Maimi makes an announcement about the future of Hello! Project and her part in it in her October 8th update “Important announcement“. Full translation below.

Good afternoon
It’s Maimi

I think there are people who already know from this morning’s news,

but in New York, Hello! Project’s leader, Morning Musume。’14’s Michishige Sayumi-san, made an announcement,

and after Michishige-san graduates from Hello! Project at the tour finale on November 26th,

I, ℃-ute’s Yajima Maimi, will become the new leader of Hello! Project.

It will be the first time the leader of Hello! Project has come from a group outside of Morning Musume。,

new members will be joining Morning Musume。’14,
Berryz Koubou will be suspending their activities in the spring,
and S/mileage will be changing their name and getting a 3rd generation of members…

As expected, I can feel the weight of the responsibility of being the leader of Hello! Project while it goes through these big changes!

So that I can bring together Hello! Project like the many leaders before alongside the other members of ℃-ute and the eldest group Berryz Koubou before they suspend their activities,

and then, so that I can liven up a new Hello! Project along with all of its members,

 

I will perform the role of leader with all my might

 

When I become Hello! Project leader it will be my responsibility to lead the pre-concert cheer,

and until Berryz Koubou suspends their activities,
I want to do it together with their captain, Shimizu Saki-chan…

 

During times when we’ve been worried and confused, Saki and I have cooperated as both the captain and leader of our groups and as contemporaries.

Surely Saki would be the next leader of Hello! Project if Berryz Koubou wasn’t suspending their activities, and I have respect for her as a captain,

 

so even though I’ll become the leader of Hello! Project,

I hope the 2 of us can unify Hello! Project together until next spring!

Tsugunaga Momoko-chan, who is the same age, also wrote on her blog
“Let’s work hard together“, and it’s really reassuring!

Thanks…

 

And then, I want to treasure my remaining time together with Michishige-san and learn from her how to be the leader.

 

Everyone, please continue to warmly watch over Hello! Project and passionately cheer for us!

Thank you!