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Last month we told you that JPOP band SMAP would be performing in Shanghai this summer at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, on June 13. Now we know that they won't be the only JPOP band in attendance, as it has been revealed that w-inds. will also performing.

Attending as representatives on "Japan Day," boy band w-inds. will be performing a day before SMAP, on June 12th, at 4:00 p.m. Shanghai time. According to MusicJapanPlus, this news comes as the group finishes their fan club tour in Japan, and finally confirms a rumor that said the band would be performing overseas some time this year.

Soft-voiced JPOP balladeer Hideaki Tokunaga has managed to break a few records with his latest album, a cover collection called 'Vocalist 4.' This, Tokunaga's fourth cover album, focuses on female JPOP stars and their hits as he does his own renditions of songs like Hikaru Utada's 'First Love.' The album has managed to stay at the top of the Oricon charts for three weeks now, making Tokunaga's work the first to do so in over 25 years. Having an album stay at #1 for three weeks also beats a personal record for the artist, who kicked off his career back in 1986.

One more record show's Tokunaga's longevity. When 'Vocalist 4' debuted three weeks ago, Tokunaga became the first male artist to have a at least one #1 hit album for four decades in a row. That makes six #1 albums since 1987 -- not bad for a love song singer.

The World Music Awards is set to take place in Monte Carlo on May 18, and will feature a large list of American artists such as 50 Cent, Will.I.Am., Kelly Rowland, Akon and many more. Michelle Rodriguez, star of the movie 'Avatar,' will host the award show, and will be joined by many other American celebrity on-stage presenters, such as Hayden Panettiere and Kim Kardashian.

But this is the World Music Awards, right? What about Japan? Fans of Japanese music will recognize attendee Namie Amuro in the procession. The JPOP star is one of the select group of attendees that were the best-selling artists of their home country last year. Each country is supposed to be represented by at least one artist at the show, says Hitmaker.

It makes sense that Japan sends Namie Amuro. She had a fantastic 2009 with the release of her album 'Past < Future,' which went triple platinum.

JPOP all-girl group Morning Musume was able to test the waters of international Japanese culture conventions last year when they attended and performed at Los Angeles' Anime Expo, North America's largest J-culture convention. The event was a huge success for them, even bringing fans from other countries to America to see them perform. Now the (currently) eight piece group is going to try another Japanese culture convention, this time in France.

Morning Musume will be the guests of honor at Paris-based 2010 Japan Expo, set to kick off on July 1 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center. The group will perform for event attendees, their very first European concert, on the evening of July 2. They'll also hold a public conference and an autograph signing at the expo.

Erina Mano, a JPOP singer and member of the all-female collective Hello! Project, will star in her very first movie, set to release in Japan this summer. The film, 'Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro: Kaiki,' is a horror, directed by Makoto Shinozaki.

The 19-year-old singer is rumored to be a guest at the Los Angeles-based Japanese culture convention Anime Expo this July, though event officials have yet to confirm this. An appearance would make sense, as we now know that the convention has been chosen as the location for the film's world premiere, according to TokyoGraph. It seems that Anime Expo attendees will be able to watch the film some two months before it is released in Japan.

If Mano does attend, she'll feel right at home alongside the previously announced Japanese musical guests for the event, girl group AKB48.

Rumors have been going around that 68-member JPOP all-girl group AKB48 would show up in some form to Los Angeles' Anime Expo this year, but today convention officials have formally announced the group's attendance at the July event.

The Akibahara, Tokyo-based AKB48 will perform live at L.A.'s Nokia Theater on Thursday, July 1, at 4:30 p.m., for convention attendees only. The event's official guests of honor host their own convention panel and will also be available at meet-and-greet sessions to sign autographs at the Los Angeles Convention Center during the four days this July.

Fans hoping to see AKB48 in action will need to register to attend Anime Expo first. Online registration is now open.

Insanely popular JPOP boy band SMAP will be performing at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo on June 13, at the Expo Culture Center.

Despite the band debuting back in 1991, this will be SMAP's first performance away from their home country of Japan. They've since amassed many fans worldwide as not only musicians, but television personalities and actors. You can bet that Chinese fans will be fighting for the 18,000 seats for the event.

"We are honored to obtain the opportunity to participate the grand Expo," said SMAP members to Shanghai Daily. "We believed that June 13 will be a memorable day for us as well as Chinese fans."

Tickets can be reserved at the Expo's webpage.