UNIVERSAL MUSIC JAPAN (read the annotation before using!)
~ Label
Annotation
On MusicBrainz, Universal Music (Japan) is organized into record company divisions rather than a single "Universal Music" imprint. This means if the only visible logo is "Universal Music", the label should be based off the 制作 credit on the obi. (The "制作" credit should be found above a line of text which says "発売元・販売元：ユニバーサル ミュージック".) Note that Universal Music Japan began replacing the "Universal Music" logo with the "Universal Music Group" logo beginning in January 2020. This has no effect on release labels because of the practice described above.
Because of the division into record company divisions, the catalog number stem can sometimes be used as a somewhat reliable reference to choose the correct label (incomplete list):
- PHC* - Mercury Music Entertainment (defunct)
- POC* - distributed by Universal Music...
- POCE-01000~012** - Strange Days
- POCE-014** / 094** - ZERO-A (since 2014)
- POCE-057** - LD&K international
- POCE-069** - 朱 (Danger Crue) / UNIVERSAL GEAR
- POCE-073** - KMEWAVE
- POCE-15*** - Rough Trade
- POCE-16*** / 96*** - SPIRITUAL BEAST
- TOCT - EMI Records Japan (defunct 2014)
- TYCT - Virgin Music (2017-), Virgin Records Japanese (2014-2017), EMI R (defunct 2014), EMI Records Japan (defunct 2014)
- UCC* - Universal Classics & Jazz
- UIC* - USM Japan (Universal Strategic Marketing) or Universal International - the last character may not match what is expected
- UICA - A&M Records
- UICF - Geffen
- UICJ - Def Jam Recordings
- UICL - Island
- UICN - Thunderball667
- UICO - Spinefarm Records, Motor Music, Island, etc.
- UICS - Interscope Records
- UICU - Pachinko Records
- UICV - Delicious Deli Records
- UICY - Polydor, A&M Records, Island, Geffen, Motown, Brain, Sanctuary, etc.
- UICZ - USM Japan, UM³/USM Japan (defunct)
- UMCA - UNIVERSAL MUSIC (Japanese)
- AUGUSTA RECORDS
- ZERO-A (in 2013)
- UMCC - MILESTONE CROWDS
- UMCF - Far Eastern Tribe Records (defunct 2014)
- UMCK - UNIVERSAL SIGMA or A&M Japanese or ZEN MUSIC, キティMME (defunct 2002)
- Def Jam Recordings (Japan), Kitty Mercury, STAR TRAK
- UPCH-4 digits - UNIVERSAL J, or Far Eastern Tribe Records as an imprint; Polydor Japan (defunct 2003)
- UPCH-5 digits - EMI RECORDS (since 2014), NAYUTAWAVE RECORDS (defunct 2014)
- UPCI - Island Japanese
- UPCP - Perfume Records
- UPCY - USM Japan, UM³/USM Japan (defunct) / Polydor Japan
- UUCH - UNIVERSAL（ユニバーサル） / UNIVERSAL POLYDOR（ユニバーサル ポリドーア） (defunct 2002)
- VJCP - Virgin
Note that the catalog number prefix's third letter represents a media format - see ja:規格品番 (Wikipedia)
Previously known as: PolyGram K.K. (Distributor only. Not a release label!), Polydor (Japanese domestic artists only, prior to 2023), Universal Victor, Inc. (manufacturer/distributor, likely not an imprint; 1997–2000)