Namie Amuro, a popular singer from Okinawa, announced on her official website that she would retire Sep. 16 next year.

40-year-old Amuro made her debut as a member of the band “Super Monkeys,” a Japanese idol group, in 1992. She started her solo career in 1995. Her single “Can You Celebrate?” sold 2 million copies, and album “Sweet 19 Blues” sold more than 3 million copies. She also inspired a term “Amura” that is a word describing her young female fans who imitate her style.

Her songs are powerful and rhythmic. Throughout her career, she has been hugely popular and in the front lines of music among young people in Japan, and, also elsewhere in Asia. In 2000, she sang a song “Never End” that was the image song composed for the Kyushu Okinawa G8 Summit.

She held her 25th artist anniversary concert at Ginowan Seaside Park Outdoor Theater last weekend, on Sep. 16 & 17.

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