Japan's music sensation: a band chosen by its fans

FILE - In this June 6, 2012 file photo, fans of Japan’s all-girl pop idol group AKB48 take photos of the members' election posters outside the venue of the annual AKB48 popularity poll in Tokyo. More than 60 girls and young women, split into four teams, make up what is arguably Japan's most popular pop group. It performs almost every day, has spawned affiliate groups across the country and has recently given rise to sister mega-groups in China and Indonesia. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)