AKB48 sister group member criticizes probe into assault on her as 'lies'

Mar 23, 2019 | News On Japan

Mar 23, 2019 (Japan Today) - A member of a sister group of the popular all-girl band AKB48 on Friday criticized the outcome of a probe into an assault against her as "lies," as the group's management company revealed the result.

The management company AKS said an investigation launched after Maho Yamaguchi, a 23-year-old member of NGT48, was grabbed by the face by two men at her home in December, found no evidence of the involvement of any member of the group.

But Yamaguchi said Friday in a Twitter post that there are members who admitted to having private connections with the attackers.

"Why do they continue telling lies," she wrote in the post while company officials were speaking at a press conference for the investigation. "I'm really sad."

Maiko Hayakawa, manager of the theater for the Niigata-based group, said at the press conference that Yamaguchi complained about the conclusion of the investigation because it did not reflect her opinions.

But AKS will seek to "move forward and continue activities with her for NGT," while it will continue to discuss the matter with her, Hayakawa said.

Yamaguchi said in the post that the company had told her that if it found anyone having personal links to fans it would dismiss them all and she had high hopes of the investigation.

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