Interest

Girls Beat!! Idol Group Halts Shows After Warrant is Issued For Member's Yakuza Husband

Former Morning Musume member Ai Kago's newest idol group Girls Beat!! has hit a snag. Kago, Ryona Himeno, and Kita Remi's idol activities are on hold after the Tokyo Metropolitan Police issued a warrant for Kago's husband. The warrant alleges Kago's husband is a criminal loanshark and lent 2.5 million yen (about US$23,141) to one individual. Besides the loanshark claims, Kago's husband is also a known member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza (organized crime) family.

Girls Beat formed in July of this year and the group was holding auditions for new members and taking votes on song lyrics for their next release before news broke. The girls' agency is currently reviewing whether to move forward or possibly disband the group. It's unfortunate, as the girls all look like they worked hard for their debut. Each member planned to bring one unique talent to the group including tap (Kago), baton work (Remi), and beatbox (Himeno).

Kago's idol career has been continually troubled since her time in Morning Musume. She was formally dropped by Hello! Project after the media published pictures of her smoking while underage and visiting a hot spring with an older man. Her past boyfriend, another Yamaguchi-gumi member, was arrested in 2011. Kago was brought in for questioning in relation to the arrest and attempted suicide five days later.

Thanks to mdo7 for the news tip

[Via JPop Asia, Arama! Japan]