Former Top Girl Group Member Spotted By Paparazzi 5 Years After Disappearance

A former popular girl group member has suddenly reappeared in the public eye after five years of going AWOL.

Watanabe Mayu, a 1993-born Japanese idol, became one of the most well-known members of Japan’s national girl group, AKB48. She was part of Kami 7, a subunit consisting of the seven most recognizable and impactful members who cemented AKB48’s dominance as an idol group.

Mayu announced her graduation from the group in 2017, but continued to work for another three years. After a 14-year-long run, in 2020, she finally bid adieu to the entertainment industry. She spent the next five years in complete silence, absolutely withdrawn from the public eye. Nobody had any idea of her whereabouts.

That was until recently, paparazzi supposedly spotted Mayu leaving an apartment, decked in a black outfit and her hair dyed blonde. Reporters had been staking out at this particular location for some time, claiming that the apartment belonged to anime musical actor Ota Motohiro. With Mayu being spotted at the same house, speculations have been spreading fast about the two dating and living together.

However, reporters who have been tailing Ota Motohiro have stated that the two have never been spotted together, possibly to avoid being caught together.

Japanese press released pictures of Mayu stepping out of Ota’s apartment with her face blurred, possibly out of respect for her privacy. They also avoided mentioning her name directly in the reports and instead stuck to referring to her as a former idol, “A.” However, AKB48 fans were quick to recognize Mayu in the photos, thanks to her distinctive ears.

This marks Mayu’s first-ever dating news, and fans couldn’t be happier at the possibility of her finally enjoying her life outside of the rigid idol image.