According to a recent entry on Tsunku’s blog Kamei Eri, Jun Jun, and Lin Lin will graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project.
Kamei Eri will graduate due to a skin condition problem which she has had for some time and after talking with doctors she has decided to graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project to take care of it. Jun Jun and Lin Lin will go into preparatory periods after their graduations to continue their singing and talent careers in China.
To say that I am surprised is an understatement since I didn’t expect to have to worry about graduations until the start of the next tour, but it seems that Tsunku wanted to announce them as soon as possible so that fans could prepare.
Kamei’s reason for graduating is understandable since she wants to take care of her skin condition (according to some fans she has Atopic Dermatitis), and even though it is sad to see her go from Momusu I am glad to see that she is taking her health as a priority.
Jun Jun and Lin Lin on the other hand don’t really have a clear reason for graduating but it seems that Tsunku decided that they will benefit more if they graduated from Momusu and concentrate in singing careers in China, and since he obviously has plans for them already it is somewhat of a consolation to see that they will continue to be active.
I am still shocked at the news since it was somewhat too sudden, but hopefully in the coming days we get more information about the details.
They will graduate at the end of Morning Musume’s Rival Survival concert tour.
I will update with more as soon as I find out.
Tsunku’s Post About Kamei, Jun Jun and Lin Lin Graduating
EDIT: The media has already released more information about the announcement of the graduation of Kamei, Jun Jun and Lin Lin as well as heartbreaking pictures of all the members in tears:
A translation of the official statement that Tsunku made in his blog has also been released:
Big announcement from the Morning Musume。
About the graduation of Eri Kamei, 6th generation member
Eri Kamei came to me several times regarding her health condition. One time, she said to me : “I would like to find the time to cure the atopic dermatitis that I’m suffering from”. Since the time she joined the Morning Musume。, it looks like she was dealing with symptoms like itching and slight skin color changes. She took medication to calm the symptoms down and she also used make-up to cover it but during live concerts, there is a lot of sweat and many outfits to put on, which made her recovery very difficult.
Some may say it is “just a skin problem” but according to doctors, an external problem like skin problem may move to an internal level. It may as well have an impact on her spirit, her mental level. Also, for her, it is a serious thing so she decided to focus on her recovery instead of letting it continue. Eri Kamei will graduate from the Morning Musume。 and the Hello! Project on the last day of the Morning Musume。Autumn 2010 concert tour. As for her activities after that, I intend to discuss with her after her full recovery.
About the graduation of Jun Jun and Lin Lin, 8th generation members (foreign students)
In May 2005, both of them joined the Morning Musume。as foreign students and today, while being skilled singers and entertainers, they also greatly improved their japanese proficiency and they are now grown-up women. This is why I took the decision to graduate both of them at the same time as Eri Kamei on the last day of the Morning Musume。Autumn 2010 concert tour. After graduation, they will enter a period of preparation before focusing on their singers and entertainer career in China.
August 8th 2010
Morning Musume。 Producer
Tsunku♂
Official Translation of Tsunku’s Comments
EDIT 2: Official statements by the girls have been released on Morning Musume’s Myspace blog:
Eri Kamei
As Tsunku♂ said, I will graduate on the last day of the Autumn 2010 Tour from the Morning Musume。 to focus on my health. It is my decision but let me reassure you, my condition is not that serious. I just wanted to focus on my recovery for a while because lately, I was thinking a lot about how I could become a pretty woman. I took this decision with that in mind.
But I really love to do concerts so today and until the Autumn Tour, I am counting on you to sing, dance and have fun with me.
Thank you for your continued support.
Jun Jun
Since I came to Japan, I did and I learned so many things. Thank you so much.
But what really made me happy was to meet all of you, I am so thankful for this.
With this emotion in my heart, I want to make more and more happy memories with you. Until my graduation at the end of Morning Musume。 Autumn Tour, I intend to sing with all my heart.
Thank you for your support until the very last day. Thank you all.
Lin Lin
Since I first joined the Hello! Project Egg and then the Morning Musume。, I was so happy every single day. Of course, I sometimes missed my home but thanks to everyone around me and all of your support, I now feel that Japan and the Hello! Project is like my home.
During the Autumn Tour, I intend to sing with everything I got so I count on your support and I hope to see you there.
Wo Ai Ni.
Here is audio of the announcement:
Video uploaded by: suzukiairii
Hello!SayuNii 
I was staring to cry!!
And my Mum asked me why and i can´t stop crying 4 years and now new members?? NOOOO!!!!!
Now the Songs are diffrent because the Audition is for 10-17
When a 13 year old Kid were in MoMusu the must change their style but i think it´s ok
If I remember correctly Goto joined when she was 13 (Kago joined when she was 12, Ai-chan when she was 15, Reina when she was 13, etc), and most of H!P did also so I doubt it will change their sound ^_^
Tsunku should just add Mano Erina to the MM lineup.
Gonna miss Kamei’s random jokes and funny impersonations..
and hopefully GakiKame’s radio show will continue. :)
I seriously doubt he will XD
Gakikame’s show will continue but only until she graduates, then she will focus her time on getting better to make a comeback ^_^
I thought over for the past 2 nights, maybe i didnt felt it too hard when koha graduated, but when ur fav member graduates, there is certainly that feeling of emptiness. Everyone cant blame Kamei its her decision and we all have to respect that. Probably when u really admire someone and to see that person go u would feel a greater pain. But MM has to really move on, just like family members migrating to another country, they just have to move on with life. Really hope everyone can understand that this is the reality of life, people come, people go.
will this be the first time in Momosu history than 3 members leave at the same time? That would be a first.
Yes, it is the first time that 3 members graduate at the same time.
The biggest graduation apart from this one was the one for Kago and Tsuji, so it is also the largest graduation to date (apart from the OG graduation concert last year).
oh shit….
NO! no, no, no. please. Takahashi Ai is the only real Morning Musume left. I felt like JunJun was mature and funny, and LL and Kamei too!
shit
nooo!!!!!!!!!!! i still wondering about gakikame
will there still be that
also i might audition i dont knw yet
ohhh mixed emotions, i guess! But life goes on, and so are they! Life is beautiful, and so are Morning Musume!
Now GuruGuru Jump will never be the same :(
Does anyone know where I can purchase tickets
to this concert? Online? Please Help!
I have heard a lot about Yahoo.jp auctions, but I am not that sure how to buy from the site. I would suggest you ask around on forums such as H!O or Musume Central since there are many members there who might be attending and know for sure the procedures for buying them ^_^
What I do know for sure is that tickets will be very costly, for example I have seen prices for some of the tickets reach well over 100,000 Yen (about $1000), so I would suggest you buy them as soon as possible since prices will rise.
Sorry I wasn’t of much help ^_^;
I found a picture of Kame’s chest/neck, You can see the skin a little red :[
http:// s991 .photobucket. com/albums/af36/pce14/?action=view¤t=eri.jpg&newest=1
*Remove spaces*
During the Japan Expo in France, Kamei had some red blotches on around her neck and face that were were very visible. I hope it will not get any worse…:|
Yeah, I guess that’s why she needs to take some time off. It will continue to get worse with the stressful work, especially live performances (makeup, lights, sweat, numerous costume changes, etc.) I’m sad to see her go but I would never want one of my favorite idols to do anything harmful to themselves. Hopefully, she can get some rest, treat the symptoms, and have the condition improve some. Although, it seems that it won’t ever fully go away.