Mei Hanada makes a tearful confession with a shaved head following the announcement that she has been terminated from her group, AKB48.
The singer posted the apology on 23 June, saying, “I would like to explain the circumstances of my hiatus in my own words. Even though I was active as an AKB48 member, I met with a particular fan privately and we held hands on the street. I think it was a thoughtless action that lacked awareness as an idol. I am truly sorry.”
Mei stated that her management questioned her about it, and that even though she denied dating the fan, they refused to believe her words.
“Then, they mentioned the story of Minami Minegishi who shaved her head in the past, and told me that if I wanted to continue in AKB, I should shave my head to show my sincerity. I couldn’t make a decision right away, so without giving a response regarding shaving my head, I requested a three-week hiatus.”
She continued, “In fact, I was in poor health and taking a break, when suddenly I was told that my hiatus had been changed to an indefinite one. There were also other incidents that made me feel that I couldn’t continue my activities with AKB if things continued as they were, and that I would be forced to quit unless I shaved my head. It was really painful, as I had always cherished my hair, but I made the decision to shave my head because I desperately wanted to continue my activities.”
In a statement released on the group’s website, it was announced that Mei’s exclusive contract has been terminated as of 23 June.
“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 prioritise her health, identify the cause, and allow her to concentrate on appropriate treatment,” and “The suspension of activities that we previously announced is due to these circumstances.”
The statement continued, “In the process, it was discovered that she had a connection with a particular fan. She claims that she met with the fan only twice by chance, but according to interviews with those involved, it has been revealed that she met with the fan in question multiple times. Such connections with fans undermine the safety of the members, fairness among members, and the trust of fans, and are prohibited by AKB48.”
“Nevertheless, we have respected her request to return to AKB48 and 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 as you would expect, when we checked with the person in charge, they said, ‘We would never instruct anyone to do such a thing.”
(Photo Source: Mei Hanada IG)