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Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku Idols Cancel Events After Rina Matsuno's Passing

The official website for the Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku idol group announced on Friday that the group has suspended multiple events following the passing of member Rina Matsuno on Wednesday.

The group's February 18 "one man live" event in Taiwan and the subsequent tour have been suspended, and the website will update with ticket refund information. A February 25 fan club member-exclusive event has also been suspended, though it has been replaced with a farewell ceremony for Matsuno. The ceremony will take place at the Pacifico Yokohama, and anyone is free to attend.

A March 4 "Plum Festival" talk show event in Ogose, Saitama is still tentatively scheduled, but the related campaign offering a chance to win a CD with a special jacket is cancelled.

Matsuno's agency also announced on Friday that the 18-year-old's likely cause of death was a fatal arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm).

Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku announced on Tuesday that Matsuno would not appear at a concert on that day due to her health issue. Sources close to Matsuno said that she was recuperating at her home when her condition took a turn for the worse early Wednesday morning. Her parents phoned emergency medical services at around 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday. An ambulance took her to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The 18-year-old idol was born in Tokyo on July 16, 1998, and she was scouted for the entertainment industry when she was in first grade. She made appearances with her idol group in various commercials and modeled in fashion magazines. She also acted in live-action films such as Joker Game Escape, where she starred alongside former Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku member Hirono Suzuki.

Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, which operates as a "little sister group" to Momoiro Clover Z, formed in 2009 and made its major debut in 2012. The eight-member group has performed theme songs for such anime as Naruto Spin-Off: Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals, Pokémon: Black and White: Rival Destinies, Pikachu to Eevee Friends, and Nanana's Buried Treasure.

Source: Oricon via Hachima Kikō