2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival announces three types of VIP Passes

GET UP CLOSE TO ALL THE ON-STAGE ACTION BY SOME OF JAPAN’s

BIGGEST POP AND ROCK ACTS AS 2014 J-POP SUMMIT ANNOUNCES

SPECIAL VIP FESTIVAL PASSES

For The First Time Festival Goers Can Secure Premium Viewing

For J-POP Live At Union Square Concert And Japantown Main

Stage And Attend Exclusive Meet & Greets With Guests

Of Honor Tokyo Girls’ Style And Actor Yûki Furukawa

The 2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival, San Francisco’s annual celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film, gives fans and attendees an unforgettable way to get up close and personal with all your favorite Japanese stars as it announces special VIP Passes for this year’s event.

J-POP SUMMIT VIP passes give attendees a way to maximize their Festival experience. The festival remains open to public and FREE to attend, but VIP pass holders will have unrestricted access to premium viewing areas to catch all the live music and programming on the Japantown Pagoda Stage on Saturday and Sunday July 19th and 20th, as well as for the J-POP LIVE At UNION SQUARE concert, set for the evening of Saturday July 19th. Catch a dazzling array of Japan’s top pop and rock acts including Tokyo Girls’ Style, DAICHI, Una, YANAKIKU, The Akabane Vulgars On Strong Bypass, Pinky Doodle Poodle, May’n and many more!!

In addition, VIP Pass holders will be invited to attend exclusive autograph and photo sessions with J-POP SUMMIT Festival Guests of Honor Tokyo Girls’ Style and a meet & greet with Guest of Honor Japanese actor Yûki Furukawa. Each VIP attendee also will receive a special J-POP SUMMIT Gift Bag containing an official J-POP SUMMIT T-shirt, and other J-Pop goodies, collectable souvenirs, and products from official sponsors including, SEGA, UNIQLO, Meiji, Nishimoto Trading Co., Clif Bar, and more!

The annual J-POP SUMMIT takes place July 19th and 20th and has become one of the largest events in the United States dedicated to showcasing the many facets of Japanese pop culture, entertainment media and fandom. Attendance in 2013 exceeded 80,000 people. Full Festival details and updates are available at: www.j-pop.com.

Three types of J-POP SUMMIT VIP Passes are now available:

• PREMIUM VIEWER PASS - $35.00 each
Viewer Pass includes access to premium viewing areas for Japantown Pagoda Main Stage for both festival days as well as the J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert. Get up close to all the on-stage action on both days of the Festival!

• VIP PASS A - $85.00 each (Limited to only 50 passes!!)
Pass A includes access to premium viewing areas for Japantown Pagoda Main Stage for both festival days as well as the J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert. Pass holders are also invited to attend a special exclusive autograph and photo session with J-Pop idol group Tokyo Girls’ Style as well as a personal meet & greet with actor Yûki Furukawa. Pass holder also will receive a special J-POP SUMMIT gift bag.

• VIP PASS B - $85.00 each
Pass B includes access to premium viewing areas for Japantown Pagoda Main Stage for both festival days as well as the J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert. Pass holders will be invited to attend a special exclusive autograph and photo session with J-Pop idol group Tokyo Girls’ Style. Pass holder will also receive a special J-POP SUMMIT gift bag.

PURCHASING VIP PASSES

All three levels of J-POP SUMMIT VIP Passes are available online, as well as on-site both days of the Festival.

Please visit the official J-POP SUMMIT web site at: http://www.j-pop.com/2014/VIP for online secure, encrypted purchase.

Attendees also can visit BROWN PAPER TICKETS for the secure purchase of the following:

PREMIUM VIEWER PASS: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/745574

VIP PASS “A”: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/730843

VIP PASS “B”: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/736050

ON-SITE FESTIVAL PURCHASE

Attendees also may purchase VIP Passes on-site both days of the J-POP SUMMIT Festival (subject to availability). Visit the VIP Pass Booth located in front of the NEW PEOPLE venue or Union Square to purchase. A limited number will be made available each day and will be available on a first-come first served basis.

VIP Pass Booth Times: July 19th (Sat) & July 20th (Sun) 10:00am – 6:00pm

HOW TO PICK UP PASSES
Visit the VIP Pass Booth located in front of the NEW PEOPLE venue to pick up purchased Passes.

Purchaser must present: A printed ticket with barcode, or downloaded onto a mobile device AND a valid photo I.D. (*Passes will not be issued without these items; No entry permitted to the premium viewing areas without a Pass; VIP Pass booth at Union Square is For Sales Only - no pick-up)

MEET & GREET SCHEDULE AND DETAILS

Tokyo Girls’ Style

July 19th (Sat) 3:00pm or July 20 (Sun) 11:00am

When you receive a pass at VIP Pass booth, the attending staff member will ask you which session you would like to attend. There are 100 tickets for each session, and are given first-come first-served basis. *Exact Meet & Greet Location will be given to ticket holders at VIP Pass check-In counter.

Yûki Furukawa

July 20th (Sun) 1:30pm

Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet actor Yûki Furukawa, the extremely popular star from Itazura Na Kiss (Mischievous Kiss: Love In Tokyo) as he appears at the 2014 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco for the special U.S. theatrical premiere of his new short film, "wo ai ni” (I love you) in TOKYO, on Sunday July 20th at 4:20pm at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. (JFFSF.org) *Exact Meet & Greet Location will be given to ticket holders at VIP Pass check-In counter.

ABOUT THE FEATURED ARTISTS

Tokyo Girls’ Style – J-Pop Teen Idol Group:
The smash hit group Tokyo Girls’ Style formed in 2010 and has become a major new force in the bustling Japanese pop music scene. Consisting of 5 teenagers - Ayano Konishi, Miyu Yamabe, Hitomi Arai, Yuri Nakae and Mei Shoji – the group, whose member’s average age was only 15, was signed to Avex, released four debut singles within their first year. Tokyo Girls’ Style has gone on to captivate millions of avid fans across Japan with a hook-driven funk and disco sound that is infused with a glossy urban appeal. As of 2012, the group was the youngest female act to ever headline a concert at Tokyo’s most famous Budokan live hall, has released several hit records in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and also performed live shows in Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Additional information on Tokyo Girls’ Style is available at: http://tokyogirlsstyle.jp/tokyogirlsstyle_en. Fans can also catch their music videos on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/TokyoGirlsStyle.

Yûki Furukawa – Actor:
Born in 1987 Tokyo, Yûki moved to Canada at the age of 7. After graduating junior high school, he moved to America to enter a high school in New York and return to Japan at the age of 19. Yûki was a student at Keio University, faculty of Science and Technology. March 2010, Yûki received the jury’s special award at the “Horipro’s 50 Year Anniversary Actor Audition” as his acting and English skills were highly evaluated. Features he has starred include Wood Job! (Film, 2014), Mahoro Ekimae Kyosokyoku (Film, 2014) and Mischievous Kiss 2: Love in Tokyo (TV Drama, 2014).

TOKYO GIRLS STYLE launches fundraiser project for TV documentary of upcoming U.S. live concert debut

JAPANESE POP TEEN IDOL GROUP

TOKYO GIRLS STYLE

LAUNCHES CROWDFUNDING PROJECT

“Let’s Join Hands Together and Make Sunflowers Bloom in San Francisco”

FOR 2014 J-POP SUMMIT CONCERT

Phenomenal Teenage Pop Idol Act Launches Fundraiser To Produce

A Special TV Documentary Capturing The Group’s U.S. Live Concert

Debut With A Sea Of Sunflowers At The Annual Bay Area

Japanese Pop Culture Extravaganza In July

In conjunction with their upcoming appearance at the 2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival and J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert appearance, the Japanese teen pop idol group – Tokyo Girls’ Style – has launched a crowd-funding project dubbed “Let’s All Join Hands to Make Sunflowers Bloom Girls’ Style in San Francisco.”

The fundraiser’s proceeds will help finance a special Tokyo Girls’ Style TV documentary, co-produced with SPACE SHOWER TV Plus, which will document the group’s monumental first-ever U.S. concert with full of Sunflowers at Union Square in San Francisco downtown, as well as present interviews and other special J-POP SUMMIT Festival appearances.

Tokyo Girls’ Style will appear as Guests of Honor for a series of live performances and special personal appearances at the 2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival, one of the nation’s largest celebrations of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film. The 5-member all-girl dance and vocal group will perform live in concert along with other top pop artists from Japan on the evening of Saturday, July 19th as part of the “J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE,” taking place in city’s downtown Union Square area, and also will perform live on the Pagoda Main Stage in Japantown on the afternoon of Sunday, July 20th. Full J-POP SUMMIT Festival details and updates are available at: www.j-pop.com.

Replica sunflowers will be distributed to concertgoers attending the special J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE Saturday evening performance and Tokyo Girls’ Style will ask the audience to wave them in unison when they sing an English version of their hit song "Himawari to Hoshikuzu" (Sunflowers and Stardust), enveloping the entire area in a sea of sunflowers and summer color. The performance will be captured for a live music video for the documentary. Pledge “Seeds” start at only $19.00 and Tokyo Girls’ Style will personally thank contributors with a variety of premium items including exclusive behind the scenes performance and backstage photographs, DVDs of the San Francisco concert, and an array of personally autographed items and more. Fans can visit the official J-POP SUMMIT Media Sponsor – Tokyo Girls Update – at: http://tokyogirlsupdate.com/crowd/en/single.php?project_id=286 for additional information on the Tokyo Girls’ Style Sunflower crowd-funding project.

“Tokyo Girls’ Style is one of the hottest pop idol Kawaii groups in Japan and their upbeat songs and dance-driven live show will add an exciting component to the line-up of amazing pop artists we will present this year,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the President/CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. and Chairman of the J-POP SUMMIT Festival Committee. “Music, fashion and film are among the most popular aspects of Japanese pop culture and Tokyo Girls’ Style will exemplify all three throughout the J-POP SUMMIT Festival. We are honored to present the group’s U.S. debut and look forward to fans of all ages giving them a warm welcome on-stage for the concert, on the big-screen for their film premieres and also in-person at the special artist meet-and-greet!”

The smash hit group Tokyo Girls’ Style formed in 2010 and has become a major new force in the bustling Japanese pop music scene. Consisting of 5 teenagers - Ayano Konishi, Miyu Yamabe, Hitomi Arai, Yuri Nakae and Mei Shoji – the group, whose member’s average age was only 15 when they formed, was signed to Avex and released four debut singles within their first year. Tokyo Girls’ Style has gone on to captivate millions of avid fans across Japan with a hook-driven funk and disco sound that is infused with a glossy urban appeal. As of 2012, the group was the youngest female acts to ever headline a concert at Tokyo’s most famous Budokan live hall, has released several hit records in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and also performed live shows in Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

Additional information on Tokyo Girls’ Style is available at: http://tokyogirlsstyle.jp/tokyogirlsstyle_en.

Fans can also catch their music videos on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/TokyoGirlsStyle.

Pop group TOKYO GIRL'S STYLE to make U.S. concert debut at J-POP SUMMIT Festival in San Francisco

2014 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL PRESENTS

THE SMASH HIT JAPANESE POP VOCAL

AND DANCE GROUP TOKYO GIRLS’ STYLE

Top Selling Teenage Pop Idol Act Marks Its U.S. Debut With Live Concert

At Annual Bay Area Japanese Pop Culture Extravaganza In July;

Japan Film Festival Of S.F. Also Hosts Two Feature Film Premieres

Starring Tokyo Girls’ Style Members At NEW PEOPLE Cinema

The 2014 J-POP SUMMIT, San Francisco’s premiere celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film, will welcome the smash hit teen pop idol group – Tokyo Girls’ Style – as official Guests of Honor for a series of live performances and special personal appearances during this year’s festivities. The event marks the Tokyo Girls’ Style’s first-ever U.S. concert.

The 5-member all-girl dance and vocal group delivers an irresistible funk and disco style infused with glossy urban appeal and will perform a special J-POP SUMMIT Festival live concert along with other top pop artists from Japan on the evening of Saturday, July 19th as part of the “J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE,” taking place in city’s downtown Union Square area, and also will perform live on the Pagoda Main Stage in Japantown on the afternoon of Sunday, July 20th.

Tokyo Girls’ Style also will do a meet and greet with VIP Pass holders both on July 19th and 20th. Additional details and event times, including information on VIP Passes, will be posted shortly at www.j-pop.com. A variety of merchandise, including t-shirts, CDs and DVDs also will be available for purchase at Kinokuniya Booth on Post St. in Japantown throughout J-POP SUMMIT.

The annual J-POP SUMMIT Festival and Union Square concert are FREE to attend (although certain activities/vendors will require a modest admission fee). J-POP SUMMIT takes place July 19th and 20th and has become one of the largest events in the United States dedicated to showcasing the many facets of Japanese pop culture, entertainment media and fandom. Attendance in 2013 exceeded 80,000 people. Full Festival details and updates are available at: www.j-pop.com.

As part of the U.S. debut of Tokyo Girls’ Style, the J-POP SUMMIT Festival and the 2014 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF) are proud to present the exclusive U.S. theatrical premiere of Count Five to Dream of You, an inspiring feature film directed by Yuki Yamato, and starring all of the members of the group. Set in all-girls high school, the film captures the short-lived and unforgettable moments of adolescence. Also set to premiere is Kotodama: Spiritual Curse, a new reboot of the famous Japanese horror movie franchise, in which all of the members of Tokyo Girls’ Style play the leading roles. Both films are scheduled to screen at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema during the J-POP SUMMIT. A special live Q&A session with Tokyo Girls’ Style and audience members will take place immediately following the screenings. Tickets are $15.00 each. Tickets are on sale now at the JFFSF website at: www.JFFSF.org.

“Tokyo Girls’ Style is one of the hottest pop idol Kawaii groups in Japan and their upbeat songs and dance-driven live show will add an exciting component to the line-up of amazing pop artists we will present this year,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the President/CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. and Chairman of the J-POP SUMMIT Festival Committee. “Music, fashion and film are among the most popular aspects of Japanese pop culture and Tokyo Girls’ Style will exemplify all three throughout the J-POP SUMMIT Festival. We are honored to present the group’s U.S. debut and look forward to fans of all ages giving them a warm welcome on-stage for the concert, on the big-screen for their film premieres and also in-person at the special artist meet-and-greet!”

The smash hit group Tokyo Girls’ Style formed in 2010 and has become a major new force in the bustling Japanese pop music scene. Consisting of 5 teenagers - Ayano Konishi, Miyu Yamabe, Hitomi Arai, Yuri Nakae and Mei Shoji – the group, whose member’s average age was only 15, was signed to Avex, released four debut singles within their first year. Tokyo Girls’ Style has gone on to captivate millions of avid fans across Japan with a hook-driven funk and disco sound that is infused with a glossy urban appeal. As of 2012, the group was the youngest female act to ever headline a concert at Tokyo’s most famous Budokan live hall, has released several hit records in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and also performed live shows in Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Additional information on Tokyo Girls’ Style is available at: http://tokyogirlsstyle.jp/tokyogirlsstyle_en. Fans can also catch their music videos on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/TokyoGirlsStyle. Stay tuned for additional J-POP SUMMIT Guest of Honor, programming and event announcements.

About J-POP SUMMIT Festival
Launched in 2009, J-POP SUMMIT Festival is an annual street fair held in San Francisco, CA that celebrates Japanese popular culture. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, film, art, fashion, gaming, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a prominent platform to showcase the latest pop trends and creative innovations from Japan. The 5th annual J-POP SUMMIT held in July 2013 welcomed more than 80,000 attendees, making it one of the largest Japanese festivals in the United States. In addition to the original Festival held in Japantown, new attractions include the J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert in downtown San Francisco, the Bay Area’s premier dedicated Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, and sake-tasting and fine foods events at the POP GOURMET Food Festival, which have each further enriched the experience. Additional information about J-POP SUMMIT Festival is available at: J-POP.com.