Japan Expo Malaysia (JEMY) is back for its 7th edition, running 24–26 July at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) — and this year, general admission is completely free.

There are two standalone ticketed concerts this year, one each on Friday and Saturday night, plus a full weekend of free stage performances.

Friday, 24 July: ATARAYO makes their Malaysia debut

Japanese indie rock trio ATARAYO — known as “the band that feeds on sadness” and behind viral hits like “10-Gatsu Mukuchi na Kimi wo Wasureru” and the anime theme song “I am…” — plays their first-ever Southeast Asia show at Hall 6, KLCC, 7:30PM. It follows two sold-out Asia tours in 2024 and 2025, so expect this one to move fast. Tickets range from RM220–RM320. Tickets: fantopia.io/shows/malaysia/atarayo-one-man-live-in-malaysia.html

Saturday, 25 July: AKB48 The Stage

The following night, AKB48 takes the same stage for AKB48 The Stage, at 6PM. Tickets are sold separately via etix.my, in three tiers:

TierPriceIncludes
VIPRM430Group photo, send-off event, special act photo, chance to win a signed T-shirt
Grade 1RM300Send-off event, special act photo, chance to win a signed T-shirt
Grade 2RM180Special act photo, chance to win a signed T-shirt

Free performances all weekend — including Malaysia’s own AKB48 sister group

Everything else is included with free general admission, including sets from Kotomen, Banzai Japan, Milky Monster, Zipang, Violinist Shogo, and more. One name worth flagging: KLP48, Malaysia’s very own AKB48 sister group (yes, that’s a real thing — 13 members, based in KL, debuted in 2024) closes out the free stage on Sunday, performing right before the closing ceremony. So essentially, the “family” gets a full weekend at JEMY — the local branch sending the expo off on Sunday, and the original AKB48 headlining Saturday’s ticketed show.

Cosplay competition — RM10,000 up for grabs

JEMY is also running a nationwide cosplay competition with a RM10,000 prize pool. The 17 finalists take the KAZE Stage on Saturday, 25 July at 1PM — a good one to catch if you’re into cosplay culture.

The Details

  • Dates: 24–26 July 2026
  • Venue: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)
  • Admission: Free (ATARAYO and AKB48 shows require separate tickets)

Whether you’re there for AKB48, the cosplay showdown, or just to eat your way through the food stalls, JEMY 2026 looks like it’s got a packed weekend ahead. See you at KLCC.

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