The government on Tuesday presented letters of appreciation to all-girl pop group AKB48, singer Kumi Koda and all-male pop group EXILE for their contribution to fostering Japan-Vietnam relations by performing at a concert in Vietnam on Oct 9.
The concert was part of the second Japanese-Vietnamese music festival of friendship at Hanoi Opera House. It was broadcast live in Vietnam.
AKB48 were cheered on by about 3,000 fans who sang and danced along with the group. Also representing Japan besides AKB48, Koda and EXILE were goodwill ambassadors, folk singer Natsuko Godai and actor Ryotaro Sugi.
At Tuesday's ceremony, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura handed letters to the singers and said Japan was proud of them and their contribution to Japan-Vietnam ties, Sankei Shimbun reported.
© Japan Today
11 Comments
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Yubaru
Oh no another country being taken over by J-Pop.
hudsonhawk
Don't give up on Hanoi yet, Yubaru. There's a Rock Japanese-Vietnamese music festival coming up in December w/Okamoto's, Electric Eel Shock, and Molice. http://www.camavietnam.org/gogojapan/en/index.html
nath
I thought they sent her into exile. Dumb me.
tugamen
and by "her" you mean Kumi Koda - right?
smithinjapan
For a moment I thought the Vietnamese government appreciated them, not the Japanese themselves. Phew!
Anyway, did the person have to write a letter to each member of AKB48? If so I feel sorry for him/her and the carpel tunnel that woudl result.
Elbuda Mexicano
The French invasion of Vietnam left them with great bread and the USA with agent orange and napalm so why is Japanese music bad for the vietnamese?? Music yes!! Napalm no!!
Yubaru
Mexicano, evidently you have never been subject to having to listen to either Koda or AKB.
Death by napalm would be the less cruel of two evils.
seesaw1
I saw a middle age Japanese man couldn't take his eyes off the JR news screen yesterday when AKB48 appeared. Is that what you call Loli-kon....?
Wolfpack
No, he is probably just heterosexual.
seesaw1
LOL..
LH10
sweet!