NHK unveils lineup for year-end music show -- without K-pop group BTS

Nov 15, 2018 | News On Japan

Nov 15, 2018 (Japan Times) - Public broadcaster NHK announced Wednesday the lineup for its annual New Year's Eve music extravaganza, but K-pop group BTS --- under fire recently for a controversial T-shirt worn by one of its members --- was not included.

Popular groups like Da Pump and Ikimonogakari, which got back together this month after a two-year break, will perform in â€œKohaku Utagassen,â€ where acts compete each year as red and white teams.

Also known as the Bangtan Boys, the seven-member South Korean boy band will not be participating â€” although their appearance had been much anticipated â€” after one of its members was found to have worn a T-shirt depicting the atomic bombing of Japan.

The group debuted in 2013 and released an album that topped the U.S. Billboard 200 last May

Singer-songwriter Aimyon, idol group King & Prince, chorus group Junretsu, and six-member band Suchmos will perform in the year-end show for the first time.

Typhoon No. 29 Brings High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Very strong Typhoon No. 29 (Koguma) was moving north near the Ogasawara Islands on the evening of October 11, bringing the risk of high waves and powerful swells along Japan's Pacific coast, particularly around the Izu Islands and coastal areas of the Kanto region, despite expectations of limited direct impacts from the storm. At 9 p.m. on October 11, the typhoon had a central atmospheric pressure of 950 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds of 45 meters per second near its center, maintaining its classification as a very strong typhoon. It was moving north at approximately 15 kilometers per hour.

Record-Strong El Nino Expected to Bring Warm Winter to Japan

Japan is expected to experience a warmer-than-normal winter as the El Nino phenomenon currently affecting the Pacific Ocean has reached its strongest level on record, with the Japan Meteorological Agency announcing on October 10th that unusually high sea surface temperatures are likely to persist through the coming winter months.

Otsu Festival Parades Elaborate Floats Following UNESCO Recognition

The Otsu Festival, one of Shiga Prefecture's three major traditional festivals, was held in Otsu City on October 11th, featuring a procession of 13 elaborately decorated floats carrying traditional mechanical puppets through the streets, following the festival's addition to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December last year.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Two Killed, Eight Injured in Osaka Danjiri Festival Accidents

Two men were killed and eight others injured in separate accidents involving traditional danjiri festival floats in Osaka Prefecture on October 10, including one incident in which a float overturned while making a sharp turn, crushing a participant beneath it.

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.