近藤真彦 | en

Kondo Masahiko (近藤真彦) is a Japanese singer and actor and belongs to Johnny & Associates. He is also a racing car driver and a racing team owner. He is known as Matchy for short.

He became a top idol when he was 15 and was very famous throughout the 80’s. He had a lot of sales records. His first single set records for sales for a debut single by a male solo artist. The song debuted at number one. No other solo male artist has ever done this. At the age of 23 he won a top Japanese singer award - Japan Record Award.

Matchy was in several plays and movies at the beginning of the 90's. He got married in 1994, but kept his private life very private.

From 1998, he went full-time into his racing career. He rarely appeared on TV and did not release any new songs. He occasionally appeared on TV but as a racer, or racing commentator.

In 2005, he decided to come back for the 25th anniversary of his debut with a Best Of album. He's been active since. .