REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Japanese girl band AKB 48 and Indonesian girl band JKT 48 will perform together at Balai Kartini Hall in Jakarta on February 25. The performance is one of the events held during Japan Pop (J-Pop) Culture Festival 2012 which is being sponsored through a partnership of the Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Japan Embassy in Jakarta, and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

"We chose AKB 48 to perform at this event because they are pop icons in Japan," said Vice Japan Ambassador for Indonesia Junji Shimada, recently.

He further said the event is different than the Jak-Japan Matsuri, an annual event of the Japan Embassy in Jakarta, which focuses on Japanese culture. On the other hand, the Director of Performing Art of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sulistyo, said the friendship of Indonesia and Japan could be strengthened through interactions and communication between the youth of both countries.

"Through these sister bands, we hope Indonesian and Japanese youth can interact and inspire each other," Sulistyo said.

Sulistyo further said many in Indonesia may also be inspired by this display of Japanese culture to develop the creative industry in Indonesia. Japan Pop Culture Festival 2012 will be held to commemorate the one year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that struck the Tohoku region of Japan. The festival will also demonstrate Japan's appreciation for the support of Indonesian citizens during the reconstruction and rehabilitation after the disaster.

AKB (Akihabara) 48 is a girl band created by Yasushi Akimoto in December 2005 in Japan. Its "sister" band, JKT (Jakarta) 48, was created in 2011. Other events during the Japan Pop Culture Festival 2012 are costume players performances, hair and make-up shows, Japanese animation movie screenings, and interesting booths from the Japan Embassy and supporting companies.

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