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Berryz Koubou Member Momoko Tsugunaga Joins Revived Country Musume Unit
posted on by Sarah Nelkin
Hello! Project group Country Musume announced on Wednesday that it is changing the name of the unit to Country Girls. The idol group began collecting applications for new members in February.
The group will restart activities with Berryz Koubou member Momoko Tsugunaga (not shown in the photo above, 22 years old), Hello! Pro students Manaka Inaba (seen second from left, 16 years old) and Risa Yamaki (far right, 17 years old), as well as Morning Musume 12th season audition participants Mai Ozeki (second from right, 12 years old), Uta Shimamura (third from right, 14 years old), and Chisaki Morito (third from left, 14 years old), along with remaining member Mai Satōta (far left, 30 years old. Further details about the group will be announced during the "Hello! Station" program on Hello! Pro's official website, which will begin at 9 p.m. JST on Wednesday.
Berryz Kobo had announced that it would be going on indefinite hiatus this spring. About being in the new unit, Tsugunaga commented, saying, "Country Girls is filled with lots of colors. I'll try and make sure it isn't dyed just one color. (laughs) I'll do my best using my experience during my time with Berryz Koubou!" Hello! Project also noted that Tsugunaga's participation in the group will only begin after Berryz Koubou has begun their hiatus.
Country Musume had once housed the members Hiromi Yanagihara, leader Azusa Kobayashi, Rinne Toda, Asami Kimura, and Miuna Saito. Yanagihara passed away in a traffic accident while working on talent Yoshitake Tanaka's farm as training in 1999 at the age of 19. Kobayashi withdrew from the unit soon after, while Toda graduated from the unit in 2002, and Kimura and Saito followed suit in 2007.
Berryz Koubou has performed theme songs for Inazuma Eleven and Patalliro Saiyuki, as well as the main theme song for the Futari wa Precure Max Heart 2: Yukizora no Tomodachi feature film.
Update: Errors fixed. Thanks, Nayoko-Kihara.
Souce: Natalie via Hachima Kikō
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history