On October 6, NHK announced the hosts, who would be Hiroiki Ariyoshi, Kanna Hashimoto, Minami Hamabe, and Kozo Takase.

[1] For the first time since 1980, no artists belonging to Smile Up, Inc. (formerly Johnny & Associates) were scheduled to appear on this edition of the Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

The absence of talent from the agency is a consequence of the juvenile sex abuse scandals from Johnny Kitagawa.

Due to copyright issues, both Milet and Man with a Mission's performances could not be shown on the NHK World Premium global simulcast, as they contained scenes from the Demon Slayer anime, whose global rights belong to Muse Communication (outside Japan) and Crunchyroll (outside Asia).

[9] Due to a rule change revolving around the jury vote where the judges are divided into two groups consisting out of four people each it could be possible that the result may be remis for the first time in the show's history.