DMC40 in Tokyo: How Japan Is Becoming the Global Heart of DJing

Ocobre 18, 2025 | Tokyo, Japan | by ATTANGO
Sources: DMCDJCHAMPS / slidingdoors / Credit photo: Jeff Straw, Rob Farell

DMC40, the 40th anniversary celebration of the Technics DMC World DJ Championships, was held in Tokyo from October 10 to 12 and already stands out as one of the most remarkable editions in the history of turntablism. Over three days, the Japanese capital brought together more than fifty DJs from five continents. The exceptional level of performance, the international audience, and a futuristic stage design reinforced Tokyo’s status as the world capital of DJing. This symbolic anniversary was a moment to celebrate forty years of innovation, legendary battles, and DJ culture.

The weekend kicked off with the Monkey Shoulder Welcome Party, the official launch of DMC40. DJ Sarasa (Japan), DJ Uri (India), DJ Question Mark (Taiwan), and JFB (UK) opened the festivities with powerful sets. The highlight of the night came when Joe Petch (Monkey Shoulder) presented a birthday cake to the DMC founders, Tony and Dan Prince, to a packed crowd. As Tony Prince explained, rarely has the eve of a DMC finals brought together so much energy and anticipation within the international community.

Spotify O-East: the stage for a historic night

On Saturday, Shibuya’s Spotify O-East transformed into a high-tech arena for the occasion and hosted the DMC World Finals. In the Supremacy category, the audience expected another victory from reigning champion K-Swizz (New Zealand), but Brazilian DJ Raylan overturned all predictions by winning the first-ever DMC world title for South America. His triumph sparked an explosion of joy, confirming the global expansion of DJ battle culture.

The showcases that followed highlighted the technical excellence of DJing legends. Kireek, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, DJ Fly, DJ Rena, and JFB delivered unforgettable performances. The standout moment of the evening was the improvised collaboration between DJ Kentaro and Takuya Nakamura, blending scratching, instrumental virtuosity, and sonic experimentation—a perfect embodiment of Tokyo’s avant-garde energy.

The Scratch final featured a high-level duel between reigning champion Aociz (France) and Japan’s Keita. With his precise control and masterful creativity, Aociz became a two-time world champion—an exceptional achievement, especially during this anniversary edition. Japan experienced an unforgettable moment when DJ Fummy won the fiercely contested Classic final, surpassing K-Swizz and talented American competitor The Kid RC3. When he received the Technics Gold Turntable from Mrs. Ogawa (Technics Project), the entire venue rose to its feet to celebrate one of the local heroes of DMC40.

A unique experience in the Technics Lounge and a tribute to DJ Honda

The Technics Lounge, a new DMC40 initiative, allowed fans to meet champions, veterans, and young prodigies in an intimate setting. Artists such as DJ Fly, Kaiharubro, Rushfunk, DJ Rena, DJ Michelle, and DJ Izoh took turns performing. The highlight of this space was the tribute to DJ Honda—an iconic figure of Japanese and global hip-hop—who received a Lifetime Achievement Award to a standing ovation.

AlphaTheta DMC Open crowns the first Australian champion in history

On Sunday, Club Harlem hosted the AlphaTheta DMC Open, a competition fueled by the raw energy of DJs from China, the Ivory Coast, Poland, and many other countries. Explosive showcases by Craze, DJ Koco, and Nasthug ignited the crowd before the showdown, which saw Beastmode (Australia) defeat DJ Pegg (Thailand). This historic victory makes Beastmode the first Australian DMC world champion. DMC40 was marked by unprecedented diversity, with the highest participation of women DJs to date, broad international representation, and competitors as young as 13. According to Antriks Manaoat, Director of the DMC DJ Championships, this anniversary edition marks a return to the authentic spirit that has fueled the competition since the 1980s—a blend of creativity, surpassing limits, and passion.

The organizers extended their thanks to Technics, AlphaTheta, Ortofon, Monkey Shoulder, and UDG, whose support made DMC40 the most ambitious edition ever produced. Dan Prince concluded by stating that the next edition will take the competition “to an even higher level,” confirming that the DMC remains the peak of global DJ battle culture.

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