In an unprecedented move, Japanese idol group AKB48 announced on June 23 that it has officially terminated the exclusive contract of 21-year-old member Mei Hanada. This marks the first time in AKB48's history that the group has taken such disciplinary action.
On the same day, Hanada fired back by uploading a nearly nine-minute video to her X account, appearing with a shaved head and tearfully explaining her side of the story.
According to AKB48's official statement, Hanada had been frequently late since around December 2025, citing poor health. Management prioritized her well-being, placing her on hiatus to focus on medical examinations and treatment. Her previously announced break in May was for this reason.
However, the statement revealed that during an investigation, management discovered she had been in private contact with a specific fan. While Hanada claimed they had only "met by chance twice," interviews with related parties confirmed multiple meetings had occurred. The group considers private contact with fans a serious breach of rules that undermines member safety, fairness, and fan trust.
Despite the violation, management stated that they respected Hanada's desire to return to AKB48 and repeatedly attempted to negotiate a path for her comeback, but she refused. Regarding Hanada's claim that she was "told by management to shave her head," the company denied the allegation, stating that after confirming with the staff involved, the response was, "There is absolutely no way such an instruction was given."
Management further explained that Hanada made two demands: that action be taken against members who had spoken ill of her, and that the ban on the fan in question be lifted. The company deemed these decisions to be within its managerial authority and could not immediately accept them, leading to a stalemate.
Furthermore, Mei Hanada allegedly refused to communicate directly with management. Her legal representative, prominent lawyer Takahiro Karasawa, informed the company that "the client wishes to decline further negotiations."
AKB48's official statement concluded that after considering all circumstances, they determined it was no longer possible to maintain a contractual relationship, resulting in the termination. While a first for the group, management described the decision as an unavoidable last resort.
Shortly after the official announcement, Hanada released her video. She began by apologizing to her fans: "I am truly sorry for making everyone worry during my hiatus. I wanted to explain the circumstances of my break in my own words."
Hanada admitted to meeting a fan privately while she was an active AKB48 member and holding his hand on the street. "As an idol, my actions were incredibly thoughtless and showed a lack of awareness. I am deeply sorry," she said. She explained that someone reported the incident to management, which led to discussions.
However, she claimed that during these talks, management repeatedly accused her of being in a romantic relationship with the fan and even asked her sexually suggestive questions. Despite her denials, she felt they refused to believe her. "They brought up Minami Minegishi's past incident of shaving her head as an apology and told me that if I wanted to stay in AKB, I should shave my head to show my sincerity," Hanada alleged.
She continued, "Other things happened after that which made me feel that if I didn't shave my head, I wouldn't be able to continue in AKB48. I've always cherished my hair, and it was incredibly painful, but because I wanted to continue as an idol no matter what, I decided to shave it." Hanada once again acknowledged that her private contact with a fan was wrong and said she is reflecting on her actions.
"But, after calming down and thinking about it, I believe that the very idea of 'shaving your head to atone' being presented as an option when an AKB48 member gets into trouble is fundamentally wrong."
The incident has now devolved into a classic "he said, she said" standoff between AKB48's management and Mei Hanada.
Online reactions are split. One camp argues that the idol industry's strict "no-romance" clauses are outdated and that AKB48's adherence to them is out of touch.
Another faction finds Hanada's actions questionable, noting that her head-shaving appears less decisive than former member Minami Minegishi's and that hiring Takahiro Karasawa, a controversial lawyer in Japan, to negotiate with management feels odd.
Some netizens commented that her pattern of behavior—being late for work, secretly meeting a fan, and then making demands to punish other members after negotiations failed—suggests she would struggle to succeed even outside of AKB48.
Nevertheless, this is a landmark event, as Hanada is the first member in AKB48's 21-year history to be officially "terminated" by the company. In the past, even members involved in controversial private or professional matters were not dealt with so decisively. The incident has captured significant attention in Japan's idol scene, with fans and media closely watching for further developments.
Many believe the severity of the company's response suggests the situation may be more serious than it appears. With both sides presenting starkly different accounts, another round of public statements and counter-claims seems inevitable.
via： AKB48公式サイト