AKB48 Group

AKB48 Group (AKB48グループ), is the collective term referring to AKB48 and its sister groups.

The AKB48 Group currently consists of six Japanese groups (AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48, STU48) and seven overseas groups (JKT48, BNK48, MNL48, AKB48 Team SH, AKB48 Team TP, SGO48, CGM48). The AKB48 Group also has a general manager (総監督; soukantoku) who oversees the groups in their entirety. The current general manager is Mukaichi Mion, who has held the position since 2019.

History

In 2005, renowned producer Akimoto Yasushi produced the idol group AKB48, based in Akihabara, Tokyo. The group's concept of "idols you can meet" originates from Akimoto's plans to create a girl group with its own theater, allowing fans to always see their members on stage. Another premise introduced was "teams," which allowed members to rotate performances and perform simulataneously at several events. The first three generations of AKB48 formed Team A, Team K, Team B, respectively, after the group's name.

Following moderate success of AKB48, Akimoto announced plans to expand the AKB48 Group nationwide. In 2008, Akimoto launched the first sister group, SKE48, based in Sakae, Nagoya. Starting with AKB48's tenth single, "Oogoe Diamond", members of SKE48 would participate in AKB48's releases, including title tracks, handshake events, and promotions of the new release. Two unique Japanese groups were launched in the following years, being SDN48 (Saturday Night, an "adult idol" group) and OJS48 (Ojisan, an all male "uncle" group). NMB48 (based in Namba, Osaka) was formed in 2010, followed by HKT48 (based in Hakata, Fukuoka) in 2011, NGT48 (based in Niigata, Niigata) in 2015, and STU48 (based in the Setouchi region) in 2017.

In 2011, Akimoto announced the first AKB48 overseas group to be JKT48, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. A second overseas group followed shortly after in 2012 with SNH48, based in Shanghai, China. SNH48 announced their departure from the AKB48 Group in June 2016, following contract violations. Several overseas groups launched in the following years, including BNK48 (based in Bangkok, Thailand), MNL48 (based in Manila, the Philippines), and TPE48 (rebranded to AKB48 Team TP in 2018, based in Taipei, Taiwan). AKB48 Team SH debuted in 2018 as the second AKB48 Group based in Shanghai, China. SGO48 (based in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam) was formed in 2018. CGM48 (based in Chiang Mai, Thailand) was formed in 2019 as the second sister group in Thailand.

In 2017, general manager Yokoyama Yui announced that the AKB48 Group would expand to India with MUM48 (based in Mumbai, India). In 2019, it was announced that the group will rebrand to MUB48 and that another sister group would form in India, DEL48 (based in Delhi, India). Although the first generation members of DEL48 were announced in December 2019, the group was suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On December 5, 2021, it was announced that SGO48 will disband on the group's 3rd anniversary, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.