Former Morning Musume member Sayaka Ichii returns to showbiz

Sayaka Ichii (25), once a member of Morning Musume and Pucchi Moni, has come back to show business after nearly six years. Her management agency announced that she is officially active again as of August 25.

Ichii has been preparing her comeback for about half a year. Her training included acting lessons, as she is aiming to build a career as an actress. Although she wants to focus on acting, she will be active as a TV personality and may even resume singing.

Ichii’s official blog has already opened. Her first reappearance on TV will be on “Sunday Japon” on August 30. On September 5, she will participate as a model in the Tokyo Girls Collection.

Ichii joined Morning Musume in 1998 as a second generation member along with Mari Yaguchi and Kei Yasuda. The following year, she also became part of Pucchi Moni with Yasuda and Maki Goto. She suddenly graduated from Morning Musume in 2000, then later started a solo singing career.

In 2002, she formed the group “Ichii Sayaka in Cubic-Cross” with guitarist Naoki Yoshizawa and Sharam Q keyboardist Taisei. However, she retired in November 2003 when she revealed that she was pregnant and getting married to Yoshizawa. She gave birth to the first of their two children in 2004.

Source:
Oricon