- Title: JAPAN: Japanese female idol group AKB48 spreads smiles across northern Japan
- Date: 28th January 2012
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 27, 2012) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) 14 MEMBERS OF JAPANESE FEMALE IDOL GROUP AND AKB48 DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR EIKI TAKAHASHI POSING FOR CAMERAS SIGN READING IN JAPANESE 'BLOCKBUSTER SUCCESS NOW IN THEATRES' AND BELOW IN ENGLISH 'DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48' (SOUNDBITE) (JAPANESE) AKB48 TEAM A MEMBER MARIKO SHINODA SAYING: "We were asking ourselves, is it okay for us to perform yet? Is it okay for us to go the disaster stricken areas? Then finally in May we were able to see for ourselves the area for the first time. It was unimaginable and no pictures or video we'd seen could prepare us. We asked ourselves, is this really Japan?" 14 MEMBERS OF JAPANESE FEMALE IDOL GROUP, DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR TAKAHASHI AND EVENT MC ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (JAPANESE) AKB48 TEAM A MEMBER MARIKO SHINODA SAYING: "Seeing Rikuzentakata city's situation, through AKB48 I was able to go to the site of the disaster in Rikuzentakata city for the first time. I told myself that day, that I would not cry, but once there I couldn't help but be overcome with emotions and in the end I shed a few tears while there." AUDIENCE MEMBERS CLAPPING AUDIENCE MEMBERS LISTENING TO AKB48 MEMBERS AND MC SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) AKB48 TRAINEE KAREN IWATA SAYING: "Seeing a city like Rikuzentakata city's situation, because I entered AKB48 I was able to go to the site of the disaster in Rikuzentakata city for the first time. I told myself that day, that I would not cry, but once there I couldn't help but be overcome with emotions and in the end I shed a few tears while there." VARIOUS OF AKB48 MEMBERS AND DIRECTOR TAKAHASHI SMILING AND WAVING TO CAMERAS AND FANS
- Embargoed: 12th February 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan, Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVAV62BL7OHNPJ30J0ATILOXS04
- Story Text: While Japan as a nation has moved on since the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11th, 2011, its citizens and celebrities have not forgotten that northern Japan is still recovering.
Japanese female idol group AKB48's documentary film "Documentary of AKB48: Show must go on" opened in theatres across Japan on Friday (January 27) to packed theatres across the nation.
As several of the members of the popular entertainment group told media they were very much influenced by the events of March 11. What they describe as an emotional roller coaster seeing what the country experienced in the days and months following the earthquake and tsunami, gave their work a purpose as entertainers.
Mariko Shinoda, a member of team A for AKB48, is originally from the Fukuoka area in southern Japan but visited the Tohoku area before the earthquake and tsunami hit back in her youth. She knew it was not a question of if but when they'd visit the disaster-stricken area, welcoming the opportunity to finally go and see for herself what she could do to help.
"We were asking ourselves, is it okay for us to perform yet? Is it okay for us to go the disaster stricken areas? Then finally in May we were able to see for ourselves the area for the first time. It was unimaginable and no pictures or video we'd seen could prepare us. We asked ourselves, is this really Japan?" Mariko Shinoda, the AKB48 member and actress said.
After visiting the area for herself when the girl troupe performed in northern Japan, she was shocked at not only the amount of destruction but by the fortitude of local people she met there as well. Wherever the girls went they were stopped by supportive fans who were grateful that the group had travelled north to see them and perform.
"When we went to northern Japan our fans would shout words of encouragement to us, 'Good luck', 'We're cheering for you,' but how do you reply to that, what do you say? Just 'Good luck' didn't seem like enough to say in return to them," Shinoda said.
However, in the end it seemed that simply AKB48's presence provided enough encouragement for the people living in an area with very little to distract them from their daily struggles.
Group member Iwata felt very emotional when visiting the coastal town of Rikuzentakata with many residents still living in temporary housing and make shift shelters. Originally from Miyagi prefecture, Iwata's hometown luckily remained untouched by the tsunami, as compared to Rikuzentaka city which became one of the worst hit areas with at least 1,800 confirmed dead.
"Seeing Rikuzentakata city's situation, through AKB48 I was able to go to the site of the disaster in Rikuzentakata city for the first time. I told myself that day, that I would not cry, but once there I couldn't help but be overcome with emotions and in the end I shed a few tears while there," AKB48 trainee Karen Iwata said.
AKB48 is a popular female group named after the subculture and electronics district Akihabara in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's largest pop group according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It gained its popularity in Japan by marketing itself as being a group of everyday girls that the public can still access.
A special fan voting system determines the member line-ups at concerts, campaigns and album singles. As their popularity continues to increase they have begun to amass a following across Asia and into Russia as well.
The film gives a behind-the-scenes look at the group members' lives as they struggle to come to terms with their personal and professional obstacles on and off stage as they are growing from young teens to young women.
Taking part in charity concerts and regularly visiting areas in northern Japan, the over-100-member strong group continues to raise awareness about the disaster-stricken area.
The documentary includes scenes of northern Japan as well as footage from their concerts and efforts as entertainers.
The film opens in theatres across Japan from Friday, January 27. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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