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Two members of one of Japan's most [popularity / popular] pop groups AKB48 were injured on Sunday. A fan attacked them with a saw while they were at a [promotional / promotion] event [signing / singing] autographs. The two singers, Rina Kawaei, 19, and Anna Iriyama, 18, were [mangling / mingling] with fans who had queued [from / for] hours to see them, when a man suddenly [lunged / purged] forward and slashed them with a saw. The pair were fortunate [not / no] to have sustained serious injuries and were released from hospital a day after the [attacked / attack] . They both had cuts on their hands and head. A concert in Tokyo that had been [schedule / scheduled] for Monday night was cancelled. The assailant got past [lax / fax] security and said he wanted to kill anyone. He had not targeted the women.

The band AKB48 have become a pop [cultural / culture] phenomenon in Japan and are [hugely / huge] popular around Asia. They are ubiquitous in their home country, [appearing / appears] daily on TV and radio, with their images being [plastered / cemented] on advertisements throughout Japan. They hold the Guinness record for [been / being] the world's largest pop group. The group was formed in 2005 in Tokyo's Akihabara district [within / with] 48 members. They have since expanded [for / to] 140 members. Annual competitions are held to [relinquish / replenish] their number when older members retire. Members have to follow [strict / strictly] rules if they join the group, including a total ban on dating. A clause in their contract states that any band member falling in love is ["forbidden" / "forbidding"] .