Japanese pop group AKB48 terminated the contract of member Mei Hanada on June 23 over allegations of a ¡°connection to a certain fan,¡± prompting the 21-year-old performer to post a response video that included claims of management urging her to shave her head in penance.
The controversy and Hanada¡¯s subsequent video captured the attention of social media users while also sparking a sense of deja vu for fans who still remember a 2013 scandal that resulted in another AKB48 member shaving her head.
on the official AKB48 website went over the reasons for Hanada¡¯s termination, the first such case in the group¡¯s 21-year history. The post says she initially went on hiatus due to health concerns, but during this time management became aware of her relationship with a male fan. It also denies Hanada¡¯s claims of the staff urging her to shave her head ¡ª a dramatic step that some Japanese celebrities have taken to demonstrate contrition for a public scandal.
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