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| Tomomi Itano Leaves Horipro After 19 Years, Former AKB48 Star Says She Wants To ‘Move Forward On Her Own’. (Credits: Instagram Tomochin) |
Tomomi Itano is officially stepping into a completely new era. The former AKB48 original member announced that she has left talent agency Horipro after 19 years, ending one of the longest-running idol-agency relationships from the golden age of the 48-group boom.
For many fans who grew up watching early AKB48 chaos unfold on television, the news felt a bit like hearing your favourite school café suddenly shut down — unexpected, emotional, and slightly impossible to process at first.
The 34-year-old actress, singer and television personality revealed the decision through a heartfelt statement posted on Instagram on Wednesday, confirming that she will now continue her entertainment career independently.
Tomomi Itano explained that reaching her 20th anniversary in the industry last year pushed her to seriously reflect on her future, her personal goals and the kind of life she wants moving forward.
In her statement, Tomomi Itano thanked Horipro for supporting her since she was just 15 years old, describing the agency as a place that watched over her “like family”.
She admitted she still feels nervous about standing on her own, but said the excitement of trying something new became stronger than the fear of leaving the comfort of a major agency behind.
After nearly two decades inside Japan’s entertainment machine, she appears ready to test what life looks like without the training wheels attached.
Fans quickly noticed how unusually sincere and calm her announcement sounded compared with the dramatic “agency exit scandals” that often dominate entertainment headlines.
There was no cryptic wording, no suspicious tension, and thankfully no “we ask for your continued support during this difficult time” corporate language that usually sends the internet into detective mode. Instead, Itano’s message came across as reflective, mature and surprisingly warm.
For longtime followers, the timing also feels symbolic. Tomomi Itano debuted as one of AKB48’s original members in 2005 and helped shape the group during its earliest years before the massive nationwide explosion that turned the franchise into a cultural phenomenon.
She featured prominently in breakthrough tracks including “Aitakatta” and later launched her solo music career with “Dear J” in 2011.
When she graduated from AKB48 in 2013, many assumed her connection with Horipro would remain permanent simply because the agency had become part of her public identity for so long.
Online reactions have been mixed in the most internet way possible. Many fans praised Itano for choosing independence at a stage in life where several former idols prefer stability, calling her decision “brave”, “refreshingly honest” and “very Tomochin-coded”.
Others joked that former AKB48 members are now entering their “CEO era”, with some wondering whether she may eventually launch her own fashion, beauty or lifestyle brand full-time.
A few netizens also admitted the announcement made them feel painfully aware of time passing, with comments along the lines of, “Tomochin is 34 and independent now? We are officially old.”
Some Japanese fans also pointed out how rare it is for an ex-idol to publicly speak so positively about an agency departure. In an industry where exits are often wrapped in vague wording and carefully managed silence, Tomomi Itano openly calling Horipro “family” stood out.
Several comments praised both sides for seemingly ending the partnership on good terms rather than turning it into another exhausting entertainment-industry guessing game.
Away from music and television, Tomomi Itano has also built a quieter but steady image as a public figure balancing entertainment work and family life. She married Tokyo Yakult Swallows pitcher Keiji Takahashi in 2021 and later welcomed their daughter the same year.
That personal growth appears to have influenced her recent reflections as she considers what the next chapter of her career should look like beyond the idol label many people still attach to her.
Whether this move leads to more acting projects, fashion ventures, music releases or something completely unexpected, one thing is clear: Tomomi Itano no longer wants to stay frozen as a nostalgic AKB48 memory from the late 2000s.
She wants evolution, even if it comes with uncertainty. And honestly, after surviving the chaotic early idol era, endless variety shows, tabloids, handshake events and internet scrutiny for nearly twenty years, going independent probably feels less terrifying than surviving peak AKB48 schedules ever did.
Now fans are watching closely to see what comes next for Tomomi Itano in this post-Horipro era. Will independence give her more creative freedom? Could a music comeback finally happen? Or is this the beginning of an entirely different career path nobody saw coming?