Former AKB48 idol Mei Hanada released a nine-minute video on Tuesday after management terminated her contract, making her the first member of the group to be officially dismissed. Management cited multiple rule violations, including unauthorized private contact with a fan. In the video, Hanada appears with most of her head shaved. Referencing former member Minami Minegishi, who famously shaved her head in 2013 after being photographed leaving her boyfriend’s apartment, Hanada claims she was pressured to do the same.

Mei Hanada Says She Was Pressured To Prove Her Sincerity After Contract Termination

“I was told, ‘If you want to continue with AKB, shave your head to show your sincerity,’” Hanada said. She added, “It was truly painful to part with the hair I had cherished for so long, but because I wanted so badly to continue my activities with AKB, I made the decision to shave it. I’ve come to believe that giving members the option to shave their heads whenever something happens within AKB is wrong.”

Prior to the video’s release, DH Co., Ltd., the operator of AKB48, released a statement explaining the circumstances that led to Hanada’s hiatus and subsequent contract termination. “Since around December 2025, she has repeatedly been late due to poor health,” the statement read. “Prioritizing her well-being above all else, we took measures to suspend her activities so that she could identify the cause of her condition and focus on receiving appropriate treatment.

DH Denies the Allegations

“During this process, a connection with a specific fan was discovered,” the statement continued. “While the member explained that she had only met this fan twice by chance, interviews with the parties involved revealed that the two had actually met on multiple occasions. Nevertheless, out of respect for the member’s desire to return to AKB48, we repeatedly attempted to discuss the details of her return, but she refused to engage in those discussions.” 

DH went on to deny that management forced Hanada to shave her head, stating: “We would absolutely never issue such an instruction.” The company also said that Hanada had requested disciplinary action against members who had spoken ill of her and, through her attorney, declined further discussions regarding the matter. “After comprehensively considering all these circumstances, we have concluded, for the first time in AKB48’s history, that terminating her contract is unavoidable.” 

In 2013, the official AKB48 YouTube channel posted a tearful apology video from former member Minami Minegishi, following reports that Minegishi spent a night at her boyfriend’s apartment | Screengrab via YouTube

AKB48’s So-Called ‘Love Ban’

Hanada’s allegations have brought renewed attention to one of AKB48’s most persistent controversies: the so-called “love ban,” an unwritten rule that the group has long denied exists but that has surrounded some of its most notable scandals. At a Tokyo Bridal Festival in 2010, one of the group’s leading members, Tomomi Itano, revealed that she was not allowed to pursue a relationship because it violated company policy. Three years later, Minegishi’s infamous act of contrition became a defining moment in the debate over AKB48’s expectations for its members.

In November 2022, Japanese tabloid Shukan Bunshun reported Nana Okada’s relationship with actor Hiroki Ino. Having previously spoken in favor of strict dating rules and traditional idol expectations. Okada faced criticism from fans who accused her of hypocrisy. She later issued a public apology and announced her graduation from the group. AKB48 general manager at the time, Mukaichi Mion, subsequently tweeted about reconsidering the vague restriction on romantic relationships before clarifying that no such rule officially exists.

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Updated On June 24, 2026