The 22nd Japan Record Awards ceremony was held on 31 December 1980 at the Imperial Theatre, Tokyo, and was broadcast live in Japan through the Tokyo Broadcasting System Television network.

[2] The 22nd Japan Record Award went to Aki Yashiro for "Ame no Bojō" (ja), and Best Vocal Performance went to Harumi Miyako for "Ōsaka Shigure" (ja).

[1] Best New Artist Award nominations.

Japan Record Award nominations.

Also known as the Shinpei Nakayama Award.