Popular idol group AKB48 will sing the national anthem before the Central League season-opening baseball game between the Yomiuri Giants and the Yakult Swallows at Tokyo Dome on March 30.
Giants officials said they wanted AKB48 to sing the anthem because the group is having a banner month, not just with its performances but also for the fact that it was chosen by the government to take part in a suicide prevention campaign.
AKB48 member Atsuko Maeda, 20, told reporters that the Giants' opening game at Tokyo Dome will be the biggest stage for the group.
© Japan Today
35 Comments
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plasticmonkey
Baseball + dirge-like anthem + pop idols in skimpy clothing + suicide prevention.
Such a natural combination.
Yubaru
Thank you for this tidbit of information. I guess I will have to be late in taking my seat!
kurisupisu
The mouth for Japanese government controlled propaganda = AKB48
DentShop
This has become clear to me too in the last 3 months or so too.
soldave
AKB48 asking for DPRK abduction issue to be resolved and then commenting that Fukushima is now safe is the trifecta, I think.
Pukey2
America's got the Whitney Houston treatment, and what does Japan's get?
Greapper1
Should read "AKB48 to lip sync national anthem before Giants-Swallows season opener"
DenTok2009
Is singing the national anthem a new thing? I don't recall ever hearing the Japanese play its national anthem at a sports event. I think the only time I've heard it played is when a Japanese athlete wins at an Olympic event. Is AKB48 the first to sing it? If not, who was the first?
darkbob
More hard-hiting news from JT ...
Virtuoso
One good thing to say about Kimigayo -- it's mercifully brief!
DARBYTAN
I'm waiting to read the headlines "AKB48 Will Perform Open-Heart Surgery"! Is this the only group in Japan?
Eautaceux Janais
AKB48 does not sing. They squeak!
gogogo
What an insult to Japan.
GenConsensus
Who cares? They'd better learn the words first.
cactusJack
...and all teachers must sing along.
CrazyJoe
I thought singing of the national anthem is for people who can sing. Definitely not AKB48.
Jared Norman
well, they will sign 12 words at a baseball game
nath
It is a really boring tune, but at least it is not SMAP singing it. They make me cringe.
Spanki
AKB48 for government!!!!
noirgaijin
I wonder how many of them will lip-sync it?
Ranger_Miffy2
THey are going to sing "Kimigayo"? I sooooooo want an mpeg of that!
Wakarimasen
I can't wait to see the choreography.
almostshat
Will they mime it sitting down?
edojin
Hope they sing it live. Want to hear how bad they can sing the national anthem.
But, as Greapper says above, they will probably lip sync it.
theResident
Good on them - No different to that Crackhead Whitney Houston singing the Star Spangled Banner at Superbowl XXV.
Wurthington
Amazing... but I guess you give the fans what they want. A bunch of cute no talent tweenies running around in short skirts giggling. Cute can be pretty ugly.
Serrano
Ha ha, AKB48 sure brings out the haters on JT, lol.
I bet this will be the best ever version of the national anthem!
Ewan Huzarmy
Did I read this correctly ?
'Ground opens up and swallows AKB48 whilst singing national anthem' ?
caffeinebuzz
I suppose AKB48 would should up to anything with "Giants" and "Swallows" in the title.
Ranger_Miffy2
Naughty!
sensei258
The headline really caught my eye as I scrolled down the screen..."AKB48 Swallows"
caffeinebuzz
Next year they'll bring their favourite overseas singer to do a rendition of it, and it'll be the Kimi Gaga Yo show!
Fadamor
If all 48 are there, they could do it live and it would sound fine because the voices would blend and hide any mistakes. Similarly, with 48 people there, someone forgetting the lyrics would be considerably less noticible.
lostrune2
Well, we know it won't be a Whitney Houston caliber, hahaha.................
nath
I never watched Baseball live and I never watched AKB48 live... Definitely time to change my mind :)...