Japanese and South Korean pianists won first prize at the Long-Thibaud International Competition for up-and-coming classical musicians in Paris on Sunday.

Japanese Masaya Kamei, 20, and South Korean Lee Hyuk, 22, came top among six finalists in the competition, which is partly supported by the French government. Kamei currently studies at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo.

Masaya Kamei (C) of Japan finishes playing at the Long-Thibaud International Competition in Paris on Nov. 13, 2022. (Kyodo)

Another Japanese player, Kotaro Shigemori, 22, won fourth prize.

Kamei is the seventh Japanese pianist to win the competition which has a history of nearly 80 years. Japanese contestants also took first and second prize when the competition was last held in 2019.

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