On the afternoon of April 11, representatives from CJ ENM and Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo attended a press conference in Tokyo, Japan to announce the launch of 'Produce 101 Japan'. 

The upcoming program will officially be produced in partnership with CJ ENM and Yoshimoto Kogyo, with aims to premiere in the second half of 2019 in Japan. Alongside this press conference, the program also announced a call for trainees to submit their applicants. The program will adapt the Korean version 'Produce 101's regulations almost exactly, including the system of an idol group created by the nation's producers.

Popular comedy duo Ninety-nine (Nainai) will be hosting 'Produce 101 Japan' as the nation's producer representatives. The winning boy group, made up of the top 11 trainees in the competitive survival, is set to debut in 2020.