The “Power” to Unite Two 48 Groups, 2 Countries

This is a translation submission from Anon . Thank you Anon!

Newspaper Release Translation by Anon

Jakarta is a country name ? Indonesia and India are same ? I think so before. It was such that me, spend 7 months after my transfer to JKT48 which is AKB48 sister group. I could feel what great Japanese Idol culture (which is accepted by the world) is!!

JKT48 was started just a year before. Except 3 Japanese members, all of members, fans are local people. I’m surprised with their support style. Their calling of “Cho-zetsu kawaii!!” is the same as Japanese original. At handshake event, one fan said “Takajo Aki san wo ouenshiteimasu” (I support Takajo Aki-san) by Japanese.

My first visit there is September last year. They were singing AKB48 songs using Bahasa whole heartedly and their dance were shining. When I watched that I feel uneasiness that “Can I shine with them at this stage?”. After the show, when I joined the meeting, I can’t conceal my uneasiness, and burst into crying, can’t stop that. At that time Nabilah, she is youngest member. watched me and said “Why are you crying? Smile,smile!!” I wanted to convey my experiences which I got through AKB48’s activities as much as possible, but on the contrary, it was her who encouraged me.

Each time when we do shows, fans increase more and more. I can feel the energy “Here we go!!”

I want to tell Japanese people JKT48’s charm while I’m doing the same to AKB48 in Jakarta.To unite 2 countries is my current duty.

Digital Article Translation submitted by Jason

‘Jakarta’, is that the name of a country? Is Indonesia the same as India? That was the extent of my knowledge back then, and now it’s been 7 months since I transferred to AKB48’s sister group in Jakarta, JKT48. I’m now experiencing firsthand Japan’s idol culture’s amazing ability to work all over the world.

JKT48 was only just formed the year before last. Apart from myself, Nakagawa Haruka who came with me from AKB, and one other member all of the members and fans are natives. The thing that surprised me the most was that they know the Japanese fans’ chanting style, like the mix and ‘chouzetsu kawaii’. They also knew my catchphrase from AKB48. Apparently they looked on the internet and memorised it for me. Even at handshake events, they’d write out things like ‘I’m supporting you’ for me in Japanese on paper and read them out. I also found it interesting that during MCs if anyone talks the other fans shush them, which doesn’t really happen in Japan. The members are all very unique as well; in 1st gen there aren’t only girls aiming to be idols, but who want to be doctors, lawyers, designers, etc. as well.

They had come to Japan and performed in a concert with us before so I did know of their existence, but me transferring was a very sudden thing. “Want to try going to JKT?”. Straight away I just said I’d go. It was a big decision, but I didn’t think much about it at the time. I think that was probably because just before I had gotten 17th in the election and fallen out of senbatsu, so it was a time where I was kind of lost and didn’t know what to do.

I’ve also done concerts in the past in places like Paris and New York as AKB. Even though we’re pretty much anonymous over there, lots of people came to watch us and warmly support us, and this came to be the first time I realised how idols could cross borders through song and dance. I decided that I wanted to be part of showing Japan’s idols and idol culture to Indonesia as well.

But when it came time to go over there, I was very nervous. I didn’t know the language, and hadn’t even lived overseas before. I first went over in September last year for the opening of their theatre. All the members looked amazing singing and dancing AKB48’s songs in Indonesian. I started to get anxious if I’d be able to shine like them in a few months when I’d be performing on the same stage. Afterwards, we had a meeting with them all and one of the managers told me to give them some advice. However I wasn’t able to hide my own anxiety and just broke down into tears and couldn’t stop crying. Then the youngest member – Nabira, came up to me and said “Why are you crying? Smile! Smile!”. I had no idea what she was saying, but Rena-chan, JKT’s only Japanese member, translated for me. I’d gone over there hoping to help the JKT members with the experience I’ve gained as AKB, but I ended up being encouraged by them.

Even now I’m having trouble with Indonesian though. Last year in December when we were working towards the first performance of our new stage, I had to put all the lyrics into katakana before managing to memorise it all over 2 weeks.

This isn’t really something I can say since I came into AKB as 6th gen, but I feel like JKT is like the AKB of the past. The number of fans increase with every theater performance we do. You can feel a lot of momentum, like JKT is about to get huge. There’s a lot of appeal in being able to get among the members and build this group up from scratch with them. I want JKT48 to be able to get popular with everyone from children to adults, like AKB. My goal is for people to see JKT on tv shows, commercials and even at the theatre and say that we give them power and energy.

When I first transferred, there was a sense of distance with the other members as I was the ‘girl that came from AKB’, but now I can speak openly with them. I do stuff like get them to teach me Indonesian, and teach them AKB48 choreography, or tricks like how to stand out in MCs, and the more time we spend together the closer we get.

In April at Budoukan it was announced that I’d go back to AKB in a joint position, and the JKT members said nice things to me like asking me to keep my AKB activities to as much of a minimum as I can. I’m happy that I’ve been able to make teammates that would say that for me. From now on, my work in Japan as AKB will probably increase, so I hope to be able to teach fans in Japan about JKT’s charm and potential, and also teach fans in Jakarta about AKB’s own charm. Connecting these two countries, Japn and Indonesia, is what I see as my personal task right now.

Source :28th June Asahi Shinbun (Japanese newspaper)
Newspaper English Translation 01 by Anon
Digital Version English Translation 02 by Jason