Results of pop group AKB 48's popularity poll announced

Results of pop group AKB 48's popularity poll announced

TOKYO, Japan - Mayu Watanabe (R), the first-place winner of an annual popularity poll of the pop group AKB 48, and runner-up Rino Sashihara pose at Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu, western Tokyo, on June 7, 2014.

Top 15 vote winners in pop group AKB 48 popularity poll

Top 15 vote winners in pop group AKB 48 popularity poll

TOKYO, Japan - Mayu Watanabe (front C), the first-place winner of an annual popularity poll of the pop group AKB 48, poses with the rest of the members who ranked in the top 15 at Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu, western Tokyo, on June 7, 2014.

Results of pop group AKB 48's popularity poll announced

Results of pop group AKB 48's popularity poll announced

TOKYO, Japan - Mayu Watanabe (top), the first-place winner of an annual popularity poll of the pop group AKB 48, sits on the throne at Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu, western Tokyo, on June 7, 2014. Rino Sashihara (bottom R) finished second.

Results of pop group AKB 48's popularity poll announced

Results of pop group AKB 48's popularity poll announced

TOKYO, Japan - Mayu Watanabe (C) sheds tears of joy after winning first place in an annual popularity poll of the pop group AKB 48 at Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu, western Tokyo, on June 7, 2014.

3 plaques of AKB48 group missing at Iwate Pref. station

3 plaques of AKB48 group missing at Iwate Pref. station

MORIOKA, Japan - Plaques made of scallop shells hanging in a waiting room of Koishihama Station on the Sanriku Railway Co.'s Minami Rias Line in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, are seen in this photo taken on May 29, 2014. Three plaques on which members of popular Japanese all-girl pop group AKB48, including Mayu Watanabe, wrote some messages went missing recently.

ANA launches project with AKB48

ANA launches project with AKB48

TOKYO, Japan - Members of all-girl pop group AKB48, (from L) Sayaka Akimoto, Rina Kawaei, Mayu Watanabe and Yui Yokoyama, and Mariya Suzuki, who has been transferred to sister group SNH48, pose for photos wearing All Nippon Airways Co. cabin attendant uniforms at an event in Tokyo on April 10, 2013. The event was held to announce the launch of a joint project between ANA and AKB48 to push young Asians to travel more.

ANA launches project with AKB48

ANA launches project with AKB48

TOKYO, Japan - Members of all-girl pop group AKB48, (from L) Sayaka Akimoto, Rina Kawaei, Mayu Watanabe and Yui Yokoyama, and Mariya Suzuki, who has been transferred to sister group SNH48, pose for photos wearing All Nippon Airways Co. cabin attendant uniforms at an event in Tokyo on April 10, 2013. The event was held to announce the launch of a joint project between ANA and AKB48 to push young Asians to travel more.

AKB48 to have sea-based sister group

AKB48 to have sea-based sister group

Mayu Watanabe (R), a member of the Japanese all-girl idol group AKB48, visits Kagawa Gov. Keizo Hamada at the prefectural government offices in Takamatsu on Jan. 23, 2017, to solicit applications to become members of STU48. Standing for Setouchi, the Japanese name of the Seto Inland Sea area, STU48 will be the latest sister group of the AKB48 family of all-girl pop groups and will have its theater on a boat that will tour around the body of water. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo