(2018-05-30) Gekkan Entame - Ogata Haruna sotsugyou ceremony

Emergency meeting "My 19 years decision"

Ogata Haruna from Morning Musume。'18 has announced she will get her sotsugyou during the Morning Musume。'18 spring tour called "Morning Musume。Tanjou 20 Shuunen Kinen Concert Tour 2018 Haru ~We are MORNING MUSUME。~" then she will leave the group and Hello! Project agency as well. Many fans were surprised by this announcement because the group has been in the limelight lately. So we invited one of her senpai and one of her kohai so that they could talk together about their feelings about their studies!

          This sotsugyou will allow her to start a different life as a student

― Maybe one of our readers don't know how or why either Ogata-san decided to get her sotsugyou. Can we explain ?

Ogata Haruna : Morning Musume。'18 had a current spring tour. The two last concerts will be one June 19 and 20, on Nippon Budokan stage, everything will unfold on June 20. I'll get my sotsugyou from Morning Musume。'18 and Hello! Project as well. After that, I'll be focused on my studies. Originally I wanted to go to university and to be honest I even took an entrance exam last year. However, I didn't manage to pass it for lack of points, so I didn't go back to school and I focused on revisions of this particular test.

― Do you mean it was difficult to find a balance between your professional activities and your studies?

Ogata : Indeed. I worried a lot. I always wanted to do advanced studies, I couldn't lose this goal. 

― This situation is surely common to all idols.

Ikuta Erina : I also thought about going to do advanced sutides. I asked myself a lot "What studies can I do?" with a schedule like mine, with all activities we have. I told myself I could study aesthetics, especially makeup and nail art.

Yokoyama Reina : I'm currently in high school last year and I think it's time to decide on my future studies. In my case, I always wanted to become a Morning Musume。member, since elementary school and I finally succeeded. It's now a year and a half since I joined and I'm still desperately looking for the place I should take. To be honest, I'm constantly thinking about my future.

Ikuta : In my opinion, I find Ogata incredible for that decision she made. Many people go to university because they have nothing else to do. I have always wanted to become a Morning Musume。member and I did it too, but rather, shouldn't I have gone to university? We cannot re-invent the past. But I admire those who are sure of their choice.

― So we understand Ikuta-san doesn't like studying (laughs).

Ikuta : It's not that (laughs). It's just that Ogata managed to decide. It's incredible.

Yokoyama : She realizes another of her dreams, after having realized "That one of being a Morning Musume。".

Ogata : To be honest, I didn't think I would have liked the idol work as much. When I watched the shows in which they were or even their concert, I could never have imagined the time and the work amount behind during the rehearsals. Few idols leave the business world to be only in studies, I wonder if I embark on the right project.

― In Hello! Project, there are many members who manage to combine activities and studies. There is, however, a rumor that "Morning Musume。members are not allowed to undertake higher studies".

Ikuta : These are rumors like there are everywhere, without any foundation. Personally, the staff members never said to me "No, you will not go to higher studies". However, as a member, you have to keep in mind there are two tours with the group every year, two tours with Hello! Project every year, Hina Festival, Countdown, including rehearsals for all these concerts ... The difference with other Hello! Project groups is that we have more dates and events, so it can be very difficult to combine the two.

           She saw herself complete in figure skating and the idol profession

― Earlier, you told us about "other decisions". Why did you stop figure skating?

Ogata : I did figure skating for 10 years, I started when I was 6 years old. By the way, I had lessons with Mao Asada-chan.

Yokoyama : Ehhh!? Did you rub shoulders with Mao Asada-san?! It's awesome!

Ogata : Not really, well I was her kohai. And I stopped shortly after she arrived.

Ikuta : But it's a waste to give up everything you've learned for 10 years.

Ogata : I wonder ... With figure skating, I couldn't be a normal student like the others. I didn't have time for anything. There are certain aspects I saw in others, like going for a bite to eat after class which, for me, was impossible.

― With the idol profession, you cannot be a normal student either!

Ogata : It's true (laughs). But when I stopped figure skating, I decided to start other sports, I even went to the school's athletics club. But it wasn't like I thought ... So I thought about it and wondered what I liked, "music". That's when I decided to drop my audition to join Moning Musume。.

Ikuta : Well! You often change your occupation in life! But why was it a mistake, this story of an athletics club?

Ogata : Well. I have the shortest legs among the Morning Musume。members (laughs).

Ikuta : But you always have been the one who came home the fastest (laughs). But I must emphasize, once again Ogata shows us that she always takes difficult decisions and she manages to adapt to result it gives. It's really good for you who often change life ways. There are many people who don't know what to do after obtaining their sotsugyou in Morning Musume。, that's why I admire those who know it. Kudo Haruka-chan wanted to become an actress, she did. Ogata wants to continue prestigious studies, she does. It's a very positive way of living your sotsugyou.

Yokoyama : When I'll get my sotsugyou, I think I'll do like Ogata-san. Going back to studying piano, guitar ... it's something I would really like. But I'm not patient like you, it will never last 10 years (laughs). But since I always wanted to be a Morning Musume。, I guess I have to take advantage of it now and think about it when the time comes.

― Besides, Ikuta-san and Ogata-san seem to have a good relationship from the beginning, with meals you ate together.

Ogata : Yes! When I arrived in Tokyo, I knew nothing. It was Ikuta-san who brought me to cool places~.

Ikuta : But Ogata has very specific eating habits (laughs). She only eats tofu.

Ogata : I love tofu so much that I only eat that. I know it's weird, but I was counting on Ikuta-san to accept this weirdness (laughs).

Ikuta : Ogata has always been like that: for a period she likes tofu very much so she only eats tofu, then she will discover fruit granolas so she will eat only that. Honestly, when you get your sotsugyou, I'll be very worried about your diet (laughs).

Ogata : I will try to keep a balanced diet (laughs).

― And Yokoyama-san, what kind of relationship do you have with Ogata-san?

Yokoyama : Hm... Ah! Our birthday are close.

Ikuta : What kind of relationship is that! There must be something else~ (laughs).

Yokoyama : Yes... Hm... During journeys we were never next to each other...

Ogata : Lately we've started talking a lot more.

Yokoyama : Y-yes! That's true!

Ikuta : Don't feel embarrassed, you don't even do enough~ (laughs).

Yokoyama : We're really talking! It has always been difficult for me to go to my senpai, I'm rather the one who waits for them to come to me... But I am happy because Ogata-san has come to see me a lot lately with her "Yokoya~n!".

Ogata : For me too it was complicated because 13th generation members are my first kohai. I didn't know how to behave with them. I started talking to them really recently, taking pictures with them, ...

Ikuta : And it happens when you get your sotsugyou (laughs). But in fact, I noticed a lot Morning Musume。members are shy. They are not shy basic but it's difficult to all of us for approaching one towards the other immediately. It's something I have noticed in all members since I join.

Yokoyama : If Ogata-san can be shy, I wonder if it will be okay for her after her sotsugyou? Ogata-san has this image of being the one always glued to Morito(Chisaki)-san. It will surely be complicated for her afterwards.

― Yokoyama-san finds yet another reason to be jealous of Morito-san (laughs).

Yokoyama : Al~ways (laughs). In reality I'm on very good terms with Ogata-san and Morito-san. The three of us are often laughing. Really! Please write it down (laughs).

― So your last single "Are you Happy? / A gonna" will be released on June 13.

Ogata : For Kudo-san's sotsugyou, we had created an unofficial unit with Iikubo-san all three who formed the "Triple A". Since then, we have become the "Double A". I wonder this unit fate after my sotsugyou (laughs). The two songs for this single were written by Tsunku♂-san. In "A gonna", he managed to write down exactly the worries and doubts I have for this period will follow my sotsugyou.

― Did you already heard it?

Ogata : Yes! I was very surprised at the beginning. I wondered how he could have understood me so much! But I'm happy to have such a song for my last single.