Get ready for the youngest Japanese idol group ever.

A mere hour after the highly anticipated press conference in which it was revealed that Reiwa would be the name of Japan’s new Imperial era, Yasushi Akimoto–the creator of Japan’s most popular idol group AKB48–held his own press conference in which he announced the formation of a new idol group composed entirely of babies born in the Reiwa era.

Surrounded by a group of 23 pregnant women, Akimoto stood at a podium as he revealed this unorthodox idol group would be called RWA0. He explained to a packed room of reporters that RWA stood for the Reiwa era and that the number zero was a reference to the age of all the members.

Akimoto stated that the all female music group will be composed of the babies being carried by the pregnant women who joined him at the press conference. He added that all RWA0 members would have to be born after May 1 when the new emperor took to the Chrysanthemum Throne, thus officially marking the start of the Reiwa era. If any of the currently slated members are for whatever reason born before the transition to the Reiwa era they will be replaced by “understudy” babies.

In total the group is expected to have 23 members due to one of the pregnant women scheduled to give birth to female twins.

Due to the members not having been born yet, the mothers-to-be introduced their future idol daughters to the world by announcing their names while holding up large ultrasound print outs of their soon-to-be-born daughters.

Akimoto explained that the group would make its official public debut at an October 1st televised press conference. This is approximately three months after the expected delivery date of Aimi Kimura, who is currently expected to be RWA0’s youngest member.

RWA0 is set to begin work on their first single in early October with plans to release the song and its music video on November 26. Akimoto, who is Japan’s best-selling lyricist and has written a long list of hit songs for idol groups like AKB48, Nogizaka46, and Keyakizaka46, stated that he would be writing RWA0’s entire first album. Akimoto added that the group’s first single would be called “Umarete Hajimet Kimi ni Koi Shiteru,” which roughly translates to “You’re the first once I’ve ever fallen in love with since being born.”

When asked by a TV Tokyo reporter what motivated his decision to form this new group Akimoto said “It’s something that seemed natural to me. When you think of an idol you think of someone cute and pure but there is nothing cuter and purer in the world than a baby.” Akimoto also expressed his hope that RWA0 would result in an increase in Japan’s low birthrate.

Mayumi Kosaka who is seven and a half months pregnant with Reimi Kosaka, explained her motivations for participating in this project to an Asahi newspaper reporter: “I was once an idol too so I know it is very difficult if you don’t start young. I want to give my daughter the best chance possible to succeed. I totally trust Mr. Akimoto.” Mayumi Kosaka’s soon-to-be-born daughter Reimi is slated to be RWA0’s leader and has already landed two television commercial deals.

RWA0’s first public musical performance is set to take place at one of the biggest television shows of the year in Japan: Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle), which is an annual New Year’s Eve special produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. RWA0 will follow this up with a five city national tour in the spring of 2020, which will culminate in epic fashion with an appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony.

Akimoto ended the press conference by expressing his hopes for RWA0. “I want RWA0 to be a symbol of hope for our country in this new Reiwa era. There is so much potential for Japan as it makes this transition, so I want people to remember this when they see the faces of the RWA0 members.”

Source: Asahi News, TV Tokyo, UNN (Uso News Network)

Image: Pixabay