Aobazaka46 is not exactly a new sister group to the main Nogizaka, Hinatazaka and Sakurazaka. With this group auditioning now until 10.8, they will train for one year before being sorted into the Nogizaka, Hinatazaka and Sakurazaka. This is likely reference to the Aoba mark where new drivers in Japan must display this downward yellow and green leaf symbol 🔰for one full year after receiving their license.
Waterbomb Las Vegas, originally announced for September 19-20, 2026, announces today that the event is delayed to June 2027, with lineup, venue, and ticket details coming early 2027. This is their first post to instagram since March 5th with their original date announcement.
A week ago she announced that she will make an announcement on Showroom at 9:30pm JST tonight.
Here is the official announcement in the original Japanese Text and Google Translated Version to English
[日本語]
平素より格別のご支援を賜り、厚く御礼申し上げます。
このたび弊社は、AKB48のメンバーとして活動してまいりました花田藍衣との専属契約を、本日2026年6月23日をもって解除いたしましたことをご報告申し上げます。
これまでの経緯につきましてもあわせてご説明申し上げます。
本人は2025年12月頃より体調不良を理由とする遅刻を繰り返しており、弊社といたしましては本人の体調を最優先に考え、その原因を特定し適切な治療に専念できるよう、活動を休止する措置をとってまいりました。
さきにご案内いたしました活動休止は、こうした経緯によるものです。
その過程において、特定のファンとの繋がりが発覚し、それに対して、本人は偶然2度だけ会ったと説明していますが、関係各位のヒアリングによれば、当該特定のファンには複数回会っていることが判明しました。
特定のファンとの繋がりは、メンバーの安全性、メンバー間の公平性、ファンからの信頼性を損ねる行為であり、AKB48では禁止している事項です。
それにもかかわらず、本人からのAKB48の復帰への要望を尊重し、具体的な復帰に向け話し合いを幾度となく求めて参りましたが、本人には話し合いを拒絶されました。
本人は運営に髪型を坊主にさせられたと言ってきておりますが、当たり前ですが、担当に確認したところ、「そのようなことを指示することは絶対にありません。」とのことでした。
また、本人は、自分の悪口を言っているメンバーの処分及び出禁となった当該特定ファンの出禁解除を要望していますが、これらの事項は運営の裁量の範囲内にある事項として直ちに応じることのできないため、合意に至りませんでした。
さらに、本人と直接の意思疎通を図ることも拒絶されており、本人の代理人弁護士である唐澤貴洋弁護士からは、『本人から「話し合いはお断りさせてください」』というお話を最終的にいただきました
これらの事情を総合的に勘案した結果、AKB48として初めてとなりますが、契約解除はやむを得ないとの結論に至りました
ファンの皆様、関係各位に多大なるご心配とご迷惑をおかけしますことを、深くお詫び申し上げます。
弊社といたしましては、本件を厳粛に受け止め、所属タレントの指導・管理体制を改めて見直し、再発防止の徹底に努めてまいります。
今後とも変わらぬご支援を賜りますよう、何卒よろしくお願い申し上げます。
株式会社DH
[English]
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support.
We would like to inform you that we have terminated our exclusive contract with Mei Hanada, who has been active as a member of AKB48, as of today, June 23, 2026. We would also like to explain the circumstances leading up to this.
Since around December 2025, she has been repeatedly late due to poor health, and we have taken measures to suspend her activities in order to prioritize her health, identify the cause, and allow her to concentrate on appropriate treatment. The suspension of activities that we previously announced was due to these circumstances.
In the process, it was discovered that she had a connection with a particular fan, and although she has explained that she met with this fan only twice by chance, interviews with relevant parties have revealed that she had met with this particular fan multiple times.
Havinga connection with a particular fan is an act that undermines the safety of the members, the fairness among members, and the trust of fans, and is prohibited by AKB48.
Nevertheless, respecting her request to return to AKB48, we have repeatedly sought discussions regarding a concrete return, but she has refused to talk.
She claims that the management forced her to shave her head, but naturally, when we checked with the person in charge, they said, "We would never give such an instruction."
Furthermore, she has requested that members who have spoken ill of her be punished and that the ban on the specific fan in question be lifted, but these matters are within the management's discretion and cannot be immediately addressed, so we were unable to reach an agreement.
In addition, she has refused to communicate with us directly, and her lawyer, Takahiro Karasawa, has ultimately told us that "she has refused to talk."
Considering all these circumstances, we have come to the conclusion that, for the first time in AKB48 history, contract termination is unavoidable.
We deeply apologize to all the fans and all parties involved for the great concern and inconvenience this will cause.
We take this matter very seriously and will review our guidance and management system for our affiliated talents to ensure that this does not happen again. We
would appreciate your continued support.
DH Co., Ltd.
She announced a week ago that she will make an announcement on Showroom at 9:30pm today JST [currently 5pm as of now] after tweeting 😢. She is the first to be dismissed as a result of contract termination.