Ken Hirai releases album for the 1st time in 3 years, purely Japanese from the day I was born.

It was decided that Ken Hirai's 8th original album "JAPANESE SINGER" will be released on June 8th.

This original album comes approximately 3 years and 3 months after the preceding work "FAKIN' POP", and packs 13 songs including 5 single numbers such as "CANDY" and "Itoshiki Hibi yo", and 8 newly recorded songs made in collaboration with producer Kiyoshi Matsuo for the first time in 10 years. The initial limited edition A includes an approximately two hour live video recording from the full band live concert "Ken Hirai 15th Anniversary Special!! Vol.4! held for just one night at the end of 2010. Initial limited edition B includes a DVD with video clips of 5 single songs and the new song "Yume no mukoude".

The red ball which is used symbolically in the art work visualizes the concept of the album "JAPANESE SINGER" and its catch copy "Purely Japanese since the day I was born (umarete konokata jun kokusan)."According to Hirai, the red ball he holds in his hand "is a symbol of various important things... such as Japan, the earth, the heart." The three editions, initial limited editions A&B, and the standard edition, all show slightly different expressions.

Prior to the album release, on May 12th an in- store event "Ken Hirai 15th Anniversary LAST" was held for the first time in 10 years at Tower Records Shibuya store B1 STAGE ONE. This event invited 70 people who were selected from among the purchasers of the most recent single album "Itoshiki HIbi yo", and those people were able to listen to the album prior to release. At the site, Hirai himself disclosed in a talk corner episodes from the making of the album, and a mini-live was held giving a preview of the new songs.