Kazuya Yoshii (吉井和哉) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, and rock vocalist from Tokyo, born on October 8, 1966. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of The Yellow Monkey, the rock band that first brought him widespread attention in Japanese music.
Built around rock and singer-songwriter traditions, Yoshii’s solo work combines guitar-driven arrangements, melodic writing, and a distinctive vocal style. After establishing his reputation with The Yellow Monkey, he developed a solo career that kept the energy and character of his early work while giving him a more personal songwriting focus. His releases have been associated with EMI Music Japan, and his recent activity has remained closely watched in Japanese rock: in July 2026 he was linked to the documentary film Mirai no Uta, whose original soundtrack was announced for release on July 22, 2026. Around the same period, he returned to solo touring after roughly four years, and later that month it was announced that he would release his eighth original album, his first in 12 years, alongside a nationwide hall tour scheduled from February the following year. Reporting from July 2026 also noted his treatment and recovery after laryngeal cancer, adding a personal context to his recent work and public statements.
