The final judging session for the annual end-of-year music awards, the 67th Shining! The Japan Record Awards(sponsored by the Japan Composer's Association), was broadcast live on TBS from the New National Theatre (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo) on December 30th. Idol group AKB48, which won the Planning Award, appeared alongside former members Atsuko Maeda, Takahashi Minami, Kojima Haruna, and Sashihara Rino, and performed a medley of their award-winning song "Oh my pumpkin!" and their signature song "Koisuru Fortune Cookie."
Before the performance, when asked by announcer Shinichiro Azumi, "It's been about 14 years. We've come full circle." To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the group's formation, she looked back on the few months she has spent working with the current members, who are her juniors, and said with a smile, "They are like my daughters to me."
Kojima said, "We've been working together since the summer, and we're finally starting to feel more energetic, so the OGs are really coming along!" Takahashi responded confidently, "They're finally complete." Announcer Yasuzumi was impressed, saying, "The stability of everyone's talk is incredible."
AKB48's former members will also perform alongside current members at the 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, which will be broadcast on the 31st.
