AKB48�s ace Maeda Atsuko released her solo debut single �Flower� on June 22nd and topped the Oricon Weekly Singles chart by selling 177,000 copies. It has been four years and nine months since the last female artist topped Oricon with their debut single, the previous was actress Sawajiri Erika�s �Taiyou no Uta� for the TBS drama �Taiyou no Uta�, where she played Amane Kaoru, a beautiful singer with a horrible disease.

Maeda is also the first female singer from a group to hit number one with a debut single since then Morning Musume member Goto Maki�s �Ai no BAKAyarou�; it has been 10 years and 3 months.

Maeda has also topped fellow AKB48 member Itano Tomomi�s debut single �Dear J�, which sold 163,000 copies in its first week, making Maeda currently the top selling female artist this year. Additionally, she has sold more than any other AKB48 sub-unit.

Furthermore, AKB48�s first original album, �Koko ni Ita Koto�, has become the top selling album of the year thus far, selling a total of 716,000 copies. EXILE�s �Negai no Tou� is second with 707,000 copies.

Source: Oricon