JPLOP.COM

Contrary to the past 2 years, 80 girls will be picked, split into 5 categories (rather than 64 girls in 4 categories)

1st ~ 16th : 37th single Senbatsu members
17th ~ 32nd : Under Girls
33rd ~ 48th : Next Girls
49th ~ 64th : Future Girls
65th ~ 80th : Upcoming Girls

Candidacy system is not the same as last year. 263 girls are eligible:

-The members of AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, and HKT48 except members who have already announced their graduation.
-Former AKB48 members who have transferred to JKT48.

Former members who spent 4 years in the group are not eligible this year. This is a big disappointment for many fans.

Girls will have to declare if they are participating in the election before April 6th

Ways to vote are

-Tickets including in the 36th single that is released on May 21st
-Fan club membership
-Mobile club membership
-Live on Demand membership

The vote counting event will be held at Ajinomoto Stadium on June 7.

With the addition of Team 8 to the roster, 310 members were eligible.

296 elected to participate.

The 14 members who chose not to participate are as follows:

Team A
Katayama Haruka
Kikuchi Ayaka

Team S
Kaneko Shiori
Goto Risako
Nakanishi Yuka

Team KII
Kato Tomoko
Takatsuka Natsuki
Mizuno Honoka

Team E
Iguchi Shiori
Kato Rumi

SKE KKS
Sora Miyuka

Team M
Akazawa Hono
Kinoshita Momoka

JKT48
Chikano Rina


Kaneko Shiori and Iguchi Shiori have already announced their graduations. We can expect graduations announcements within the next year for at least a few of the girls who did not elect to participate.

As expected Katayama Haruka, Kikuchi Ayaka and Akazawa Hono have also announced their graduations.