Kansai-based girl group JK21 will finally release their first major-label single on December 15. It is tentatively titled as “I 愛 KANSAI” (‘I Ai Kansai’ – ‘Ai’ translating as ‘Love‘) and is produced by actor and former baseball player Shimao Yasuhito (42).

JK21 was formed in 2008 and is entirely comprised of junior high and high school students from the Kansai region. The second single of the group, titled “WIN! WIN! Tigers” was used as an official support song for the Hanshin Tigers back in 2008. As the group is Kansai-based, most of their activities are held in Osaka and they perform there twice a week. JK21 originally meant “joshi-kousei 21” (21 female high school students), however, since they are now debuting in the mainstream Japanese music, it’s been changed to “Japan, Kansai, 21st Century”.


For their first major-label release “I 愛 KANSAI”, only 6 of the 21 members will be featured. They are: leader Jojima Yukari (19), Matsuda Ayumi (17), Tanaka Rina (16), Aoi Misaki (18), Arakaki Momona (17) and Tsubaki Minami (16).