Fujimoto Miki Resigns from Morning Musume

It's official. After Fujimoto Miki was caught on Friday that she is dating comedian Shouji Tomoharu, she has officially resigned from Morning Musume.

Expected? Almost. I was most sure that the agency UFA have tried their best to stop her from quitting, but end of the day, in deja vu of Yaguchi Mari's relationship scandal, the 3rd gen leader who also quit Morning Musume after being discovered by Friday, Mikitty has announced her resignation, in almost similar words "As leader of Morning Musume, and more distinctively as myself, wish to resign from Morning Musume."

This will be the shortest reign ever for any leader of Morning Musume, with the duration of only 4 weeks.

UPDATED:
From the official announcement in Hello! Project website, after many repeated meetings with Mikitty and other, the scandalous news reported by the Friday tabloid has been confirmed and acknowledged. Mikitty herself submitted her wish to resign from Morning Musume, apparently for the sake of the younger underaged members of other groups. As for her activities, Mikitty have participated in her duo unit 'GAM' with Matsuura Aya, just as previously scheduled. However, UFA asked for the understanding of the fans that Mikitty will not be participating in the upcoming concert in July - Hello! Project 2007 Summer 10th Anniversary Daikansya Matsuri HaroPuro Summer Festival | "Hello! Project 2007 Summer　10thアニバーサリー 大感謝祭　～ハロ☆プロ夏祭り～".

The new leader will be the current sub-leader Takahashi Ai, and filling in the sub-leader post will be Niigaki Risa.

Fujimoto Miki comments as displayed on the Hello! Project official site:

To all the fans who have been supporting us.
While being in the position as a leader of Morning Musume and to lead the other members, I have broken the rules of being in Morning Musume, and feel deeply responsible. As the result of my actions, I have caused trouble to all of the other members, and it is truly inexcusable. Personally, I cannot continue as the leader of Morning Musume as it is. Distinctively as myself, I resigned from Morning Musume.
Apologies to all the fans that have been supporting so far. I am really sorry.
From now on, I will continue as "Fujimoto Miki", please give your best support.

I've just created that new site Momusu banner only recently, then THIS happens. Dammit, I'm leaving it up there for a while longer. (>_<)
On topic, How much of these "comments" are fabricated and how close it is to the truth, I leave this to your discernment. I'm skeptical about it.

BUT, end of the day, one thing is clear to me - UFA planned to continue and uphold the "Idol" tradition in the Japanese music scene, and they are doing it with Hello! Project.

So what's next? Keep following Mikitty's future developments of course, the "Idol" part, I understand now. I'm interested in comparing how things will turn out for her, compared to Marippe's after-scandal career life. If Ayaya have a new single/album released in the next few months or so, then... yeah, pretty much we can guess what's happening already.

Special thanks to Rob for the email alert.

*******************************************

Announcement from Hello! Project official site

『モーニング娘。』リーダー「藤本美貴」についての重要なお知らせ
平成１９年６月１日
いつも『Hello！Project』を応援して下さってありがとうございます。
本日は『モーニング娘。』について大事なお知らせがあります。

「藤本美貴」は、平成１９年６月１日（金）をもって『モーニング娘。』を辞めることになりました。

　平成１９年５月２５日(金)発売の写真週刊誌「FRIDAY」誌面に藤本美貴に関する報道がされました。このことについて、藤本美貴本人と事実関係の確認等をし、本日に至るまで話し合いを複数回行いました。この話し合いの中で、多数の未成年者が属するグループの一員としてのあり方を話し合い、藤本美貴より「モーニング娘。のリーダーである自分自身へのケジメとして『モーニング娘。』を辞めさせて欲しい。」との申し入れがありました。弊社は、この藤本美貴からの申し出を了承する事と致しました。

　現時点で『藤本美貴』の今後の活動としては、先週末（5/26）から行われている松浦亜弥とのユニット、『ＧＡＭ』のツアーへは予定通り出演致します。また、７月に行われるコンサート「Hello! Project 2007 Summer　10thアニバーサリー大感謝祭　～ハロ☆プロ夏祭り～」へは、出演致しません。ご了承下さい。尚、モーニング娘。の後任のリーダーは、現在サブリーダーである「高橋愛」が務め、サブリーダーは「新垣里沙」が務めます。

今後とも『Hello！Project』をよろしく御願いします。

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藤本美貴コメント

「いつも応援してくれるファンの皆さんへ。
私は、モーニング娘。のリーダーとして、他のメンバーを引っぱって行かなくてはならない立場にありながら、モーニング娘。としての約束を破るような事になってしまい、重く責任を感じています。私のとった行動で、メンバー全員に迷惑をかける結果になってしまったことはとても申し訳なく、そのままモーニング娘。のリーダーとして活動を続ける事は、自分の中では決して出来ることではありませんでした。自分自身へのケジメとして、モーニング娘。を辞めることになりました。
これまで応援してくれたファンの皆さんには申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいです。本当にごめんなさい。これからは『藤本美貴』として頑張って行きますので、よろしくおねがいします。」

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