A female idol has announced her departure from her group just three years after making her debut.
Aobara Waka (also known as Wakatan) is a member of the popular idol girl group NMB48. She joined the group as a trainee in 2022 and was promoted to being an official member of NMB48’s Team BII subgroup in 2023.
NMB48 has a rotating lineup system that allows current members to leave the group by “graduation,” and new members to join it. On November 25, Waka broke the news about her graduation during her group’s Seishun! Koi no Destination performance.
Although the decision wasn’t an easy one to make, Waka told fans that she believes the timing is right, and she is planning to pursue a new dream.
Fortunately, fans still have plenty of time to enjoy with Waka before she takes her final bow as a member. She will be participating in all of NMB48’s promotions for 32nd single, “Seishun no Deadline,” which was released on November 12. Waka will leave the J-Pop group sometime in March 2026.
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