Nogizaka46 (乃木坂46?, read "Nogizaka Forty-six") is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, and it is billedas
the "official rival" (公式ライバル kōshiki raibaru?) of the group AKB48.Nogizaka46 was named after the place where the SME
Nogizaka Building, which houses Sony Music Japan’s office, is located in.Their producer Yasushi Akimoto also said that the
number "46" was chosen as a direct challenge to AKB48.
