During his meeting with three of AKB48’s members — Tomomi Itano, Rie Kitahara and Yui Yokoyama — Genba, a Fukushima native, expressed his gratitude for the group’s support of disaster-hit areas in the northeast and said he hoped its participation in the campaign will help deepen ties with China.

AKB48 were approached to be official campaign supporters because “it is a vigorous group that currently represents Japan . . . and is popular in China as well,” the Foreign Ministry said, noting that its members have actively supported disaster victims in Tohoku by making large donations and monthly visits to the region.

At the meeting, AKB48’s Itano talked with Genba about the visits group members have been making to devastated areas in Tohoku: “We go there hoping to cheer people up. But by the time we return, we are the ones filled with smiles and energy. We hope we can continue energizing the people in disaster-hit areas, as well as throughout Japan.”

The exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong will promote various tourist spots in Japan, exhibit and sell Japanese products and have Japanese food-tasting corners to counter rumors about their safety following the Fukushima nuclear crisis.