Girl Group Member Says Goodbye To Her Group After 9 Years
After nearly a decade, a beloved star will be leaving her group and moving on to new things.
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Kojima Karin is a longtime member of NMB48, a Japanese idol group with a rotating graduation system. When one member leaves, a new member steps in. NMB48 debuted in 2011, and Karin has been part of the lineup for nine of its fourteen years. She joined the group in 2016 and was promoted to captain of Team N in 2017.
On June 26, Karin announced her graduation during NMB48’s show at the NMB48 Theatre in Osaka, Japan.
Kojima Karin, the captain of NMB48, announced her graduation from NMB48.#NMB48#天使のユートピア公演 pic.twitter.com/IMoBIdJWfu
— AKUN BAIQ 2 (@Hendraaa___sw) June 26, 2025
I have two things to tell you. First, I, Kojima Karin, will be graduating from NMB48. It’s been almost 9 years since I joined this group I love so much. I moved from Saitama to Osaka alone, purely because of how much I admired NMB48. Every day with this group has been a blessing.
— Kojima Karin
Karin also announced that she will be putting on her first solo concert, The Color of Bloom, at Billboard Live Osaka on August 16. Her graduation will take place in November 2025.
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I want to give back to everyone I’ve met during this journey. After graduation, I’ll keep working hard as an individual talent to bring even more energy to Osaka and the Kansai area.
— Kojima Karin
