Female Idol Confirms She’s Leaving Her Group, Ending All Speculation
After weeks of speculation, a female has confirmed the rumors; soon, she will no longer be part of her girl group.
Ishida Chiho is a member of STU48, a Japanese idol girl group that debuted in March of 2017. Like many large J-Pop groups, STU48 has several generations of members, four in total, with its 4th generation being the newest addition. As one of the original 1st-generation members, Chiho has been with STU48 since the beginning, which makes her exit all the more bittersweet.
On February 10, during her group’s STU48 SHOWCASE LIVE performance, Chiho announced that she would be leaving or “graduating” after nine years as a member.
千穂ちゃん卒業発表・・・
#石田千穂
#SHOWCASELIVE #STU48 pic.twitter.com/BnhWEcqKR5— チョラッペ (@tyorappe_48462) February 10, 2026
In her farewell statement, posted on the group’s official website, Chiho looked back at her time with STU48 with fondness. She also thanked her members, STU48’s staff, and fans for supporting her since she joined the group at 15.
Fans reportedly began speculating about Chiho leaving STU48 after noticing changes in her activities. These changes occurred during the time Chiho had been thinking about graduating.
Chiho’s graduation concert will take place on May 31 at Kanadevia Hall in Tokyo. Her future plans have not yet been announced.
