Oricon (オリコン) published its yearly singles and albums charts 2012.
AKB48 are the best-selling singles artists. SKE48 also appear in the top 10. NMB48, Nogizaka46, Not Yet, Maeda Atsuko, Watanabe Mayu, Sashihara Rino, no3b (No Sleeves), Morning Musume, Momoiro Clover Z, French Kiss, Itano Tomomi, Super☆Girls, and SDN48 are in the top 100.
AKB48 came in 3rd position of best selling album chart, and SKE48 in 40th position.
Ono Erena’s 3rd solo single Say!! Ippai (Say!!いっぱい) will be released on December 26.
4 editions are available. B-side songs are different depending on the version.
Limited edition Type A includes a bonus DVD featuring music video and making-of footage.
Kasai Tomomi announced her graduation from AKB48. The date of her graduation ceremony hasn’t been determined yet.
She made the announcement during the 2nd AKB48 Kouhaku Taikou Uta Gassen held on December 17. Kasai Tomomi explained that she decided to leave the group to pursue her solo career.
Kasai Tomomi’s 1st solo single Masaka (まさか) will be released on December 26.
She joined AKB48 in April 2006 as a 2nd generation member. She is currently part of AKB48 Team A.
AKB48 Yusatsu The Yellow Album and AKB48 Yusatsu The Green Album will be released on December 26.
Both photobooks include 500 photos selected from over 30000. These photos of AKB48 members were taken by themselves from 2010 to 2012.
The teams for the 2nd AKB48 Kouhaku Taikou Uta Gassen (第2回 AKB48紅白対抗歌合戦) have been announced.
Takahashi Minami will be the captain of White Team, and Shinoda Mariko the captain of Red Team.
Members from AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, JKT48, and SNH48 will participate in the event.
The singing battle will be held on December 17 at Tokyo Dome City Hall.
The event will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 27.
Yamikin Ujishima-kun (闇金ウシジマくん) movie starring Oshima Yuko (AKB48) will be released on DVD on February 8 and on Blu-ray on February 27.
Oshima Yuko plays the role of Suzuki Miko, a girl who has to work in a ‘dating cafe’ in order to to pay her mother’s debt. She is chased for it by Ujishima who makes illegal loans.
The film is based on the manga of the same title.
The DVD comes with a bonus disc and a booklet.
AKB48’s Kasai Tomomi’s solo debut single Masaka (まさか) will be released on December 26.
Type A and Type B include a bonus DVD featuring music video, making-of, and other special videos. B-side tracks are different depending on the edition.
Type C contains 4 songs plus instrumental versions.
AKB48’s 
Iwasa Misaki’s 2nd single Moshimo Watashi ga Sora ni Sundeitara (もしも私が空に住んでいたら) will be released on January 9.
The single includes an enka version of AKB48’s Flying Get by Iwasa Misaki. It also contains covers of Ishikawa Sayuri’s Tsugaru Kaikyou Fuyugeshiki and Jonouchi Sanae’s Ajisai-bashi.
The limited edition comes with a bonus DVD featuring music video, making-of, and another video.
NHK announced the artists line up for the 63rd Kouhaku Uta Gassen (第６３回ＮＨＫ紅白歌合戦).
AKB48, SKE48, and Momoiro Clover Z will participate in the show.
Kouhaku Uta Gassen is an annual music show on New Year’s Eve broadcasted on NHK. Popular music artists of the year are divided in 2 teams and perform their hit songs. The audience vote for their favorite artists.
Moreover, AKB48 will hold the 2nd AKB48 Kouhaku Taikou Uta Gassen (第２回 ＡＫＢ４８紅白対抗歌合戦) on December 17 at Tokyo Dome City Hall.
AKB48 will release 20 albums from Studio Recordings Collection (studio recordings コレクション) on January 1.
This series of albums contains songs from AKB48 based on the setlist of each stage held at their theater. All songs were remastered.
The albums include a bonus CD featuring karaoke versions.