On Thursday, it was announced that Ayaka Kikuchi, a member of AKB48's Team B, has been dismissed from the group. According to a post made by management on the group's official blog, Kikuchi was "lacking in self-consciousness as a member of AKB48 and was careless in her behavior."

Although the announcement did not reveal Kikuchi's specific behavior, the decision seems to clearly be the result of Kikuchi having a boyfriend, which was recently discovered after a picture of the two surfaced on the internet. Details can be read at the Aitakatta! blog on International Wota.