Up-Front Agency has announced that Morning Musume's newly-inaugurated leader, Miki Fujimoto, will be leaving the group. She was recently discovered to be dating comedian Tomoharu Shoji. After discussions between her and the agency, it was decided that she will no longer be a member of the group, though she will continue to be active as a solo artist.

Fujimoto barely became the group's leader on May 6 after Hitomi Yoshizawa graduated. It has been decided that her successor will be Ai Takahashi.