Connect with Jun Matsumoto through the red thread! Valentine's Day with Meiji Milk Chocolate

Meiji held a Valentine's event for "Meiji Milk Chocolate" at Bersal Shiodome in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, on February 7th, one week before Valentine's Day.

Arashi's Jun Matsumoto, the product's image character, rushed to the venue. His first words showed concern for women everywhere: "Right before Valentine's, everyone's thinking 'What should I give? What should I make?' It must be the busiest time."

When asked about memorable Valentine's Day experiences, he commented, "In kindergarten, the daughter of the candy shop owner gave me an incredible amount of chocolate every year. I'd never had so much chocolate bought for me before, so I remember it vividly. I ate several pieces every day and was so happy."

When asked what kind of chocolate he would give and to whom, he replied, "I once played a chocolate artisan in a drama and actually made a lot of chocolate. I still think I could make it, so I'd like to give handmade chocolate. As for who to give it to... giving it to the members would probably be the easiest." He also revealed the existence of the "Sweets Club," formed by some members of Arashi, saying, "After all, we've been together for so long, so we share a lot and trust each other."

The product's Valentine's Day slogan is "Hey! Let's connect with chocolate." The limited edition packaging features a heart made of red thread, designed so that when placed side by side, the red threads connect. A giant graphic advertisement utilizing this packaging design is displayed at Shibuya Station from February 5th to 11th. Matsumoto laughed, saying, "My friends told me, 'There are tons of you in Shibuya!'"

A photo spot appeared at the venue where visitors could take pictures connected by red thread alongside Matsumoto. When Matsumoto actually entered the photo spot, he shouted, "Matsumoto Jun is connecting with Matsumoto Jun!" drawing laughter from the crowd, but then blushed, saying, "I have mixed feelings."

Furthermore, when a chocolate statue modeled after Matsumoto was unveiled at the venue, he exclaimed, "The sweet scent of chocolate!" and examined it from all angles. "On New Year's Eve, Meiji staff came all the way to NHK," he explained. "They meticulously measured the size of my eyes and nose, and I was curious about it. So this is the result!" he said, looking satisfied.

The chocolate statue of Matsumoto was named "Choco-Jun." Intrigued by the meticulous details—from the angle of his eyebrows to the size of his eyes—Matsumoto remarked, "Not just the face, but the texture of the sweater is so realistic. It looks incredibly beautiful and doesn't seem like it's made of chocolate, but when you get close, you can tell because you smell the chocolate." A making-of video showing the creation process, which used 1,040 pieces of the company's chocolate, has been available on the company's website ( https://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/chocolate/mchoco/happyvalentinephoto/ ) since the 7th.

When suddenly asked by the audience to rate the likeness of Choco Jun on a scale, Matsumoto instantly replied, "99.9." His quick wit and clever reference to his currently airing drama drew gasps of admiration from the crowd.

A photo spot where visitors can take pictures with Matsumoto and a chocolate statue modeled after him, "Choco-Jun," will be set up exclusively on February 11th at the SHIBUYA109 event space in Tokyo's Shibuya district.

He concluded, "I hope Meiji Milk Chocolate brings happiness to everyone's Valentine's Day. Please come visit us on the 11th for this special day that comes only once a year."

Official Website:

https://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/chocolate/mchoco/happyvalentinephoto/