No. 22, with a Bullet Train

By Anthony Spaeth

When the average Japanese salaryman heads home each evening, you can bet the last song he wants to hear from his car radio or earphones is his company's anthem, or shaka, the corporate tune that employees are forced to sing at year-end parties and sometimes even during morning calisthenics in the factory yard. Pity, therefore, the workers of Yokohama-based Nihon Break Kogyo. After its anthem was played on a popular midnight variety show, Asahi TV's Tamori Club, so many listeners responded with requests for copies that the company decided to release the song as a single. It debuted last week at No. 22 on Oricon's weekly Top 30 singles list. The lyrics seem ideally suited for Japan's trendy club scene: "We will destroy houses!/We will destroy bridges!/We will destroy buildings!/To the East! To the West!" A corporate example of postpunk nihilism? No, Nihon Break Kogyo is a demolition company.

--By Anthony Spaeth