NGT48

NGT48 (read "N.G.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto.[1] NGT48 is named after Niigata City of Niigata Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at the NGT48 Theater which is located in the fourth floor of the LoveLa2 shopping mall in Niigata City.[2][3]

NGT48
OriginNiigata, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2015–present
Labels
Associated actsAKB48 Group
Websitengt48.jp
MembersSee members

Since 2019, NGT48 has been under scrutiny and criticism surrounding then-member Maho Yamaguchi's assault in December 2018, after which she had claimed that the management had done nothing to address other NGT48 members allegedly involved in assisting her attackers. In April 2019, the NGT48 management dissolved the team system, with all current members unified according to generations.

History

2015–2018: Debut

The creation of the group was announced on January 25, 2015 on the final, fifth day of a traditional series of AKB48 concerts entitled AKB48 Request Hour Setlist Best 1035 2015.[4] In October 2015, the Niigata-based company Kuriyama Beika Co., Ltd. (栗山米菓) appointed NGT48 a "bakauke PR ambassador", a PR ambassador for its product named bakauke.[5] As of December 2015, NGT48 is collaborating with McDonald's on a 48-piece bucket of Chicken McNuggets sold in Japan. Each bucket features photos of NGT48[6][7][8] and comes with a collectible card with a photo of a random member of the group.[9] NGT48's own theater opened in Niigata on January 10, 2016.[3][10][11]

The group's members are part of the cast of a television series adaptation of Higurashi When They Cry,[12] which was premiered from May 20 on BS Sky PerfecTV!.[13][14] The group also recorded the theme song for the series. It is titled "Kimi wa Doko ni Iru?" and is included on the Theater Edition of the 44th single by AKB48, "Tsubasa wa Iranai", which was released on June 1, 2016.[13][14][15][16][17][18]

Their debut single, "Seishun Dokei", was released on April 12, 2017 under Ariola Japan. In 2018, Noe Yamada and Rena Hasegawa participated in the South Korean competition show Produce 48, representing NGT48.[19] Hasegawa placed 71st and was eliminated during the first round; Yamada placed 41st and was eliminated during the second round.

2018–2019: Group restructure

Following Maho Yamaguchi's alleged assault, during a press conference on March 29, 2019, the city of Niigata announced that they were cutting ties with NGT48 effective April,[20] including ending their radio show, "Port de NGT."[21] On April 11, 2019, after apologizing to the Niigata government for mishandling Yamaguchi's assault allegations, the official NGT48 website announced that the management was dissolving the team structure and reintroducing the current members as a unified "first generation" after their final performances on April 21.[22][23] On April 17, Yuki Kashiwagi announced she was withdrawing from NGT48, her last performance with them being at Team NIII's concert on April 21.[24] On April 21, Yamaguchi, Rena Hasegawa, and Riko Sugahara announced they were graduating from NGT48 on May 18, 2019.[25][26][27]

On May 21, 2019, Minami Kato was demoted to kenkyūsei after posting an Instagram story of Yamaguchi's graduation with the caption, "I'm doing my nails over here. I wish someone would change the channel."[28][29][30] The NGT48 management also decided to halt social media posts from all members for the time being.[29][31] On July 18, 2019 Fuka Murakumo also announced her graduation from the group, with her graduation taking place at the end of August 2019.[32]

After seven months of inactivity, the group had its first concert on August 3, 2019 at the Tokyo Idol Festival, with plans to resume activity in the fall.[33] On August 26, Anju Sato announced she was graduating on September 25.[34] On February 18, 2020, Moeka Takakura announced that she will graduate from the group on March 22, 2020.[35]

Controversies

Maho Yamaguchi assault allegations and lawsuit
Main article: Assault of Maho Yamaguchi

On January 8, 2019, Team G co-captain Maho Yamaguchi alleged in her Showroom live stream that on December 8, 2018, two 25-year-old men had grabbed her face while she was entering her apartment.[36][37][38] A third male accomplice had been present.[39][40] The men were arrested by the police and were released 20 days later without charges.[36] They denied Yamaguchi's report, claiming that they "just wanted to talk."[36] Yamaguchi had brought up the incident to NGT48's management, but after a month of silence, she decided to bring the issue to the public.[41][37] After her live stream was cut abruptly, Yamaguchi posted several since-deleted tweets detailing her account and claiming that an NGT48 member leaked her personal information to her assailants.[36]

During the group's third anniversary concert on January 10, Yamaguchi publicly apologized for "causing trouble" by speaking out, sparking criticism over victim blaming and the management's negligence from domestic and international communities,[41][37] NGT48's management initially denied that an NGT48 member had disclosed Yamaguchi's personal information.[42] On January 31, the NGT48 management announced a third party investigation by lawyers from Iwasaki Law, Akasaka Mori no Ki Law, and Shinwa Law.[43][44] On March 22, 2019, the third party investigation concluded and determined that, while some members did have personal relationships with fans, there were no NGT48 members involved in the assault and that it was caused by "excessive behavior from some fans."[45] On May 1, 2019, AKS filed a lawsuit against Yamaguchi's assailants for ¥30 million , claiming that the scandal has disrupted their events and caused them a loss of ¥100 million .[46][47]

The lawsuit was settled on April 9, 2020, with the men fined several million yen and banned from future events related to the AKB48 Groups. AKS' lawyer, Kazuhiro Endo, also claimed that the NGT48 members were not guilty of being accomplices and their reaction towards Yamaguchi had been the result of miscommunication. Yamaguchi would also not receive any financial compensation from the settlement due to no longer being part of the AKB48 Group and the lawsuit not being filed on her behalf.[48]

Members

As of May 2019, according to the official website.[49]

First generation
NameBirth date (age) Election rank
8 9 10
Yuka Ogino (荻野由佳) (1999-02-16) February 16, 1999 95 5 4
Anju Satō (佐藤杏樹) (2001-11-05) November 5, 2001 N/A N/A N/A
Reina Seiji (清司麗菜) (2001-04-19) April 19, 2001 N/A N/A N/A
Moeka Takakura (高倉萌香) (2001-04-23) April 23, 2001 N/A 25 67
Ayaka Tano (太野彩香) (1997-07-20) July 20, 1997 N/A N/A 53
Marina Nishigata (西潟茉莉奈) (1995-10-16) October 16, 1995 N/A 41 24
Nanako Nishimura (西村菜那子) (1997-08-11) August 11, 1997 N/A N/A 43
Noe Yamada (山田野絵) (1999-10-07) October 7, 1999 N/A N/A 91
Tsugumi Oguma (小熊倫実) (2002-12-15) December 15, 2002 N/A N/A 69
Yuria Kado (角ゆりあ) (2000-05-22) May 22, 2000 N/A 77 N/A
Aina Kusakabe (日下部愛菜) (2002-02-06) February 6, 2002 N/A N/A N/A
Rika Nakai (中井りか) (1997-08-23) August 23, 1997 96 23 37
Ayuka Nakamura (中村歩加) (1998-07-28) July 28, 1998 N/A N/A 64
Miharu Nara (奈良未遥) (1998-03-20) March 20, 1998 N/A N/A 21
Hinata Homma (本間日陽) (1999-11-10) November 10, 1999 N/A 13 16
Fūka Murakumo (村雲颯香) (1997-07-05) July 5, 1997 N/A N/A N/A

Kenkyūsei
NameBirth date (age) Election rank
8 9 10
Chikana Ando (安藤千伽奈) (2001-01-13) January 13, 2001 N/A N/A N/A
Kairi Satō (佐藤海里) (2000-08-05) August 5, 2000 N/A N/A N/A
Nanami Takahashi (高橋七実) (2001-07-07) July 7, 2001 N/A N/A N/A
Yunako Tsushima (對馬優菜子) (2001-08-20) August 20, 2001 N/A N/A N/A
Miyu Fujisaki (藤崎未夢) (2000-11-17) November 17, 2000 N/A N/A N/A
Nanami Ōtsuka (大塚七海) (2000-11-07) November 7, 2000 N/A N/A N/A
Haruka Ogoe (小越春花) (2004-06-26) June 26, 2004 N/A N/A N/A
Sayaka Kawagoe (川越紗彩) (2000-10-14) October 14, 2000 N/A N/A N/A
Sara Komiyama (小見山沙空) (2004-07-27) July 27, 2004 N/A N/A N/A
Yume Sogabe (曽我部優芽) (2002-03-16) March 16, 2002 N/A N/A N/A
Tomoka Takazawa (高沢朋花) (2003-06-01) June 1, 2003 N/A N/A N/A
Hina Terada (寺田陽菜) (2004-03-13) March 13, 2004 N/A N/A N/A
Yū Tominaga (富永夢有) (2002-07-16) July 16, 2002 N/A N/A N/A
Runa Hagiri (羽切瑠菜) (1999-11-29) November 29, 1999 N/A N/A N/A
Ai Furusawa (古澤愛) (2000-10-01) October 1, 2000 N/A N/A N/A
Aoi Furutate (古舘葵) (2004-08-10) August 10, 2004 N/A N/A N/A
Kaho Mashimo (真下華穂) (1999-11-08) November 8, 1999 N/A N/A N/A
Hino Mimura (三村妃乃) (2002-06-15) June 15, 2002 N/A N/A N/A
Hinata Morohashi (諸橋姫向) (2003-01-04) January 4, 2003 N/A N/A N/A
Mirii Yamazaki (山崎美里衣) (2000-11-21) November 21, 2000 N/A N/A N/A
Ayusa Watanabe (渡邉歩咲) (2001-03-09) March 9, 2001 N/A N/A N/A
Minami Kato (加藤美南) (1999-01-15) January 15, 1999 76 71 30

Former members
Name (Birthdate)ElectionTeamNotes
12345678910
Ayaka Mizusawa (水澤彩佳) ((1994-11-05)November 5, 1994)                 N/A   Kenkyūsei Graduated on March 31, 2017.[50]
Yuria Ōtaki (大滝友梨亜) ((1995-04-21)April 21, 1995)                 N/A N/A Kenkyūsei Graduated on October 31, 2017.
Rie Kitahara (北原里英) ((1991-06-24)June 24, 1991) 13 16 13 13 21 19 11 12 10 Team NIII Graduated on April 18, 2018.
Aya Miyajima (宮島亜弥) ((1997-11-27)November 27, 1997)               N/A 70 Team NIII Graduated on August 7, 2018.
Mau Takahashi (髙橋真生) ((2001-06-03)June 3, 2001)               N/A N/A N/A Team NIII Graduated on October 6, 2018.
Yuki Kashiwagi (柏木由紀) ((1991-07-15)July 15, 1991) 9 8 3 3 4 3 2 5 Team NIII Left on April 21, 2019.
Maho Yamaguchi (山口真帆) (1995-09-17)September 17, 1995               N/A 53 70 First generation Graduated on May 18, 2019.
Riko Sugahara (菅原りこ) (2000-11-23)November 23, 2000               N/A N/A N/A First generation Graduated on May 18, 2019.
Rena Hasegawa (長谷川玲奈) (2001-03-15)March 15, 2001               N/A N/A 77 First generation Graduated on May 18, 2019.

Discography

Singles
List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released, sales, certifications and album name
No. Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Certifications Albums
JPN
[51]		 JPN
Hot
[52]		 Oricon Billboard
Japan
First week Total
1 "Seishun Dokei" (青春時計) 2017 1 1 160,271 208,247 277,180 Non-album singles
2 "Sekai wa Doko Made Aozora na no ka?" (世界はどこまで青空なのか?) 2 2 148,442 201,800 266,946
3 "Haru wa Doko kara Kuru no ka?" (春はどこから来るのか?) 2018 1 1 109,012 165,917 189,405
4 "Sekai no Hito e" (世界の人へ) 2 2 143,303 175.607 207,269
5 "Sherbet Pink" (シャーベットピンク) 2020 2 5 80,011 104,643

Other songs
Title Year Albums
"Max Toki 315gō" (Maxとき315号) 2016 "Kimi wa Melody"
"Kimi wa Doko ni Iru?" (君はどこにいる?) "Tsubasa wa Iranai"
"Midori to Mori no Undokōen" (みどりと森の運動公園) 2017 "Shoot Sign"
"Tomodachi de Imashō" (友達でいましょう) 2018 "Jabaja"

Filmography

Television shows

See also

References
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