The Japan Record Award (Grand Prix) was conferred on “Flying Get” of AKB48, which has sold more than 1587,000 cds and No.1 hit of  all of the five AKB’s songs that sold more than one million this year, namely, “Everyday Katyusha” ,”Kaze wa Fuiteiru”, “Uekara Mariko”,and “Sakura no Kini Narou”.

AKB48 has received the Japan Record Award for the first time since their debut in 2005.  Minami Takahashi, the captian of the group says in her speech “We are so happy now  we have done our best for whole of one year since  last time here “, Atsuko Maeda, No.1 winner of the AKB48 election this year said, “I want to say thank you very much to everyone”, and Yuko Oshima, the captain of TeamK said, “Flying Get is sung by the selected members of the election, therefore, this award given by all of our fans ”.

AKB is one of thge most popular idol groups at the moment and Exile, the winner of the Grand Prix three years in a row 2008-2010 had given up the nomination of their song this year showing fairness and appreciation to fans , AKB was thought to be the leading candidate.

“AKB Project” including AKB48, SKE48,NMB48,HKT48, JKT48, and SDN48 is going to perform at the NHK “Kouhaku Utagassen” on the new year’s eve (tomorrow !) ,whose total number is  210 on the stage that is the record high of the population of a group of performers of Kouhaku Utagassen in history.

Other award receivers are as follows;

Best New Performer/  Fairies

Excellent Works/ “Esperanza” (Kana Nishino), “Go Go Summer!”(KARA), “CALL” (AAA), “Kono Yoru wo Tometeyo” (JUJU), “Shounai Hiya Kaze no Naka” ( Kaori Mizumori),  “Jounetsu no Mariachi”(Kiyoshi Hikawa ), “Soredemo Shjinjiteru” (FUNKY MONKEY BABYS), “Flying Get”(AKB48), “Why?(Keep Your Head Down)”(Toho Sinki), and “Waratte Tainda”(Ikimonogakari).

And all other awards and the receivers’ names are annnounced  on the above mentioned official website of The Japan Record Awards.

Aural Vampire

The group has steadily attracted a faithful fanbase with their combination of 70s/80s horror movie themes and emotional melodies.

Aural Vampire previously released the album Vampire Ecstasy in 2004 and later issued three self-titled EP’s on iTunes in 2008 following their move to avex, a fully integrated entertainment business group based in Tokyo.

ZOLTANK will include sixteen tracks in total, including the previously released Freeeeze!!, 69 Balloons and voodoovocoder.

Mai Oshima

Mai Oshima (大島麻衣) will make her solo debut on May 5 with a song titled “Mendokusai Aijo” (メンドクサイ愛情/Troublesome Love). The song will also be available as a ring tune for cell phones (Chaku-uta).

Oshima, born September 11, 1987 in Chiba Prefecture, is a singer and a previous member of idol group AKB48.
She passed the first AKB48 audition in Dec.2005 along with 23 other girls, and took part in NHK’s “Kohaku Uta Gassen” (Red and White Song Contest) on New Year’s Eve in 2007.
On Apr.26, 2009 she graduated from AKB48 with the last performance in the NHK hall.

Her CD is being produced and distributed by Avex, which also handles Oshima’s idol Kumi Koda(倖田來未）.

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Tokyo Joshiryu first live at Shibuya O-nest

Tokyo Joshiryu (Tokyo Girls' Style)

Meet AVEX’s new idol group Tokyo Joshiryu (Tokyo Girls’ Style).
It consists of 5 girls who love to sing and dance. They plan to not only promote in Japan, but all across Asia. They will begin performing together this February.

Members

* Ayano Konishi  (小西彩乃)
* Yuri Nakae  (中江友梨)
* Hitomi Arai  (新井ひとみ)
* Mei Shyoji  (庄司芽生)
* Miyu Yamabe  (山邊未夢)

Tokyo Joshiryu Logo

Avex has unveiled a new five-member idol group called Tokyo Joshiryu (東京女子流）, also known as Tokyo Girls’ Style. This is the first girl group created by Avex since SweetS in 2003.

Avex was Japan’s leading dance record company during the nineties, and continues producing and recording some of Japan’s most famous J-pop singers such as Japan’s highest selling female musician, Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax also provides theme music soundtracks to many anime and a few video games.

Tokyo Joshiryu

The group consists of leader Miyu Yamabe, Ayano Konishi, Hitomi Arai, Yuri Nakae, and Mei Shoji, who are reportedly between the ages of 11 and 13.

Tokyo Joshiryu is aiming to be active not just in Japan, but throughout the rest of Asia as well. They do not yet have a CD release planned, but their first official live performance will be on Feb.7 at Shibuya O-Nest.

The group has already opened a website,a blog, a Mixi page, and a Twitter account.