The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan was held in Chiba on June 23, 2012, at the Makuhari Messe and was hosted by Japanese trio Perfume. The nominees were announced on March 21, 2012.

Exile is a 19-member Japanese boy band. Hiro is the group's leader, who debuted as a member of Zoo under For Life Music, but Exile have released their singles and albums under Avex Group's label Rhythm Zone. Hiro and Avex's president Max Matsuura came from the same high school. In 2003, the six original members of Exile founded the management and entertainment company LDH which has debuted many successful groups and soloists ever since. Exile is the representative group of the company.