White tiger cubs at Kagoshima zoo

White tiger cubs at Kagoshima zoo

KAGOSHIMA, Japan - White tiger cubs are pictured with their mother "Kohaku" at Hirakawa zoological park in the city of Kagoshima, southwestern Japan, on Sept. 10, 2013. Three cubs, born on May 24, were shown to the press before being unveiled to the public on Sept. 13.

Year-end music show

Year-end music show

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the J-pop idol group Momoiro Clover Z pose with their special costumes in Tokyo on Nov. 26, 2012. They were among performers chosen to appear in NHK's "Kohaku Uta Gassen" music extravaganza on Dec. 31, 2012.

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

TOKYO, Japan - Mana Ashida (R) and Fuku Suzuki attend a press conference at head office of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corp., in Tokyo, on Nov. 30, 2011, as the public broadcaster announced the lineup of performers for the 62nd ''Kohaku Uta Gassen,'' year-end song festival, including the duo of Ashida and Suzuki. They are both 7 years old, making them the program's youngest ever performers, according to NHK.

New faces in Japan's 2011 year-end song festival

New faces in Japan's 2011 year-end song festival

TOKYO, Japan - Singers selected for the first time to perform at the 62nd ''Kohaku Uta Gassen'' year-end song festival of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corp., pose for photos at the head office of NHK in Tokyo on Nov. 30, 2011, as the public broadcaster announced the lineup of performers for the program. They are (from L front) Fuku Suzuki and Mana Ashida and (from L back) Girls' Generation's SeoHyun, Jessica, YuRi, Tiffany, TaeYeon and SooYoung, Sayaka Kanda, KARA's GYU RI, HARA and NICOLE, and Inawashirokos' Michihiko Yanai, Toshimi Watanabe, who is holding a fan with member Takashi Yamaguchi's picture on it, and Shinji Matsuda. Solo singer Ringo Sheena, who will also appear for the first time on the show, was not present for the photo.

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

TOKYO, Japan - Mana Ashida (R) and Fuku Suzuki attend a press conference at head office of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corp., in Tokyo, on Nov. 30, 2011, as the public broadcaster announced the lineup of performers for the 62nd ''Kohaku Uta Gassen,'' year-end song festival, including the duo of Ashida and Suzuki. They are both 7 years old, making them the program's youngest ever performers, according to NHK.

New faces in Japan's New Year's Eve TV music show

New faces in Japan's New Year's Eve TV music show

TOKYO, Japan - Singers selected for the first time to perform at the ''Kohaku Uta Gassen,'' New Year's Eve TV music extravaganza -- Kana Nishino (3rd from R in front), Kana Uemura (2nd from R in front), Kumiko (R front) and members of AAA (three in left and back) -- pose as NHK announced the lineup of performers for the program in Tokyo on Nov. 24, 2010.

SMAP not confirmed for annual year-end music program

SMAP not confirmed for annual year-end music program

File photo taken Jan. 13, 2016, shows a street TV in Tokyo reporting that pop group SMAP is on the verge of breaking up after more than 20 years. Public broadcaster NHK announced on Nov. 24 the lineup for this year's "Kohaku Utagassen" music program, but the former boy band, set to break up on Dec. 31, the show's airdate, was not among them. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Rating of NHK's "Kohaku" music show drops to record low

Rating of NHK's "Kohaku" music show drops to record low

Seiko Matsuda sings her 1982 hit song "Akai Sweet Pea" during NHK's "Kohaku" song festival, an annual live program on New Year's Eve, at Tokyo's NHK Hall on Dec. 31, 2015. The viewership rating for the program was just 39.2%, the lowest in the extravaganza's 65-year history, according to Video Research Ltd., a TV audience ratings research company. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Rating of NHK's "Kohaku" music show drops to record low

Rating of NHK's "Kohaku" music show drops to record low

Shinichi Mori sings his 1971 hit song "Ofukuro-san" during NHK's "Kohaku" song festival, an annual live program on New Year's Eve, at Tokyo's NHK Hall on Dec. 31, 2015. The viewership rating for the program was just 39.2%, the lowest in the extravaganza's 65-year history, according to Video Research Ltd., a TV audience ratings research company. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

New faces in Japan's 2011 year-end song festival

New faces in Japan's 2011 year-end song festival

TOKYO, Japan - Singers selected for the first time to perform at the 62nd ''Kohaku Uta Gassen'' year-end song festival of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corp., pose for photos at the head office of NHK in Tokyo on Nov. 30, 2011, as the public broadcaster announced the lineup of performers for the program. They are (from L front) Fuku Suzuki and Mana Ashida and (from L back) Girls' Generation's SeoHyun, Jessica, YuRi, Tiffany, TaeYeon and SooYoung, Sayaka Kanda, KARA's GYU RI, HARA and NICOLE, and Inawashirokos' Michihiko Yanai, Toshimi Watanabe, who is holding a fan with member Takashi Yamaguchi's picture on it, and Shinji Matsuda. Solo singer Ringo Sheena, who will also appear for the first time on the show, was not present for the photo. (Kyodo)

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

TOKYO, Japan - Mana Ashida (R) and Fuku Suzuki attend a press conference at head office of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corp., in Tokyo, on Nov. 30, 2011, as the public broadcaster announced the lineup of performers for the 62nd ''Kohaku Uta Gassen,'' year-end song festival, including the duo of Ashida and Suzuki. They are both 7 years old, making them the program's youngest ever performers, according to NHK. (Kyodo)

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

7-year-old duo to perform in Japan's year-end song festival

TOKYO, Japan - Mana Ashida (R) and Fuku Suzuki attend a press conference at head office of NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corp., in Tokyo, on Nov. 30, 2011, as the public broadcaster announced the lineup of performers for the 62nd ''Kohaku Uta Gassen,'' year-end song festival, including the duo of Ashida and Suzuki. They are both 7 years old, making them the program's youngest ever performers, according to NHK. (Kyodo)

New faces in Japan's New Year's Eve TV music show

New faces in Japan's New Year's Eve TV music show

TOKYO, Japan - Singers selected for the first time to perform at the ''Kohaku Uta Gassen,'' New Year's Eve TV music extravaganza -- Kana Nishino (3rd from R in front), Kana Uemura (2nd from R in front), Kumiko (R front) and members of AAA (three in left and back) -- pose as NHK announced the lineup of performers for the program in Tokyo on Nov. 24, 2010. (Kyodo)

Otsuka Museum of Art in Japan

Otsuka Museum of Art in Japan

People visit the Otsuka Museum of Art in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on Jan. 20, 2019. The museum has seen a spike in visitors since popular singer Kenshi Yonezu sang at the museum during NHK's annual New Year's Eve music show "Kohaku Uta Gassen." (Kyodo) ==Kyodo