Hikari Hashimoto Announces Graduation From AKB48 During Birthday Performance!

| 48 / 46 Group | Posted by Kai Okudara on Jun.24.2015

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AKB48 14th generation member Hikari Hashimoto announced her graduation during the encore of Team B’s “Pajama Drive” performance on June 22, 2015. It was her birthday live (seitansai) and 300th theater performance.

Explaining that she had been thinking about her future and things that she still wanted to do, Hashimoto would be graduating in order to devote more time to her studies. In a Google+ post later that evening, she thanked everyone for making her birthday live special and apologized for the timing of the announcement.

Hikari Hashimoto with a flower arrangement celebrating her birthday and 300th theater performance.
(Hikari Hashimoto’s Google +)

While Hashimoto had never participated in an AKB48 A-side song or placed in a senbatsu sousenkyo, she had been a regular member in the coupling songs. She was also part of the unofficial unit “Kabutomu Chu!” with fellow 14th generation members Mitsuki Maeda and Natsuki Uchiyama, who she was close friends with. The final event for Hashimoto will be announced at a later date.

AKB48 Official site: http://www.akb48.co.jp/