The AKB48 official website announced that there will be a trial period of a new handshake system, a sitting handshake system. In this system, instead of the usual standing position, the members will be doing the handshake session while being seated. However, the site also notes that the members may choose to follow the old system if they deem the new system unfit with their handshake style.
The new handshake system will undergo a trial on July 7th 2013 during the Sayonara Crawl General Handshake event at Makuhari Messe.
Source: (AKB48 Official Website)
A new drama of AKB48 members was announced in Mezamashi TV this morning. It’s titled “Fortune Cookies” and tells the short story of 6 women, starred by Oshima Yuko, Shinoda Mariko, Kojima Haruna, Watanabe Mayu, and Kashiwagi Yuki.
It will also feature the new Undergirls center from SKE48 that showed an amazing breakthrough during last sousenkyo, Shibata Aya. Shinoda Mariko commented that it has comedic elements and also exciting scenes to look forward to. Several notable actors that will also be present are Osugi Ren, Ikuma Sato, and Owada Shinya.
This drama will air on Monday next week.
Regarding the Summer Dome Tour, Togasaki announced in his Google+ that all members that rank in in the last sousenkyo, from the first seat until the 64th, will perform in an all dome tour. Hirajima Natsumi, however, will not be present on Sappporo Dome tour.
Togasaki had also announced in his Google+ on June 17th about the schedule of which Sister group that will perform in each Dome. The announcement is as follows:
Fukuoka Dome (20th and 21st of July)
- AKB48 All Regular Members + Research Students
- SKE48 Single Senbatsu Members
- NMB48 Single Senbatsu Members
- HKT48 All Regular Members + Research Students
Sapporo Dome (31st of July)
- AKB48 All Regular Members + Research Students
- SKE48 Single Senbatsu Members
- NMB48 Single Senbatsu Members
- HKT48 Single Senbatsu Members
- Special guest: Maeda Atsuko
Kyocera Dome (7th and 8th of August)
- AKB48 All Regular Members + Research Students
- SKE48 Single Senbatsu Members
- NMB48 All Regular Members + Research Students
- HKT48 Single Senbatsu Members
Nagoya Dome (16th and 17th of August)
- AKB48 All Regular Members + Research Students
- SKE48 All Regular Members + Reserach Students
- NMB48 Single Senbatsu Members
- HKT48 Single Senbatsu Members
Tokyo Dome (22nd until 25th of August)
- AKB48 All Regular Members + Research Student
- SKE48 All Regular Members + Research Student
- NMB48 All Regular Members + Research Student
- HKT48 All Regular Members + Research Student