Abe Natsumi (21) is the latest to announce her “graduation” from the idol group Morning Musume. At a Hello! Project show in Tokyo, “Nachi” shocked fans with the news that she will leave the group next February. This will leave Iida Kaori (21) as the only surviving original member. Abe will release her debut solo single in late August.
• Rock singer and poseur extraordinaire Yazawa Eikichi (53) made a rare guest appearance at the FM802 Meet the World live event in Osaka yesterday. He sang one song “Love Fighter” and left without so much as a word to the 16,000 audience. His only such outings in recent years have been in 1997 at Wembley Stadium in London alongside Jon Bon Jovi and Rod Stewart, and a tribute to his good self in Japan in 2001. The FM802 event also featured Hirai Ken and Chage & Aska.