Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on 48g. COVID-19 impacted the majority of the entertainment world, 48g included. Most of the groups had to close their theaters for a temporary period, pause the handshakes, and postpone releases and events. Some groups even underwent major changes to their line-up.
Contents
AKB48
Events
On December 8, 2019, Minegishi Minami announced her graduation during AKB48's 14th anniversary. Her graduation concert was scheduled for April 2, 2020 at Yokohama Arena, but was postponed due to COVID-19. On March 29, 2021, the concert was announced for May 22th at PIA Arena MM.
Between February 22 and 28, 2020, AKB48 was scheduled to hold their new unit Live Matsuri at Shibuya Stream Hall, in which eight concert units, tentatively named A ~ H, would make their debut. On February 26th, the concert for units F, G, and H, were postponed as a safety measure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 26th, they were scheduled for November 28th and 29th at the AKB48 Theater.
On December 8, 2020, AKB48 announced their Tandoku Concert for January 22nd-24th, 2021 at Tokyo Dome City Hall, to commemorate the group's 15th anniversary. On January 8th, the event was cancelled entirely due to COVID-19 state of emergency extension; instead, the teams selected songs from their assigned era and performed from their homes as a 2021 Request Hour. On March 29th, a new Tandoku Concert was scheduled for May 23rd at PIA Arena MM.
Between August 1 and 3, 2021, various members of Team 8 tested positive for COVID-19. Because of this, the Fresh Member Concert on August 7 as well as Eito Day (Team 8's Anniversary Concert) on August 8 would be cancelled.
Theater
On June 13, 2020, a new batch of stages was launched entitled "Social Distance Stages" which are performed in the AKB48 Theater with no live audience. The first stage was NaaOn Social Distance Stage.
Between August 1 and 3, 2021, various members of Team 8 tested positive for COVID-19. Due to their kenninship in Team 4 and Team A especially, stages were momentarily suspended for these two teams.
SKE48
Events
On October 5, 2019, Takayanagi Akane announced her graduation from SKE48. Her graduation concert was scheduled for 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. On April 10th, 2021, her graduation concert was held with an audience less than 50% of the venue's capacity.
On February 7, 2020, Matsui Jurina announced her graduation. Her graduation concert was scheduled for September 26th and 27th at the Nippon Gaishi Hall and her farewell stage for October 5th at SKE48 Theater, which were eventually postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. On April 11th, 2021, her graduation concert was held with an audience less than 50% of the venue's capacity.
NMB48
Releases
On March 29, 2020, NMB48 announced their twenty-third single, Datte Datte Datte, for release on May 13th. Although the senbatsu, covers, tracklists, and music video were published in the following weeks, the single was postponed on April 18th due to COVID-19 restrictions; only the title track was released digitally on the original date. On July 8th, the new release date was revealed to be August 19th.
Events
On March 2, 2021, Shiroma Miru announced her graduation during the final concert of NAMBATTLE ~Tatakawana NMB Chauyarou!~. Her graduation concert was scheduled for May 29th and 30th at Osaka-Jo Hall, but was postponed due to COVID-19 state of emergency extension. On June 16th, the new scheduled date was announced for August 15th.
HKT48
Releases
On December 31, 2020, HKT48 announced their fourteenth single for release on March 10, 2021, to be performed by two Senbatsu. Two weeks later, the single was postponed due to the COVID-19 state of emergency extension. On March 13th, the single's Senbatsu was announced. On April 14th, the title was revealed to be "Kimi to Doko ka e Ikitai," along with a new release date of May 12th.
STU48
Releases
On March 28, 2020, STU48 announced their fifth single for release on May 27th, to be performed by two Senbatsu: promoted members consisting of 1st Generation and 3rd Draft, and Kenkyuusei members consisting of 2nd Generation. Two weeks later, the single was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. On July 2nd, the title was revealed to be "Omoidaseru Koi wo Shiyou," along with a new release date of September 2nd.
Theater
STU48 management announced the group would terminate theater shows on their ship theater. Due to COVID-19 breakout, the theater was closed from February 2020 to June 2020. In the future STU48 will perform their shows on other ships and/or at ports.
JKT48
Formation Changes
On February 2, 2021, management announced that due to the impacts of COVID-19, Team J, Team KIII, Team T, and JKT48 Academy would all be disbanded. Only 33 members would remain in the group, and the ones who remained would no longer be split into teams, simply belonging to JKT48. Members who were removed from the group would be given special permissions in the future to bypass the audition period, should they ever wish to audition again.
DEL48
On October 9, 2020, their producer announced indefinite suspension of the group's activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nogizaka46
Events
On January 6, 2020, Shiraishi Mai announced her graduation from the group. Her graduation concert was scheduled for May 5th-7th at Tokyo Dome, but was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. On October 28th, her graduation concert was held virtually, with an estimated viewership of 680,000.
SNH48
Events
On August 2, 2021 the management officially announces that the SNH48 8th Senbatsu Election on August 7th will be held online only without an audience due to COVID-19 Delta variant surges in China. They will work with its ticketing partners to issue full refunds to fans who had already purchased offline concert tickets. August 8th and 9th handshake event is being rescheduled to September 11th and 12th
BEJ48
Formation Changes
On September 4, 2020, the management announced that due to the impacts of COVID-19 and the months-long closure of their theater, Team B, Team E, Team J and Trainee would all be disbanded. Most members from these teams were transferred to SNH48, and the ones who remained would no longer be split into teams, simply belonging to BEJ48.
Theater
BEJ48 Theater was officially closed on September 4, after months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GNZ48
Formation Changes
As an expansion on the system that all SNH48 sister groups have used for online shows during the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to discover the various sparks of co-operation among the members, provide fans with a better watching experience, while maintaining the development vitality of GNZ48, GNZ48 implemented the new Class 4 and Class 8 "teams" while retaining the 3 existing teams. In the future, the members will perform either in teams or classes.
Theater
All team performances were suspended until June 2021, instead the Class 4 and Class 8 stages were kept.
Charity
Some groups released dedicated songs to support all the victims and the volunteers on the frontline of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
- AKB48 - Hanareteitemo
- BNK48 - Touch by Heart
- AKB48 Team SH - Dareka no Tame ni
- CGM48 - Dareka no Tame ni
- Nogizaka46 - Sekaijuu no Rinjin yo
- SNH48 - Píngfán Yǔ Wěidà
COVID-19 Cases
List of members who had a positive case of COVID-19. Members are listed by their time at the time of infection, positive result or official announce.
= Graduated
Clusters
- On December 4, 2020, it was found that 12 Yoshimotozaka46 members were infected with COVID-19 at the performance held at the Yoshimoto Yurakucho Theater on November 27.
- Between August 1 and 3, 2021, the AKB48 management announced that 7 Team 8 members have all been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Useful links
- COVID-19 (Portal: COVID-19) by Wikipedia
- COVID-19 (Situation reports, Map) by the World Health Organization
- COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control
- COVID-19 by the National Health Commission, China
