AKB48 (read "A.K.B. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group. It has achieved such popularity in Japan[1] that it has been characterized as a social phenomenon.[2] The group has 91 members, ranging in age from early teens to mid-20s.[3] Produced by Yasushi Akimoto, it is one of the highest-earning musical acts in the world, with 2011 record sales of over US$200 million in Japan alone.[4]
The group's thirteen latest consecutive singles topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart. In 2010, "Beginner" and "Heavy Rotation" placed, respectively, first and second in the list of Japan's best selling singles for the year.[5] In 2011, AKB48's singles occupied the top five spots of the Oricon Yearly Singles Chart.[6] AKB48 has reached a total of 20,300,000 copies (17,597,000 singles sold, 2,703,000 albums sold),[7][8] and holds the record for most singles sold in Japan by a female group.[9]
AKB48 is named after Akihabara (Akiba for short), the area in Tokyo where the group's own theater is located. The idea of AKB48's producer Yasushi Akimoto was to create a girl group that, unlike a regular pop group, which gives occasional concerts and that is mostly seen on TV, would have its own theater and perform there on a daily basis; the fans would always be able to go and see the girls live. Presently, AKB48 still performs at the theater every day, although, due to great demand, tickets are now distributed only via a lottery.
Personnel
AKB48 holds the Guinness World Record for being the world's "largest pop group".[11][12] The group currently consists of a total of 66 girls, divided into three subgroups: Team A, presently with 21 members; Team K, also with 22 members; And team B, with 23 members .[13] The group also includes a number of aspiring members, who are called "kenkyūsei" ("trainees").[14] The member lineup often changes; when girls get older, they "graduate" from the group, while new members are cast through regularly held auditions.[1] Having several teams not only allows the group to reduce the load on its members, since a daily concert at the theater is given by only one team, but also gives AKB48 opportunity to perform in several places and even countries simultaneously.[15]Yasushi Akimoto is also expanding his theater-based idol group concept to other cities and, since recently, countries. He has formed SKE48 (based at a theater in the Sakae area of Nagoya), SDN48 (intended to have a more mature image), NMB48 (Namba, Osaka),[14] HKT48 (Hakata, Fukuoka), JKT48 (Jakarta, Indonesia), TPE48 (Taipei, Taiwan), SNH48 (Shanghai, China). Another of his recent creations, Nogizaka46, was announced as an official rival for AKB48.[clarification needed][citation needed]
Given the large number of members in the group, who couldn't appear on stage at the same time, AKB48 needed some sort of selection method to determine who will record a single and perform it on TV, for example.[citation needed] So far, two big selection events are held annually. One member lineup is determined by fans who vote for their favorite members in so-called "general elections" ("sōsenkyo" in Japanese) by purchasing the group's latest single that includes a ticket that allows the buyer to register a vote for a particular member. The other is decided in a rock-paper-scissors tournament between the members themselves. The popularity of AKB48 had been so huge that, in the 2011 election, the number of votes cast exceeded 1 million, and the single "Everyday, Katyusha", that contained a voting ticket for the election, set a new Japanese all-time record for weekly sales of a CD single.[16]
Concept
AKB48 was founded based on the "idols you can meet" concept.[19] The group's producer Yasushi Akimoto decided to create an idol group that, unlike a regular idol group that gives occasional concerts and that is mostly seen on TV, would have its own theater and perform there on a daily basis; the fans would always be able to go and see the girls live.[14][19] Presently, AKB48 still performs at the theater every day, although, due to great demand, tickets are now distributed only via a lottery.[10] The AKB48 Theater is located in the Don Quijote store in Akihabara, Tokyo.[10]
The group consists of four subgroups: Team A, Team K, Team B, and Team 4. Having several teams not only allows the group to reduce the load on its members, since a daily concert at the theater is given by only one team, but also gives AKB48 opportunity to perform in several places and even countries simultaneously.[15] Each of the teams also has its own unique image.[17] According to member Misaki Iwasa, Team A represents freedom, Team B is very idol-like with cutesy costumes, while Team K has a strong and powerful image.[17] There is also a number of aspiring members (so-called trainees or "Kenkyūsei"), who learn the group's songs and are appointed as stand-ins for the main members, so that a replacement is always available. In addition to singing performances, members are heavily promoted throughout the Japanese mass media.[10] The group regularly holds "handshake events", where fans get a chance to shake hands with the group's members.[10]
In 2009, the concept of "senbatsu general elections" was introduced.[14] In these elections, fans vote for their favourite members of AKB48 and its sister groups. Members who receive most votes get to participate in the recording of AKB48's next single,[14] are more heavily promoted,[10] and get to sing center stage during the group's performances. To obtain a ballot, voters have to buy the group's singles.[20] Another new concept, AKB48's rock-paper-scissors tournaments, was introduced in 2010 for the group's 19th single "Chance no Junban".[21] Members of AKB48 and its sister groups compete against each other in the knockout tournament for being on AKB48's next single.[22]
History
See also: AKB48 timeline
2005–2006: Creation and independent releases
In July 2005, Yasushi Akimoto held an audition for a new theater-based idol girl group.[23] Of the 7,924 girls that applied, 24 girls were chosen to become members of the group.[23]On December 8, 2005, the group debuted in the theater with only 20 members, who are later known as Team A.[24] A new audition which was held in cooperation with NTT DoCoMo was subsequently announced.[citation needed] This was the first audition where the applicants had to send in their audition videos with their mobile phones.[citation needed] Out of the 11,892 applicants, 19 were chosen to join AKB48, but in the end only 18 girls joined the group to form Team K in April 2006.[25]
In January 2006, Akimoto let Mariko Shinoda join the group without passing an audition, after she won a popularity vote by AKB48 fans.[26] She was working as a waitress at the AKB48 Cafe after she had failed to attend the group's first audition.[27]
AKB48 released its debut single "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" in February 2006. This single made it to the TOP10 Oricon weekly charts and sold 22,011 units in its debut week, a rarity for a group on an indie label.[28] On March 1, AKB48 released their first photo book entitled Micchaku! "AKB48" ~Shashinshuu Vol.1 the DEBUT.[citation needed] On March 31, member Yuki Usami graduates, thus becoming the first member to do so.[citation needed] Team K started performing at the AKB48 theater on April 1.[25]
2006–2008: Major debut and the DefStar Records period
Their first single under DefStar Records, "Aitakatta", was released on October 25, 2006, and it debuted at the 12th position on the Oricon weekly single charts.[31] In the first 6 weeks of its release, "Aitakatta" sold a total of 25,544 copies.[31]In October 2006, a new audition was announced to form Team B,[32] resulting in the arrival of 13 new members in December 2006.[33] On November 3 and 4, AKB48 performed in their first concert entitled AKB48 First Concert: Aitakatta ~Hashira wa Nai ze!~" at Nippon Seinenkan in Shinjuku.[25] The first-ever change to the lineup of AKB48's three teams was made in December 2006.[25] Kazumi Urano, Shiho Watanabe and Natsumi Hirajima were transferred from Team A to Team B as supporting members.[25] Ayumi Orii graduated from the group shortly after this, though she appeared in the unit Crayon Friends from AKB48 after her graduation.[citation needed]
AKB48's fourth single "Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru" was released on January 31, 2007.[34] It debuted at the 7th position on Oricon TOP10 charts.[34] There has been speculation that the PV and lyrics to this song are an allusion to enjo kōsai (compensated dating), though this cannot been confirmed.[citation needed]
On March 2, AKB48's second photo book AKB48 JUMP&CRY was released.[35] AKB48's 5th single, "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō", was released on March 18.[36] The title song of this single revolves around the theme of school bullying and suicides.[citation needed] "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō" reached the 8th position on the Oricon TOP10 charts.[36] AKB48's second concert tour, titled "AKB48 Haru no Chotto dake Zenkoku Tour ~Madamada daze AKB48!~", began on March 10.[37]
In April 2007, Team B's information was added to AKB48's official website, albeit with five fewer members than the announcement original.[25] This brought the group's numbers down from 53 to 48 - the first time since its creation that the member total reflected the group's name. Members Yū Imai, Michiru Hoshino, and Ayana Takada graduated at roughly the same time during June 2007.[citation needed] The group's sixth single, "Bingo!", was released on July 18.[38]
In October and November respectively, Shiho Watanabe and Kayano Masuyama graduated.[citation needed] On December 31, 43 members of AKB48 appeared on the 58th Kōhaku Uta Gassen television program for the first time as part of the Akihabara performance segment.[25] They set the record for the largest number of people in a single group to be on stage at one time in this program.[25]
AKB48 released their first studio album, titled Set List: Greatest Songs 2006–2007, on New Year's Day of 2008.[citation needed] Their seventh single, entitled "Romance, Irane" is released on January 23, 2008.[39] It reached number 6 on the Oricon TOP10 charts.[40]
On February 27, 2008, AKB48 released their tenth single, titled "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008". At the time of the release of their debut single "Sakura no Hanabiratachi", there was only Team A in AKB48. This 10th single features ten members from Team A, along with six and five selected members from Team K and Team B respectively.[41] It was planned that people who collected 44 posters of the single CD would be invited to a special event, but this act was a suspected violation of the antitrust law, and it was eventually cancelled by DefStar Records.[42]
2008–2009: Switch to King Records and the first Oricon number one
In August 2008, they changed their record label from DefStar Records to King Records.[citation needed] In the same month, Ayaka Kikuchi was fired from the group.[43] She was later rehired after she passed a subsequent audition.[44]On October 22, 2008, the single "Ōgoe Diamond" was released.[45] This single debuted at the number three position on the Oricon TOP10 weekly charts, becoming AKB48's first single to achieve a top three position on the chart.[46] This is the first single to be released under King Record's You Be Cool label.[45] On November 3, 2008, Rina Nakanishi, Hitomi Komatani, Tomomi Ohe, Risa Narita, and Tojima Hana graduated from the group.[citation needed]
AKB48 released their 11th single, "10nen Sakura", on March 4, 2009. The single reached number three on the Oricon charts in the first week and eventually became the first single for them to sell over 100,000 copies on the Oricon charts.[47]
On April 26, Mai Oshima and Kaoru Hayano graduated. On May 24, Risa Naruse graduated.
AKB48 Team A became the honour guest for the Japan Expo in Paris between July 2 to 5, 2009,[48] and featured English-lyric version of "Ōgoe Diamond" first time.
AKB48's 12th single, "Namida Surprise!", was released on June 24, the single include handshaking event ticket and a voting card (with a serial number) for their next single.[49] "Namida Surprise!" sold 104,180 copies in the initial week on the Oricon charts.
The 13th single, "Iiwake Maybe", released on August 26, 2009,[50] surprisingly outsold SMAP on its first day, taking the 1st place in the Oricon Daily Singles Chart,[51] but eventually ranked 2nd for the week.[52]
AKB48 had a US debut concert at Webster Hall in New York on September 27, 2009.[53]
In October 2009, their three singles "10nen Sakura", "Namida Surprise!" and "Iiwake Maybe" were certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan at the same time for each shipments of 100,000 copies by September.[54] Their 14th single, "River", was released on October 21, 2009.[55] It debuted at the number 1 position on Oricon TOP10 weekly charts.[55] This is the first single from the group to achieve the 1st position on the Oricon charts.[55]
2010: Five number-one singles
AKB48 released their 15th single, "Sakura no Shiori", on February 17, 2010. The single topped the Oricon chart and sold over 300,000 copies in its first week, which is the best record in seven years of Japanese female artists.[56] Their 16th single, "Ponytail to Shushu", released on May 26, 2010, sold over 400,000 copies in its first day, and over 513,000 copies in its first week, making it AKB48's biggest selling single in its first week.[57] On April 27, 2010, it was announced that AKB48 would be attending and performing in the United States at Anime Expo, the nation's largest anime convention, as official guests of honor. AKB48 performed at a concert on July 1, 2010, at the Nokia Theatre.[58]At AKB48's concert at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on a Sunday in July 2010, it was announced that Team K member Erena Ono would be graduating from AKB48 to study acting abroad.[59] Erena graduated from AKB48 on September 27, 2010 in a Team K theater performance.[60]
On 23 October the band represented Japan and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival, organised by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.[61] On October 27, 2010 AKB48's new single "Beginner" was released. In only the first week, the 18th single sold 826,989 copies making it the highest first week sales for AKB48, as well as highest first week sales ever for a female idol group single. As of February 2011 the single has sold over 1,010,000 copies.[62] At the end of October Mayu Watanabe appeared on the cover of the December issue of UP to boy magazine together with Airi Suzuki from Cute. That was the first gravure collaboration between Hello! Project and AKB48.[63]
2011: Another five number ones and overseas expansion
The first single of the year, named "Sakura no Ki ni Narō", was released on February 16. Upon the first day of release, AKB48 sold 655,000 copies of their single, beating their previous top record (568,000 copies of "Beginner").[66] The single sold 942,479 copies in its first week, AKB48's highest record.[67]In February, it was announced that Yūki Kanazawa and Manami Oku would be graduating from the group.[68]
Their third studio album, named Koko ni Ita Koto (ここにいたこと), was announced on 21 February 2011.[69] This is their first original album (as opposed to collections of previously released singles), and it contains 11 new songs that were never released before, including the title track "Koko ni Ita Koto".[69] It was scheduled to be released in Japan on 6 April 2011.[69]
On March 12, 2011 it was also announced on their blog that the AKB Theater would close due to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and all public events were cancelled until further notice. Two days later, it was announced on their official blog that their concert Takamina ni tsuite ikimasu (たかみなについて行きます, lit. "(We) will follow Takamina"), scheduled to be held on March 25–27 at Yokohama Arena, would be cancelled. Bank accounts had been opened to raise donations for earthquake and tsunami relief, as part of their project named "Dareka no Tame ni" (誰かのために lit. "For someone's sake"). Under this project, they used the Yokohama Arena for their 2-day charity events starting on 26 March 2011 instead. 12 of their main members attended Okinawa International Movie Festival on the same day for the same purpose. Three days later, it was announced that ¥500 million will be donated by AKB48 and their sister groups: SKE48, SDN48 and NMB48, and their producer Yasushi Akimoto to these bank accounts. On the same day, the postponement of the release of their new album, Koko ni Ita Koto (ここにいたこと) was announced.[70] Part of the proceeds from the sales of the album will be donated to the victims of this disaster.[70] It was also announced that the group will hold a senbatsu election to determine the participating members for their 22nd single.[70] On April 1, they also released a single, "Dareka no Tame ni (What can I do for someone?)" (誰かのために -What can I do for someone?-) through the Recochoku website as a digital download, and will donate all profits for earthquake and tsunami relief. Dareka no Tame ni was originally recorded on a live album released in 2007.
On April 8, Manami Oku graduated after performing at a Team B stage on the same day.
On May 1, a new AKB48 unit named HKT48 was announced.[71] It will be based in Fukuoka in Kyushu, and their theater will be established in the Hawks Town Mall of Fukuoka’s Chuo ward.[71]
The AKB48 staff blog announced that the trainees Nau Yamaguchi and Sara Ushikobu will leave the group for undisclosed reasons.[73] They will perform their last event as members on June 19.[73]
AKB48 released their 21st singles album entitled "Everyday, Kachūsha" on 25 May 2011.[74] On its release day 942,475 copies were sold [74] and 1,333,969 copies in the first week making it the highest first-week single sales record in Japan to that date.[75] Later, on June 7, AKB48 announced a new team titled "Team 4" ahead of their nationwide tour concerts in Japan.[76] The team was formed of ten members, with six more members to be added later to complete the 16-member team.[76] This also marked 'Team Kenkyuusei' losing the 'Team' from their name.
On June 11, 2011, It was announced at a handshake event that Aimi Eguchi, a girl who had supposedly auditioned for NMB48, would be joining AKB48 as a trainee. It was later revealed that Aimi Eguchi was not a real person, and had been created to promote the Glico product Ice no Mi.[77] Oricon announced on 22 June 2011 that AKB48 had the strongest album sales showing for the first half of 2011 in their sales ranking.[78] They had the only two million-selling singles Everyday, Kachūsha and "Sakura no Ki ni Narō", which ranked as the best and second-best selling singles respectively.[78] For the survey period between 27 December 2010 and 20 June 2011, AKB48 garnered ¥6.66 billion in total sales of all their merchandise.[78]
In an announcement made on 28 June 2011, AKB48's producer Yasushi Akimoto revealed that he will be creating a group to become AKB48's "official rival". The group will be called Nogizaka46 (乃木坂46) and will debut with approximately 20 members. Yasushi Akimoto revealed that he teamed up with Sony Music Japan to produce this new group, whose auditions for members will start later this year.[79]
AKB48 released their 22nd single, entitled Flying Get (フライングゲット Furaingugetto), on 24 August 2011.[80] Flying Get sold a total of 1,025,952 copies on its debut day,[81] and sold 1.354 million copies in the first week.[80] Flying Get is the group's 4th single album to sell over a million copies in its debut week.[80]
Two trainees, Maria Abe and Anna Iriyama, were added to Team 4 as official members on 23 July 2011[82] At the same time, the captain of Team 4 was also revealed to be member Mina Oba.[82]
On September 20, 2011, the 2nd AKB48 rock-paper-scissors CD single lineup selection tournament was held.[83]
AKB48 released their 23rd major single(25th overall), Kaze wa Fuiteiru on 26 October 2011.[84] The single sold 1,045,937 copies on the first day of release and set a new record for the first day sales of AKB48 singles.[84] They subsequently released their 24th major single Ue kara Mariko on 7 December 2011.[85] This single sold 1.199 million copies in the first week after its release.[85]
For the year of 2011, AKB48 topped 7 of the 16 Oricon's rankings.[6] These rankings includes: Total sales by an artist, Copies sold for a single, Total sales for a single, Total sales by an artist (for singles), Copies sold for a music Blu-ray disc, Total sales for a music Blu-ray disc and Total sales by an artist (for Blu-rays discs).[6] In addition, it was also announced that the group broke the all-time records for the most singles selling over 1 million copies in a year, the best-selling single by a female group and the highest-earning female group.[6] AKB48 won the 53rd Japan Record Award for their song Flying Get.[86]
2012: Atsuko Maeda's graduation, Team reshuffling and transfers
By January 6, 2012 AKB48 had sold 11,787,000 CD singles according to Oricon, surpassing Morning Musume and becoming a new record for most singles sold in Japan by a female group holder.[9]AKB48 received their first anime television series entitled AKB0048.[87] This anime series is directed by Yoshimasa Hiraike, and is planned and supervised by AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto[87] 9 members of AKB48 and its sister groups were selected to voice the main anime characters after a public audition.[88] These voice cast members later formed a sub-group named "NO NAME", and they sang the opening and ending theme song of the anime.[89]
Following scandals where they were photographed with their boyfriends, Natsumi Hirajima and Rumi Yonezawa resigned from AKB48.[18] They made their last appearance at a handshake event on February 5, 2012.[18]
On March 24, it was announced that 5 trainee members will be promoted to become official members of Team 4, thus filling up the team's 16 member slot.[90] Jurina Matsui of SKE48 Team S and Miyuki Watanabe of NMB48 Team N will also be temporarily transferred into Team K and Team B respectively to replace Natsumi Hirajima and Rumi Yonezawa, who left the group previously due to scandals.[18][90] They will remain as members of their teams of origin.[90] In the same announcement, it was revealed that AKB48 will be performing at the Tokyo Dome for the first time.[91] Performing at the Tokyo Dome has been one of the main goals of the group since its founding.[91] The performance will take place from August 24 to 26.[18]
In a shock announcement, Atsuko Maeda revealed that she would graduate from AKB48 on March 25.[92] This announcement was widely reported in the Japanese media, including the major Japanese newspapers.[93] A rumor also ran around that a student from University of Tokyo had committed suicide because of this news, though this later proved false.[93] Later, it was revealed that Maeda will officially step down after the AKB48's Tokyo Dome concert on 27 August 2012.[87]
The next day, it was announced that AKB48's fourth senbatsu election, which will feature 243 members from AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, and HKT48, would take place on 6 June 2012.[94]
On April 23, the third overseas AKB48 sister group was announced.[95] This group, named SNH48, is based in the Chinese city of Shanghai.[95]
In the 27th single senbatsu elections, held on June 6 at Nippon Budokan and broadcast live on TV for the first time,[96] Yuko Oshima came first, ahead of Mayu Watanabe and Yuki Kashiwagi.[97]
On June 17, 2012, it was announced that Rino Sashihara will be transferred to HKT48 as a "restart" due to an alleged scandal involving her ex-boyfriend.[98] Her last performance in AKB48 will be on July 2012.[98] On June 24, it was announced that the 6 remaining members of the 10th and 11th generations of trainees will be promoted.[99] Their assigned teams is yet to be announced.[99] Additionally, it was announced that the 3rd rock-paper-scissors tournament will take place on September 18, 2012.[99]
On August 15, 2012, the group released their 4th album entitled 1830m. On August 27, 2012, Atsuko Maeda graduated a day after AKB48's Tokyo Dome three-day concert ends
On August 24, 2012, the first day of the long-awaited Tokyo Dome concert series, a teams' reshuffle was announced. Team 4 is being dissolved and its members are transferred to Teams A, K, and B. Also, Aika Ōta is being transferred to HKT48, Aki Takajō and Haruka Nakagawa to Jakarta based JKT48, Sae Miyazawa and Mariya Suzuki to Shanghai based SNH48. Minami Takahashi will perform the functions of leader or "General Manager" of the entire group AKB48, while Mariko Shinoda will replace her as captain of Team A. New Team K's captain will be Yuko Oshima. Team B will be lead by Ayaka Umeda, who is being transferred from Team K.[100]
In autumn 2012,[citation needed] it was announced that AKB48 will be singing the ending theme "Sugar Rush" for the upcoming Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph.[101]
Musical style
Overall, the band's style can be loosely characterized as bubblegum pop.[3] All songs are choreographed, therefore the group's performances turn into a synchronized dancing show.Reception
The pop group has achieved enormous popularity in Japan.[1] The group is popular to the point of being characterized as a social phenomenon.[2] It is also one of the highest-earning musical acts in the world, with 2011 record sales of over $200 million in Japan alone.[4] According to Oricon, AKB48 had sold a total of 11,787,000 singles as of 6 January 2012, breaking the record of "the most singles sold in Japan by a female group".[9] Its twelve of its latest singles topped the Oricon TOP10 Weekly Singles Chart. In 2010, "Beginner" and "Heavy Rotation" placed, respectively, 1st and 2nd in the list of Japan's best selling singles for the year,[5] while in 2011 AKB48 occupied the top 5 positions on the Oricon Yearly Singles Chart.[6]AKB48 holds several Guinness World Records, including for being the world's "largest pop group".[12] AKB48 received the title in 2010, when it was still a 48-member group.[11][12] It also holds the record of "Most Number of Same Product Television Endorsement within 24 Hours", which it set on 28 February 2012 after 90 of the group members appeared in 90 different commercials that were aired in the Kanto, Kansai and Tokai regions of Japan.[102]
On February 1, 2012, Japan Post issued a postage stamp in honor of the group.[103]
Other media work
AKB48 hosts several of its own TV shows, including AKBingo!, Shūkan AKB, and Nemōsu TV. It even has its own TV series Majisuka Gakuen, and Sakura Karano Tegami starring AKB48 members in practically all the roles.The manga AKB49: Ren'ai Kinshi Jōrei revolves around AKB48, and it features real-life AKB48 members in the story as supporting characters.[104] The 2012 anime series AKB0048 is also inspired by the group, and is produced by AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto.[105] Nine of the characters in this anime are voiced by members of AKB48 and its sister groups.[105] The anime began airing in Japan on April 29, 2012.[105]
Controversies
Over the years, AKB48 has received criticism for the sexually suggestive texts of many of their songs, which some felt were unsuitable for AKB48's young members. When asked about it by CNN's Anna Coren, Yasushi Akimoto, who is the author of all the AKB48's song lyrics, rebutted that his works were a way of "depicting reality" and were meant to provoke in listeners thought about difficult issues.[93][106][107]The band's risqué music videos also have been a focal point for controversy. Underwear shots, teenage members hugging,[3] kissing, and taking a bath together were complained about. The director of the music video Mika Ninagawa explained she wanted to appeal to both men and women by creating a creative and fun video, due to the group's rising popularity among girls.[108][109]
A TV commercial for the candy brand Puccho, airing from March 15, 2012, featured several members of AKB48 in schoolgirl uniforms passing a candy from mouth to mouth. Although the girls held the candy between their teeth some viewers were offended, finding it encouraging homosexuality, apart from being simply unhygienic and giving a bad example to children.[3][110][111][112]
Philanthropy
A few days after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, it was announced that AKB48, its sisters groups and producer Yasushi Akimoto would donate 500 million yen to a 2011 earthquake and tsunami relief fund. A part of the revenue from AKB48's forthcoming album also would go to the relief. The group also asked fans to donate money to a special account.[citation needed]On March 25, AKB48's official blog reported that that a sum of more than 617 million yen had been donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society.[113]
On April 1, the group issued a digital charity single titled "Dareka no Tame ni (What Can I Do for Someone?)", all profit from which was donated to a 2011 earthquake and tsunami relief fund.[citation needed]
AKB48's 23rd single "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" was also dedicated to the 2011 tsunami victims, its title song's lyrics having been written with the intention of cheering up the Japanese people who were affected by the March 11 disaster.[citation needed]
In February 2012, the group announced another donation to the Japanese Red Cross, of over 580 million yen. It was reported that to date AKB48 had raised a total of over 1.25 billion yen for the earthquake and tsunami relief.[114]
Performances outside of Japan
AKB48 Team A became the honour guest for the Japan Expo in Paris between July 2 to 5, 2009,[48] and featured English-lyric version of "Ōgoe Diamond" first time.AKB48 had their US debut concert at Webster Hall in New York on September 27, 2009.[53]
On 23 October 2010, the band represented Japan and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival, organised by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.[61]
In November 2010, AKB48 performed in Russia for the first time. A 12-member team gave a concert on November 20 at the Japanese Pop Culture Festival which took place in Moscow.[64] Also in November 2010, AKB48 performed in the Cool Japan Night in Singapore as part of the Anime Festival Asia X. This is followed by a 2nd performance also in Singapore at the Singapore Toy Games & Comics Convention.[65]
In February 2012, AKB48 performed with JKT48 in Jakarta for the first time as part of "Jakarta Japan Pop Culture Festival 2012"
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