HKT48 is a Japanese female pop group based in Fukuoka. The group is produced by Yasushi Akimoto, and it is the third sister group to AKB48 (after SKE48 and NMB48).The group's 21 first-generation members were announced on October 23, 2011, and their debut performance take place at the end of 2011. HKT48 is named after the Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan, where Yasushi Akimoto originally intended to base the group.HKT48's theater is located in Hawks Town Mall in Chuo-ku, Fukuoka. Plans for a group entitled HKT48 were first revealed by AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto on November 19, 2008.HKT48 was officially announced on May 1, 2011 at an AKB48 handshake event.The group is the third AKB48 sister group to be launched, after the groups SKE48 and NMB48.The group takes its name from its proposed base location of Hakata-ku, Fukuoka.Instead of the previously targeted Hakata, HKT48 will instead be based at a theater in the Hawks Town Mall in neighboring Chuo-ku, Fukuoka.This location is next to the Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome.In addition, it was announced that the group would be accepting applications from girls aged between 11 and 22.The first round of the first-ever HKT48 audition took place from May 31, 2011, and successful applicants took part in the second round of auditions, consisting of a singing and dancing test, in the first half of July 2011. HKT48's 21 first-generation members were first revealed at an AKB48 handshake event on October 23, 2011.Of these 21 members, 17 are junior high school students or below, and two are elementary-school students. The youngest member of the group, Natsumi Tanaka, was 11 years old at the time of the announcement. She said that "joining AKB48 is my ambition since I was 5 years old, so it feels like a dream to be in this group". The oldest member is Yoko Sugamoto, who was 17 years old at the time of the announcement. Members 1st generation Kenkyuusei: Anai Chihiro (穴井 千尋, Chii-chan (ちーちゃん)) (January 27, 1996 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Abe Kyoka (安陪 恭加, Kyoka (きょうか)) (July 17, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Imada Mina (今田 美奈, Mina (みな)) (March 5, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Ueki Nao (植木 南央, Nao (なお)) (August 12, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Eto Sayaka (江藤 彩也香, Sāyan (さあやん)) (September 9, 1997 in Ōita Prefecture) Kumazawa Serina (熊沢 世莉奈, Serii-nu (せりーぬ)) (April 17, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Kodama Haruka (兒玉 遥, Haru-run (はるるん)) (September 19, 1996 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Komori Yui (古森 結衣, Yui (ゆい)) (December 2, 1997 in Yamaguchi Prefecture) Shimono Yuki (下野 由貴, Shina-mon (しなもん)) (April 2, 1998 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Sugamoto Yuko (菅本 裕子, Yukosu (ゆうこす)) (May 20, 1994 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Tanaka Natsumi (田中 菜津美, Natsu-min (なつみん)) (August 10, 2000 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Taniguchi Airi (谷口 愛理, Airisu (あいりす)) (March 14, 1999 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Nakanishi Ayaka (仲西 彩佳, Ayakyan-man (あやきゃんまん)) (March 23, 1996 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Nakanishi Chiyori (中西 智代梨, Chori (ちょり)) (May 12, 1995 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Fukagawa Maiko (深川 舞子, Maiko-mu (まいこむ)) (July 5, 1999 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Matsuoka Natsumi (松岡 菜摘, Natsu (なつ)) (August 8, 1996 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Miyawaki Sakura (宮脇 咲良, Sakura (さくら)) (March 19, 1998 in Kagoshima Prefecture) Murashige Anna (村重 杏奈, An-nya (あーにゃ)) (July 29, 1998 in Yamaguchi Prefecture) Motomura Aoi (本村 碧唯, Aoi (あおい)) (May 31, 1997 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Moriyasu Madoka (森保 まどか, Madoka (まどか)) (July 26, 1997 in Kagoshima Prefecture) Wakatabe Haruka (若田部 遥, Wakaharu (わかはる)) (September 26, 1998 in Fukuoka Prefecture) Official Site: http://www.hkt48.jp/;