The inaugural Japan Record Awards were held on December 27, 1959. They recognized musical accomplishments by performers for the year 1959. Hiroshi Mizuhara won the Grand Prix award, defeated Frank Nagai by a vote.^[1]

Award winners

Japan Record Award

• Hiroshi Mizuhara (ja) – "Kuroi Hanabira" (ja)
  • Lyricist: Rokusuke Ei
  • Composer: Hachidai Nakamura
  • Record Company: EMI Music Japan

Best Vocal Performance

• Frank Nagai – "Yogiri ni Kaeta Chalk"
  • Lyricist: Tetsuo Miyagawa (ja)
  • Composer: Masanobu Tokuchi (ja)

Lyricist Award

• Hachirou Satou (ja) – "Flute"
  • Singer: Chiyoko Shimakura
  • Composer: Yūji Koseki

Composer Award

• Masanobu Tokuchi – "Yogiri ni Kaeta Chalk"
  • Singer: Frank Nagai
  • Lyricist: Tetsuo Miyagawa

Children's Song Award

• Kamejirō Ishii (ja) and King Hōzuki-kai – "Yasashii Oshō-san"
  • Lyricist: Shōgo Katō (ja)
  • Composer: Hideaki Yashima (ja)