Japanese artists join hands with corporates to attract youth globally

Nano, a bilingual artist known for her strong and tomboyish voice, is the new craze among youth in Japan.

The fan following of this imaginary and invisible artist is also growing rapidly in Asia and Europe.

Nano released her first album 'Nanoir' in 2012.

Known for her charismatic talent, she has about 1.7 billion followers on various social networking sites.

Tomohiko Watanabe, Promotion Manager for Horipro Ltd, said: "We also use social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter to promote the character - Nano. Her charm is spreading to Europe and Asia, besides Japan."

Nano often writes English lyrics for the songs she covers, giving them a western touch without losing the original style.

Watanabe further said: "We hope users can recognize Nano by her voice, and not by her face. So, we have no face and we want everyone to notice only Nano's music. The third song in the album is a rock number. I hope the audience will like it."

To attract and encourage young people in Asia to travel more, Japan's All Nippon Airways launched a joint project: the all-girl pop group AKB48.

As part of the joint initiative, ANA, which is expanding its business in Asia, will support former members of AKB48 who have been transferred to its sister groups overseas - Jakarta-based JKT48 and Shanghai-based SNH48 - by reporting on their activities and challenges abroad on a special website for the project.

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Maria Suzuki, Member, AKB48, said: "I will take pictures and write a blog to post on the homepage of AKB48."

Ken Nishimura,Executive Director, ANA, said: "ANA wishes to develop business in a proactive manner throughout Asia. ANA is trying to reach out across Asia in collaboration with sister groups of AKB48 in Indonesia, China and Taiwan. A pop icon, AKB48 is becoming popular in Japan, especially among youth. ANA wants AKB48 to attract young people in Asia, and from all over the world."

Members of the all-girl pop group AKB48 and employees of ANA participated in the 58th Lily of the Valley Presentation Ceremony recently.

They presented bookmarks featuring motifs of Lily of the Valleys to patients at a Red Cross hospital.