New girls' pop group gives first performance before fans

New girls' pop group gives first performance before fans

Members of NGT48, a newly formed sister group of the hugely popular AKB48 pop group, appear from a boat ahead of their first live performance in the northeastern Japanese city of Niigata on Aug. 21, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

NGT48 debuts in Niigata

NGT48 debuts in Niigata

Members of the Japanese pop group NGT48 make their debut in the central Japan city of Niigata on Aug. 21, 2015. NGT48 is a sister group of the popular idol group AKB48. NGT48 performed two songs, one of which incorporates references to specialties and beauty sports of Niigata. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"NGT48," latest sister unit of AKB48, unveiled

"NGT48," latest sister unit of AKB48, unveiled

Twenty-two girls aged 12 to 20 pose for a photo after being selected in the final audition to become members of NGT48, a sister group of all-female pop group AKB48, in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture on July 25, 2015. Of them, 12 hail from the prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast. They were selected from among 5,850 applicants. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

NGT48 theater to be built in LoveLa 2 in Niigata

NGT48 theater to be built in LoveLa 2 in Niigata

LoveLa 2 commercial building in Niigata is seen on May 24, 2015. A theater for NGT48, a new sister group of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, will be built inside the building near East Japan Railway Co.'s Niigata Station. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Members of NGT48 attend press conference in Niigata

Members of NGT48 attend press conference in Niigata

Rie Kitahara (C) and two other members of NGT48, a new sister group of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, pose for photos at a press conference in Niigata on May 24, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

NGT48 to have theater near Niigata Station

NGT48 to have theater near Niigata Station

Rie Kitahara (R), captain of NGT48, speaks at a press conference in Niigata on May 24, 2015, about a project to build a theater near East Japan Railway Co.'s Niigata Station in the Japanese city for the new sister group of AKB48. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Niigata releases short movie with teen idol to promote city

Niigata releases short movie with teen idol to promote city

Ayaka Tano (C), a member of all-girl pop group NGT48 based in Niigata, speaks during an event in the northwestern Japanese city on Nov. 19, 2015, on a 5-minute short movie she starred in to promote the city as a nice place to move to. On the left is Niigata Mayor Akira Shinoda. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo