Thousands of fans of SMAP, one of Japan's most popular pop groups that is set to break up as the year ends, placed a newspaper advertisement on Friday pledging to keep rooting for their idols.
The eight-page ad, which included messages such as "We love SMAP forever," was paid for through an online crowdfunding campaign that raised about ¥39 million ($334,000) by early Wednesday morning from over 12,800 fans.
The band's planned breakup, formally announced in August, shocked fans in Japan and other parts of Asia.