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| AKB48 pop star shaves head after breaking band rules | AKB48 pop star shaves head after breaking band rules |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A Japanese pop star has shaved her head and offered a filmed apology after breaking her management firm's rules by spending a night with her boyfriend. | A Japanese pop star has shaved her head and offered a filmed apology after breaking her management firm's rules by spending a night with her boyfriend. |
| A sobbing Minami Minegishi apologised to her fans and said she did not want to leave the band AKB48, in the video seen by millions on YouTube. | A sobbing Minami Minegishi apologised to her fans and said she did not want to leave the band AKB48, in the video seen by millions on YouTube. |
| The production company behind AKB48 said Minegishi, 20, had failed to abide by its cardinal rule - no dating. | The production company behind AKB48 said Minegishi, 20, had failed to abide by its cardinal rule - no dating. |
| But fans have defended her, saying she is entitled to a normal life. | But fans have defended her, saying she is entitled to a normal life. |
| Head shaving is a traditional form of showing contrition in Japan. | Head shaving is a traditional form of showing contrition in Japan. |
| 'Disgusting' | 'Disgusting' |
| Minegishi's apology came hours after a tabloid newspaper published photographs of her leaving the apartment of her boyfriend, Alan Shirahama, a dancer in a boy band. | Minegishi's apology came hours after a tabloid newspaper published photographs of her leaving the apartment of her boyfriend, Alan Shirahama, a dancer in a boy band. |
| In the video posted on AKB48's official website, she said she had made the decision to shave off her long hair to show contrition for her "thoughtless and immature" actions. | In the video posted on AKB48's official website, she said she had made the decision to shave off her long hair to show contrition for her "thoughtless and immature" actions. |
| "I don't believe just doing this means I can be forgiven for what I did, but the first thing I thought was that I don't want to quit AKB48," she said. | "I don't believe just doing this means I can be forgiven for what I did, but the first thing I thought was that I don't want to quit AKB48," she said. |
| At times sobbing and bowing her head during the nearly four-minute-long video, she also said: "If it is possible, I wish from the bottom of my heart to stay in the band. Everything I did is entirely my fault. I am so sorry." | At times sobbing and bowing her head during the nearly four-minute-long video, she also said: "If it is possible, I wish from the bottom of my heart to stay in the band. Everything I did is entirely my fault. I am so sorry." |
| Minegishi was one of the original members of AKB48 when it was launched by producer Yasushi Akimoto in 2005. The band is made up of some 90 girls - whose ages range from mid teens to early 20s - who, in teams, appear daily in their own theatre and regularly on television, in adverts, and in magazines. | Minegishi was one of the original members of AKB48 when it was launched by producer Yasushi Akimoto in 2005. The band is made up of some 90 girls - whose ages range from mid teens to early 20s - who, in teams, appear daily in their own theatre and regularly on television, in adverts, and in magazines. |
| They portray an image of cuteness known as "kawaii", and have become a huge phenomenon both in Japan and increasingly in other Asian countries, correspondents say. | |
| The condition for being part of such a successful act is that the girls must not date boys, so as not to shatter their fans' illusions. | The condition for being part of such a successful act is that the girls must not date boys, so as not to shatter their fans' illusions. |
| AKB48's management office said Minegishi had been demoted to a trainee team as punishment "for causing a nuisance to the fans". | AKB48's management office said Minegishi had been demoted to a trainee team as punishment "for causing a nuisance to the fans". |
| But author and critic Hiroki Azuma said it was "disgusting" that the star felt she should resort to a traditional act of contrition when the only rules she had broken were those of her band's. | But author and critic Hiroki Azuma said it was "disgusting" that the star felt she should resort to a traditional act of contrition when the only rules she had broken were those of her band's. |
| Some fans and commentators say Minegishi went too far with her public apology, and that it was unnecessary. | Some fans and commentators say Minegishi went too far with her public apology, and that it was unnecessary. |
| "What's the point of this public execution show? It's like something from the war or a totalitarian state," one fan said on Twitter. | "What's the point of this public execution show? It's like something from the war or a totalitarian state," one fan said on Twitter. |