Record Label Force Japanese Starlet To Shave Head After Breaking ‘No Boyfriend’ Ban?

Published: Friday 1st Feb 2013 by David

On the surface, the above girl group- AKB48- are what some might call a Pop dream, a PG friendly J-Pop collective renown for their cute style and even cuter lyrics.

However, in what in marks a horrific turn in their candy coated journey, they have come under intense media scrutiny this week after one of its members was reportedly forced to shave her head bald and record a YouTube apology, after allegedly spending the night with a male companion.

Details below…

After allegedly breaking a ‘no dating‘ ban enforced by her superiors, 20 year old Minami Minegishi was made to shave her head and apologize her group’s fans on YouTube, forced to beg for their forgiveness.

Despite claiming to have initiated the shave and subsequent YouTube video, her horrific story has seen some fans question her label’s (AKS Japan) practices. According to The Japan Times:

“AKB48′s members are contractually forbidden to have any kind of romantic relationships and they are punished if they do. Last year, member Yuka Masuda was forced out of the group under similar circumstances, while Rina Sashihara was “exiled” to Fukuoka-based sister group HKT48 (after another tear-stained apology to fans) when an ex-boyfriend revealed details of their relationship.

What is happening here is that the protection of fans’ fragile fantasies automatically trumps the basic human right to a life outside that fantasy framework. Though as lawyer Hifumi Okunuki pointed out in a Japan Times article on Jan. 22, such an arrangement is probably illegal under Japanese labor laws.”

Here’s hoping the coming days sees the Japanese government speak out against what all will agree has been the horrific treatment of this adult woman.

If not, we hope the media attention this story is set to receive will give her label no choice but to rethink their handling of their chart topping mannequins. Mannequins, who are in fact just as human as they are, regardless of what their contracts may stipulate.

Your thoughts?

Posted under:

Comments 57

Please Post Your Comments & Reviews

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. the real xoxo February 1, 2013

    better than the staged showmances that our teeny boppers are forced to do by their PR.

    • Nika February 1, 2013

      Can i get some subtitles????

  2. NickiSaidDis February 1, 2013

    Rihanna wouldn’t have a hair on her body.

    • QueenOfTheNavy February 1, 2013

      Oh f*** right off honey. Don’t be mad that nobody wants to give Gimmicraj the bone. Kay?

      • TaylorWins February 1, 2013

        Not today girls. This is a serious thread so play nice or f*** off.

      • NickiSaidDis February 1, 2013

        Scared someone will bring up Taylor’s body count hunty?

      • PSA (FAF) February 1, 2013

        @Queenofthenavy

        That was lame AF, Y’all claim Nicki’s screwing SB so which is it?

        at least be funny WTF !

  3. MISHKA February 1, 2013

    20 year old? That’s ridiculous.

  4. FentySoSnatched February 1, 2013

    Omg. WTF. Why not just fire her!

  5. Leon February 1, 2013

    Disgraceful. Hopefully this attention worldwide will make the label think differently.

  6. japmf February 1, 2013

    360 gone wrong. who’s fault. the girl signed it. but yeah. ridiculious biz practice. even more is protecting fan fantasies. this is like tryna mindcontrol stupid people to sell s*** for the money. well stupid are the guys still buying that made up show acts.

    • Mello May 26, 2013

      I dunno, she signed it, yeah, but a lot of things look good on paper, ya know? Not to mention, when making split-second decisions, a lot of things just don’t occur to you. It probably had never come into play before, and at twenty years old? I can see it being a split-second thing.

      Poor girl though. That was going a little far;;
      She’s such a cutie anyway though.

  7. Lana Del Slay February 1, 2013

    I just shed a tear in class. Poor girl.

    • BrandNuStar February 1, 2013

      Me too sis. We should start some sort of petition.

    • DragginForMrsCarter February 1, 2013

      No no no. Don’t worry about Sailor Baldy. Worry about buying Brandy’s 211.

    • EasyBreezyBeautiful February 1, 2013

      I showed this to my teacher and she was mad as f***.

  8. zeke February 1, 2013

    LMAOOOOOOO j-pop on TGJ. I came to read this article just to fact check you tbh lol

    • NaviKissKiss February 1, 2013

      Kiii Kiii and did they fail?

      • F*** BEyfake February 1, 2013

        shut up s*** head

  9. AzealiaBankable February 1, 2013

    A b**** can’t get even get her mac on?

    • BadBitchIggy February 1, 2013

      Azealia must have screwed 100 guys when she went to Japan judging by those roots.

      • JanetXone February 1, 2013

        Combo kii to the power of three!

      • Iggy Godzalea February 1, 2013

        Death!!

  10. Nicki 4 Zayn February 1, 2013

    The worst thing is that she and the boy might just have been friends hanging out. Even if shaving her head was her idea what kind of hold do these people have over her that she felt guilty for just being a normal twenty year old woman. Queendonna needs to get these tyrants all the way together like she did with Pussyriot.

  11. K$ February 1, 2013

    (SPAM!)

    • AsianGuy February 1, 2013

      really? racist asshole! they should shave your head and feed it to the dogs! FUCKTARD!

  12. KDreamer (Miguel Hit It) February 1, 2013

    What kind of horror movie type s***….

  13. JOHNVIDAL February 1, 2013

    I´m glad most people are aginst this. But for the persons just saying “she signed the contract”. Let me tell the law shouldn´t allow that, I´m sure any person suffering that in a contract in Europe can easily win in a trial. Law is here to protect people´s rights (or it should be). Damn I´m so glad I´m European (not saying there aren´t f***** up things here…)

  14. ARTPOPPINIT February 1, 2013

    Political Gaga to the rescue!!

  15. La Perra February 1, 2013

    Dios mio, how sad… she must they stay virgins their whole career wtf!

  16. I.D. February 1, 2013

    WOW.

    Making her look like a prisoner of war at a concentration camp.

    Then again, this is a stroll in the park, or barbershop, for Britney….

  17. Viciousss February 1, 2013

    What kind of psycho s*** is this?

    Learn to appreciate what you have, a lot of folks talk s*** about how some singers are studio-creations but if you go to other countries you’d swallow your tongue with how the studios can control and dictate people’s lives.

    Right down to not allowing them to see their families and punishing them for doing anything that goes against their image: (smoking, looking too casual).

    I feel bad for the girl, there’s no reason on this planet to shave her head and make her apologize via YouTube. That’s sick and I hope the Japanese govt. Does something about it.

  18. QueenCeline February 1, 2013

    First of all, I need to say well done to tgj for writing this so well considering this is outside their territory. Secondly, reading this gave me chills and i’m trying my best not to cry. I don’t care what their contract says, this has to be against her human rights. She says she wanted to shave her head but the real question is why? Why should a human being feel the need to punish themselves for meeting a friend.

    These KPop/Jpop labels treat their singers like damn objects and it’s high time the law steps in to shake things up.

  19. Hilly February 1, 2013

    This is ridiculous! I can respect foreign cultures but this is cruel, how is this allowed?

  20. OVOForever February 1, 2013

    B*******! They MADE her do this. My blood is boiling at the thought that the boy got off scoff free and she’s been made an example of. I didn’t think they still did this s*** in today’s world.

  21. BionicLotus February 1, 2013

    I can’t remember the last time i was this mad. They actually uploaded it to the group’s official page.

  22. ƸӜƷ MC ƸӜƷ February 1, 2013

    That’s horrible, no one should be forced to do anything they don’t want to do. with or without contract. WTF is wrong with society? I hope she gets through it all, much love and prayer. smh

  23. J February 1, 2013

    This is so sad 🙁 shaving her head is one thing but making her apologies on Youtube.. whats that about?

    • Emma August 11, 2013

      Somehow I think being forced to shave your hair off is worse -_-‘

  24. Monstarebel February 1, 2013

    The music industry is dark…..it’s her life who cares if she’s f****** a dude she’s grown Smh I feel bad for her… why is the record label able to have that much control over her

  25. NEW KID IN HERE February 1, 2013

    Lol Hair or a D*** and this girl chose a d***.. I wuld 2!! Lol kidding, jokes aside kudos to Sam for this post…. there’s actually a heart behind all of that dark shade!!

  26. Iggy Godzalea February 1, 2013

    That’s f****** horrible

  27. NΛVI February 1, 2013

    LMAO woah that 360 deal tho.

  28. speechless February 1, 2013

    I have a friend that was in Japan for 3 months and she just went back for a few more. And according to her their government is on some other s***.

  29. Viciousss February 1, 2013

    Smh, what else did they do to her that they didn’t show.

  30. mob February 1, 2013

    🙁 very sad to hear!

  31. omzir February 1, 2013

    WHO GIVES A RATS ASS!?! Let the girl Love!! How unrealistic is this? the unrealistic ideals that society holds on pop stars is a F****** joke. SOCIETY – you’re a bunch of low-lifes that will never amount to anything so you live vicariously through celebrities and their lavish life and wish you had an ounce of it but instead you ridicule them.

    F*** THE LABEL.

    ^ ^

  32. S****** Blonde February 1, 2013

    This is really sad, international organizations should do something about this, this is a sad but yet an interesting post about other important things other than the 10 post per day of Beyonce and Rihanna, poor girl, it tears me up, for real.

  33. Mr.Mr February 1, 2013

    How many girls are in this damn group!?

    The above photo looks like a damn high school class shot.

    • Synchorotical February 2, 2013

      They’re not even complete in that picture, AKB48 have 48 members 🙂

  34. Drew February 1, 2013

    This is so dumb!

  35. MaZ February 1, 2013

    Illuminati’s muppets! This is how they handle them. Not surprise.

    • MaZ February 1, 2013

      surprised.

  36. Pop Royalty February 1, 2013

    oh boy , but this is not sad as what i am seeing everyday , she must be thankful she don’t live in Iran and the countries similar to it , they would have cut a b****’s neck.

    but that is just sad.

  37. Teacher February 1, 2013

    Whaaaat? The first post in TGJ history that didn’t mention Rihanna or Beyonce!

  38. Emma August 11, 2013

    Just. F******. Disgusting.

    I’m genuinely lost for words. The people who did this to her deserve to be shot.

Recommended Posts
..**