Minami Minegishi, a 20-year-old member of the Japanese girl group AKB48, released a YouTube apology to her fans over the weekend for the crime of dating someone.
Source: youtube.com
Minegishi, a founding member of the group, reveals in the above video that she's shaved her head, which, according to the BBC voiceover, is a somewhat traditional Japanese act of contrition. She tells the camera:
"I was supposed to set an example for younger members, but my actions were extremely careless and senseless… My mind has gone completely blank. I don't know what I can do or what I should do, but I couldn't bear to do nothing… Everything I did is entirely my fault. I am so sorry…"
According to the band's official blog, after news of her boyfriend broke, AKB48 demoted Minegishi to "trainee level."
Photo taken Feb. 1, 2013.
Image by Itsuo Inouye / AP
Minegishi's relationship with Alan Shirahama, a 19-year-old fellow pop star, violated AKB48's rule strictly forbiding their members from dating.
Photo taken Jan. 12, 2013.
Image by Eugene Hoshiko / AP
