The global scratch battle lands in Asia for the first time, October 10th–12th.
Photo credit: DMC – Official
The Technics DMC World DJ Championship celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, with the 2025 edition taking place in Tokyo for the first time in its history. Running from October 10th to 12th, the landmark event also marks the first DMC World Final to be held in Asia.
Founded in 1985 by Tony Prince, the competition has served as a launchpad for the likes of A-Trak, Mixmaster Mike, DJ Kentaro, DJ Craze, and Q-Bert. Following a successful edition in Paris last year, DMC40 will bring together national winners from across the globe to compete in four categories: Classic, Scratch, Supremacy, and Open.
The three-day program begins with the Opening Party on Friday at Studio Freedom in Shibuya, hosted by Monkey Shoulder. Saturday’s events unfold at O-East with finals for the Classic, Supremacy, and Scratch battles, while Sunday culminates with the Open category finale at Harlem, presented by AlphaTheta.
The competition format pushes the boundaries of turntablism: Classic routines span six minutes, Scratch sets rotate in 16-bar cycles, Supremacy stages head-to-head eliminations, and the Open category encourages diverse performance styles and setups, judged on creativity, musicality, and technical skill.
DMC will also host its annual Hall of Fame Awards, recognizing three groups: Originals, Legends, and Icons, honoring lifetime contributions to DJ culture.
“DMC40 in Tokyo takes our company to new frontiers; a DMC World Final on Asian shores for the first time, a DMC National Champion from the Middle East for the first time, and a DMC World Final in the birthplace of the turntable,” said DMC’s Dan Prince.
Technics, the event’s title partner and a fixture in DJ culture, celebrates its own 60th anniversary this year. Masai Daisuke of Technics Global noted: “With DMC’s 40th anniversary and our own 60th, this Tokyo Finals holds special meaning for us. We deeply value our shared journey in shaping DJ culture.”
More info and tickets are available here.
