed to explore untapped markets.
“The thing with Carnival is we continue to market to the same audiences within the diaspora, but to see real growth, we need to target people in new markets.”
He said that SIJ has the potential to keep expanding if it is promoted correctly and to the right customers, noting that it won’t be difficult to attract individuals outside of the Caribbean given the large number of people that listen to and stream soca music. Since SIJ also involves being fully immersed in a foreign culture, he claimed that the experience provided is apart from what most islanders may be accustomed to when they think of a regular soca session.
“What I think the SIJ team needs to do is market to Japanese people who love to party year-round and are looking for new experiences.”
On social media, Soca in Japan has already revealed the dates of its 2025 tour. The group is anticipated to make a comeback from September 18–24, 2025.
