AKB48 demotes Miki Saotome

Idol group AKB48 has announced on its official blog that Miki Saotome, a member of Team B, has been demoted to trainee status.

Saotome is said to have been “lacking in self-awareness” as a member of her team and of AKB48. That phrase is generally used to indicate some form of misconduct for an idol, such as having a boyfriend. However, the specific reasons in Saotome’s case were not revealed.

The staff message on the blog also stated that there had been certain expectations for her with regard to improving her “self-awareness,” but she had failed to meet those expectations. After some discussions regarding the issue, Saotome said that she wanted to try returning to the attitude she had when she first joined AKB48, and as a result, she has been kept on as a trainee member, with the hope of returning to the main group soon.

Source:
Sponichi Annex