AKB48 and Nogizaka46 won awards at the Japan Gold Disc Award 2013 (第27回 日本ゴールドディスク大賞) ceremony held on January 7.
AKB48 won awards for Artist of the Year, and Single of the Year for Manatsu no Sounds Good. They were also nominees for Best 5 Albums for 1830m.
Nogizaka46 won the award for New Artist of the Year.
Idoling!!! and Nogizaka46 will participate in Fuji TV’s winter event Odaiba Gasshuukoku presents Kira Kira Winter Land (お台場合衆国 presents キラキラ Winter Land).
This event will be held from December 15 to January 6 in Fuji TV Headquarters, Tokyo.
Some members of Idoling!!! will hold a show on December 19, 21, 24, 26, 30 and 31.
Nogizaka46 will perform a live on December 20.
S/mileage will also hold a live at Kira Kira Winter Land on December 16.
Nogizaka46 Zepp Live in Tokyo (乃木坂46 Zepp Live in Tokyo) will be held on December 27.
2 concerts are scheduled, one in the afternoon and another in the evening.
Nogizaka46‘s new single Seifuku no Mannequin (制服のマネキン) will be released on December 19.
This is the 4th single from Nogizaka46.
Seifuku no Mannequin is used as theme song for HTC J Butterfly smartphone TV CM.
Sashihara Rino Produce 1st Yubi Matsuri ~Idol Rinji Soukai~ (指原莉乃プロデュース 第一回ゆび祭り ～アイドル臨時総会～) will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 26.
Many idols participated in the live : Shiritsu Ebisu Chūgaku, Nogizaka46, Passpo☆, Watarirouka Hashiritai 7, Momoiro Clover Z, Tokyo Girls’ Style, Super☆Girls, Buono!, Idoling!!!, and Sashihara Rino (AKB48, HKT48).
The concert was held on June 25 at Nippon Budokan.
Both DVD and blu-ray editions include 2 discs featuring 29 songs performed during this idol festival and making-of footage.
Iwase Yumiko announced her graduation from Nogizaka46.
She said she had decided to leave “because of her dreams”. She plans to create her own band to play her favourite music.
She will continue to participate in the events with the group until November 18.
Iwase Yumiko was the eldest member of Nogizaka46. She had joined the unit in August 2011 when it was formed.
Japanese idol calendars 2013 are on sale now.
Calendars from 9nine, AKB48, Cheeky Parade, Hello! Project (Berryz Kōbō, °C-ute, Mano Erina, Morning Musume, S/mileage), Idoling!!!, Nogizaka46, Super☆Girls, Tokyo Girls’ Style, Shinozaki Ai (AeLL), and Sakai Asaka (LinQ) are available.
Ikuta Erika won the audition for voice acting the character Rue in The Hunger Games.
A contest was organized between the members of Nogizaka46 to determine who will have the role.
Nogizaka46 will hold an audition for voice acting in The Hunger Games.
1 member out of 33 will be selected to act the voice of the character Rue played by Amandla Stenberg.
The movie will be released on September 28 in Japan.
S/mileage, Tokyo Girls’ Style, 9nine, and Nogizaka46 will perform at Live Girlpop Vol. 1 ~Colorful~.
The live will be held on October 26 at Zepp Tokyo.
The event is organized by Girlpop music magazine.