NGT48 Assault Case

Apologies if I missed it from earlier, but here is a translation of Maho's speech: https://twitter.com/8c3iy0PhNlJU5WX/status/1119952632712450049

 

One more translation of Maho's speech:
https://twitter.com/na_fushigiyaro/status/1120001811870412802


And for those who don't look back in the thread, I updated post 3015 with 16 additional items.

 

Well, this was a long day. It took me a while, but here are my own translations of Rena, Riko, and of course Maho's graduation announcement from today's stage. I think it would be more fitting to post them over here than in their respective threads but if anyone wants to do that, then feel free. It's going to be long.
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(click on the thumbnail to play the video)

Rena: «I, Hasegawa Rena, am going to graduate from NGT48.

...Right. I'm sorry for the sudden announcement, just when I was telling myself about having to work my hardest from here on, since having ranked in at last year's Sousenkyo, like with the Aikabu voice acting job.

And I feel truly desolate for having caused so much discomfort and sadness to everyone of you while in these circumstances.

My last handshake event session will be on May 6. It will only be a while until that handshake event, so I hope I can have a lot of talk with everyone of you.

Moreover, the last day of my activities will be on May 18.
I'll have the opportunity of doing my graduation stage show on May 18.
I really wanted to strive on some more again, there was more that I had wanted to work on together with everyone, so I'm truly sorry.

With that said, I love Team G. It was really a blessing for me to have been part of Team G.
There's only a short period of time left for my idol activities, but I want to work hard in my own way until the last moment.
As such, even though the time is running short, I'd be glad to have you lending me your support.

A sincere thank you.»


(click on the thumbnail to play the video)

Riko: «I too, Sugahara Riko, am going to graduate from NGT48.

To all the people who have been constantly supporting NGT48... and everyone at Team Sakurambo [note: name for Riko's fanbase] who had been walking along with me step by step toward my dream, which was a solo concert...
Thinking of everyone of them, it makes me wonder if these words I am telling right now are the correct thing to do. It fills me with a sense of uneasiness and great anguish.

So many people have given me their smiles, courage, as well as reassurance. They truly served as an emotional support for me. I have to thank you for that.

Even during tough moments, the letters I received from fans and the gentle words at the handshake events, not to mention those encouragements they would tell me "Let's carry on together!" -- I will never, ever forget anything about them.

Even then, I am absolutely not going to give up on my dream of a solo concert.
Right. Even from now, along with all those fans who are cheering on and giving me support, I'd be glad if we could keep on pursuing this dream all together.

Thank you for all the many smiles and feelings of gratitude you have given to me.

In spite of that, rather than just giving smiles and cheerfulness, what I have done to everyone was also causing them to go through lots, lots of tough moments and painful experiences.
I am honestly sorry for that.

However, I believe that, come next time, I'll be able to get to smile with everyone.
I'll continue to aim upwards so that by the next time I'll get to meet again with everyone, for sure, they may see me showing a smile full of energy. I want to give all my best to proceed ahead even by taking one small step after another.

The support I had from everyone so far will forever be a treasure to me.
For this reason, I would be more than happy if you will go on to cherish me as well, if you wish.

Thank you sincerely.»


(click on the thumbnail to play the video)

Maho: «I, Yamaguchi Maho, am going to graduate from NGT48.
I had written this down clear and properly on a letter for today, and so I'd like to tell to everyone those thoughts that I had been keeping silent about until now.

I used to love idols, as I used to love this group.

It's precisely for this reason that I wished for this group to have a change. Exactly because it felt painful to me, I thought how I didn't want to ever see my dear colleagues end up facing the same experience, this is an action I took while being prepared to sacrifice everything about me.

At the time I disclosed the details of the incident, this company's president told me "Since it ended without prosecution, then it means it's not a crime incident". And then, at present I am even being called an offender that is acting to undermine the company itself. But all that I wanted to do was protecting the other members, wanting to engage in activities diligently, hoping this would be a place where anyone can conduct idol activities in a wholesome way. But in such a group where you can do anything and still be given a pass, in here, there is no longer a place for me to be able to work as an idol.

When it comes to problems from which you shouldn't actually turn your eyes away, the answers to them inside this group was "If you can't look away, then quit" "We can't let this newly-reborn NGT48 start, if otherwise".
Even so, these same things will only reoccur again unless this environment is changed. Up until today, I kept putting up with it all the time, doing everything in my power for the good, but the fact is that there was very little that I could do by myself.

I can't name anything more valuable than the very life of a person.
From the bottom of my heart, I wish that my dear colleagues can go on to engage in their idol job with safety every single day.

Moreover, those who stood close by me after I made this disclosure to the world outside were (Hasegawa) Rena, (Sugahara) Riko, and Mofu (Murakumo Fuuka).
I decided I would make this announcement only after everyone had decided about their own future.
The only thing for me to do right now for the sake of NGT48 is nothing else than graduation.
I feel truly sorry to all fans.

Many people had given me their support, many messages were delivered to me by people who had suffered from the same kind of harm, and then there were people who said that they felt heartened and encouraged after looking at me.
Even so, that as a result it turned out like this, I can't help being overwhelmed by a sense of sorriness wondering if everyone's hopes ended up crushed.
As much as this is a world where people who do the right things don't get rewarded, this shouldn't be a world where those who do the right things end up losing out, on top of that, that's how I think.

There have been many people who took aside some of their own personal time to lend me their support.
I'm truly filled with gratitude for that.
From here on, I hope you will all use this time for your own selves on what you find enjoyable, and be happy.
Just as everyone wished for me to be happy, so do I hope for them now.

What's more, to everyone who had kept supporting me so far, I am terribly sorry that I would have to end up graduating in such a way.
I want to sing and dance as before, be at handshake events as it happened every week, telling each other "See you next time", in any case May 5 and 6 will be the last handshake events for me.

There, a substitute ticket will be avalaible for all those handhsake events in which until now I had to take a rest from.

I'd be more than happy if, once there, we can resume from that "See you next time" we said before.
Let's talk together about our dreams, over there.

My last day of activity will be the same as Rena and Riko, on the graduation shows on May 18.
I am working with Riko on her rehabilitation, as she wasn't able to perform at today's theater show due to her injury, and I'd be glad if we can be back on the stage once again with a smile on our faces, and at last show to everyone ourselves walking headed toward our dreams.

What I can do from here on is not to show this suffering image of me I had now, but rather a happy and smiling one, and with that then cheer up everyone of you.
All of you have helped me out, and in the same way I want to go on to be a person who'll lend a helping hand to anyone in trouble.
I'll do what I can so that everyone of you may love me as a person.

Moreover, there have even been times before when I thought how it would have been better if I hadn't ever joined NGT48, due to today's circumstances.
But all the same, of course, standing on the stage like this, performing a stage show together, receiving the cheers of encouragement from fans, having had the chance to meet with all the members and all fans is a blessing to me.
If anything, I actually feel glad for having joined NGT48.
To all members, and to all fans too, I hope that from here on you'll live your life in an honest, upstanding way, I hope all of you will rejoice with smiles on your face.

There is less than one month left, but until last, both as a person and as part of NGT48, I'd be happy to meet everyone once again in the future with a smile.

It's only for a short while still, but please keep welcoming me if you will.»

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For a reference, a complete transcript of all of them can be found here. I did a little skimming through the text, and it seems to be matching the live speeches down to every single word:
https://akb48.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-29862.html
https://akb48.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-29863.html
https://akb48.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-29864.html

 

What a sad day in Japan.

Maho’s speech was damning and it’s hard to believe AKS didn’t cut off the stream. This really is peak #metoo where men don’t think these assault incidents are a big deal.

 

AKS had a seemingly easy task, punish the member(s) who were involved in providing information and thus enabling the attackers to carry out their crime. They had countless opportunities to do this, yet they did not. They would rather let all their sponsors go, their reputation crumble, and the victim graduate, all for the sake of keeping the culprits safe? Anyone with sense can tell something is off. The only reason they didn't deal with it the way they should have is because it would have opened a can of worms regarding AKS's mismanagement, and possibly some more dodgier dealings going on behind the scenes that would have left the company nonredeemable if uncovered.

Unfortunately, this is the result. My only hope if that Maho, her friends, and the innocent idols affected can find happiness in their lives again, and that the dodgy management, the attackers, the members involved, and all those who helped in covering up the case, live the rest of their lives with guilt and utter despair.

 

It could be just management pretending to allow free speech for Mahohon for the first and final time to give the impression that they don't "stifle" Mahohon's voice. They may have said: "Let's just give her that last speech, it's her last speech in the company anyways."

 

When doing the right thing requires you to expose the secret.

 

Even as she leaves Maho pours down some scalding hot tea. Like others have said she truly is exceptional.

Something I'm wondering is if the NGT48 members will say anything about these graduations on their SNS? It's par for the course that when someone graduates 48g members will comment on it. I suspect NGT48 management has already disallowed them do so. I don't see anything from anyone on Twitter for today at least. Maybe tomorrow.

 

There's dozens of things they could have done to appease Maho that they didn't do that could have quieted the issue, none of which require "exposing a secret". Instead at every turn they chose a course of action guaranteed to stir up public anger even further.

 

This make me wonder, how many other victims of assaults were forced to graduate or forced to keep on silence to save management's ass, both on 48 and 46 groups.

 

This is not how we bring justice in Westeros.

 

Mion, the general director, tweeted about it ~25m ago (at 2:33 AM). I see Okada Nana and Iwatate Saho liked it.

"I apologise for posting this at such a late hour" Translation by @39_saku_chan.

 

The problem is that even if they were trying to cover something up, no matter how heinous, it still leaves them being absurdly incompetent in doing so. If they were hiding anything I'd be very surprised if it doesn't come out soon. They've pissed off too many people.

But since the absurd incompetence is a given, it is unnecessary to add in some dark secret to explain their actions.

 

wait i thought the group are disbanded? i thought all will graduate by hook or crook? or did i misunderstand things?

 

Nah.

They disbanded Teams NIII and G.
Now NGT consists of 1st Gen + KKS (2nd Gen and D3).

Does it make sense? Nope.
Does it solve anything? Absolutely not!
But it's management's way of doing something. Even if the something they should be doing is completely unrelated to the teams.

I hope Maho is getting her interviews aligned for when she leaves and tears management and AKS a new one.

 

Quick question, I have been not following the details of this case..

The other 2 girls, rena and riko, are friends of Maho? I know there are girls within the group that have been accused of leaking maho's info to the stalker. but rena and riko aren't then? So just coincidence that they're leaving the group too or they're leaving in solidarity

 

Yuzuha (NMB48) posted this tweet about Mahohon (girl, what are you doing being up at 3:47AM!)

My poor translation:
We've been together since the audition time.
I wanted to make many more memories.
I really love you (hontoni daisuki da yo)

A non-NGT48 member commenting on Maho before an NGT48 member, ha. Granted, NGT48 have likely been muzzled I suppose.

 

One thing Maho and her friends have going for them, as soon as they're free of NGT's shackles, they're gonna be bombarded with paid interview requests discussing everything from their own mouths.

 

Rena and Riko are Maho's friends. Maho herself said she often went to Riko's and Riko's mother cried with her after the assault, when NGT mngmnt was just dismissing her with false promises and such. From what I saw, Riko seems to be a younger sister to Maho.
Rena was the one who kept supporting her with Riko, and if I'm not wrong Maho thanked her in one of last mobame.
They are also the girls who cancelled NGT affiliation on their social media accounts after the first (an only?) meeting between NGT mngmnt, members and member's parents and such, the same day Maho's deleted her.
Maybe it was the first time they really thought about graduating.

Maho always, always, protected Team G.