Shiori Kubo recently announced that she is finally graduating from Nogizaka46 after nine years.
Sharing the news on 16 September, the 24-year-old wrote a blog post, saying that it has been 13 years since she first encountered the group.
“I’m 24 now, so I’ve spent more than half of my life thinking about Nogizaka46. I guess it’s time to say goodbye to that chapter. I have decided to graduate from Nogizaka46,” she wrote.
“I’ve loved idols since I was six, and at 15, I got to become a member of the group I loved, Nogizaka46. These past nine years have been so wonderful, they feel like a dream. Thank you so much.”
Shiori said that it is because of her love for the group that she made the choice, that it was the right time for her to graduate.
“Until now, anything I wanted to do or experience was always within the framework of Nogizaka46. But now, I want to start thinking for myself, without relying on the group. I realised I need to gradually become someone who can live by making decisions with my own strong will, without leaning on the group… I knew it was time for me to become independent.”
She also announced that her graduation concert will be held in November at Yokohama Arena.
(Photo Source: Shiori IG)