The single was originally released in 1979 in 7" and 12" formats, the latter accommodating a longer version, again reflecting Moroder's style of producing disco versions such as with Donna Summer's "
I Feel Love". The single failed to become a hit in the UK. It was released again by Hansa in early 1981, after the band had enjoyed moderate success in 1980 with their album
Gentlemen Take Polaroids, released by Virgin. This release featured "
European Son" as the B-side, although again failed to chart. The single was released a third and final time in October 1982, after the band's success with the
Tin Drum album and singles such as "
Ghosts" and "
Cantonese Boy". This issue was a remixed version by
Steve Nye and finally made "Life In Tokyo" a hit reaching no. 28 in the
UK singles chart. Its release was supported by the group themselves, with Sylvian co-ordinating the sleeve design. Both sides feature "Life in Tokyo", with a new 12" remix. The B-side, "Life In Tokyo Theme" is an approximately 2 minute instrumental version of the song, but doubled in length by being presented in a drastically slowed down mix. ==Track listings==