Idol Rio Kitagawa Admits Secret Account Where She Spoke Badly About Her Fellow Members Is Hers

On April 14, idol Rio Kitagawa, a popular member of the group Morning Musume ’25, published an apology on the official 15th generation blog. The reason: confirmation that screenshots from a secret social media account circulating online were real.

Idol Rio Kitagawa Admits Secret Account Where She Spoke Badly About Her Fellow Members Is Hers

Kitagawa publicly admitted that the posts were written by her around two years ago, as a way to vent to friends about daily life and work.
“Everything that’s being shared was really written by me,” she said. She expressed deep regret over her actions:

“My immature behavior hurt group members and fans. I am deeply sorry.”

Posts Criticized Group Members

The leaked content included criticism of fellow members like Maria Makino and Erina Ikuta, the current group leader. In one post, Kitagawa mocked Makino’s hairstyle, saying it was “scary” to see her on the train with her famous twin tails. In another, she complained about getting hurt due to Makino’s exaggerated dance moves.

Let’s take a look at what she actually said on her secret account. There were a lot of complaints about leader Erina Ikuta:

• “‘Ikuta-senpai who didn’t say good morning to me again today.’”

• “During the Buzz Rhythm (music show) shoot, I called Ikuta out for being rude when I said ‘good morning.’ Even the host, Bakary-san, heard it and said something like ‘that’s too much,’ so I thought she’d change after that. But today she was even worse. When I said ‘good morning,’ she gave me a disgusted look, like ‘Who do you think you are, the emperor?’ Get over yourself. You’re useless anyway.”

• “Seriously, can Ikuta just hurry up and leave already?—26 years old and whether on a plane or the bullet train, she takes her shoes off and puts her feet on the seat.”

• “Please, can Ikuta just leave already?”

She also mocked Makino Maria’s hairstyle, comparing her sarcastically to Xiao Xiao.

• “Makino getting on the train with twin tails was scary. Is she trying to be Xiaoxiao or something?”

And complained about getting injured because of her:

• “The mic hit me hard because of stupid Makino’s over-the-top dancing and I got injured.”

Okamura Homare also got a few minor complaints individually:

• “I was supposed to be interviewed at 5pm, but somehow Homare was already doing it first lol. I’m the busiest, so just hurry up and finish it.”

…but the biggest resentment was about her duo with Yamazaki Mei.

• “[Censored] isn’t even done yet, and I have to wake up in five and a half hours. This is seriously killing me. It’s always ‘Homamei, Homamei’ (nickname for the pair of the two members), so why don’t just the two of you go do it already.”

There were also some random and funny comments:

• “This always happens in Morning Musume: someone wears a cute dress but then ruins it with tacky socks. I seriously don’t understand what kind of fashion sense leads to that. Just wear plain white socks and you’re halfway there.”

“Looks like we’re going to Disney at 7 a.m. tomorrow. I’m dying.”

Fans React with Mixed Opinions

Despite the criticism, many fans pointed out that even in her rants, Kitagawa didn’t speak badly about the fans. This led to positive comments on social media like:

• “She only complained about work, not about the fans. That shows character.”
• “No heavy insults or personal attacks. Just everyday frustrations.”

Some fans even expressed empathy, noting that everyone complains about coworkers or work at some point, and the real mistake was the unauthorized exposure made by someone close to her.

Kitagawa now faces the challenge of regaining the trust of her fellow members and maintaining support from fans. The situation serves as a warning about the importance of discretion and privacy—especially in the idol world.

via Você Sabia Anime