Interest

AKB48, HKT48 CDs Mysteriously Left Around Fukuoka City

Police in the Sawara district of Fukuoka city are dumbfounded at the culprit or motive behind the recent mysteriously placed CDs in the area. A total of 14 AKB48 and HKT48 CDs were brought into the station as "found" items by locals. It doesn't seem to simply be a case of lost goods; residents have found the items on the street and in mailboxes for apartment complexes and homes between May 11-15.

The police station chief told the Nishinippon Shimbun, "I have never heard of this phenomenon before. I don't know what the purpose is behind it." Nishinippon Shimbun's coverage mentions an additional five HKT48 CDs were found. The police said they first found an AKB48 CD on the street on May 11, followed by five CDs on May 13, six CDs on May 14, and another two CDs on May 15. Five of the CDs were found in a mailbox of someone's home. Most of the CDs were unopened.

The six CDs found on May 14 were five copies of AKB48's "NO WAY MAN" and one copy of HKT48 member Rino Sashihara's single "Ishi." The version of Sashihara's single that was found was the "theatrical edition," a version that could only be purchased through the HKT48 fan site. The edition bundled a lottery ticket for a handshake event.

A 40-year-old woman who found a CD in her mailbox said that the incident might be a prank but it still made her feel uncomfortable.

Fukuoka prefecture has dealt with a AKB48 CD dumper before. A 32-year-old man was charged in 2017 for with illegally dumping 585 AKB48 CDs on a mountain. According to the summary order, the man had to pay a 400,000-yen (about US$3,500) fine.

Source: Nishinippon Shimbun via Livedoor News