Momoka Ito of the idol group "AKB48" held a press conference to celebrate the release of her first photo book, "Hyakka Zukan." (Kobunsha), in Tokyo on December 11th. She looked back on the 20th anniversary concert in which she performed with former AKB48 members Atsuko Maeda, Minami Takahashi, Yuko Oshima, and others, and spoke about her thoughts on participating in the "76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen" on New Year's Eve.
Ito is 22 years old, born on December 6th, 2003. She joined the group as a member of the 19th generation in March last year, and it was just announced on December 4th that she would be promoted from trainee to regular member. She is attracting attention as a next-generation ace, having been the center for the title song of the group's 67th single (to be released on February 25th, 2026).
AKB48 held a 20th anniversary concert at Nippon Budokan (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) from December 4th to 7th. On the final day, they performed with 135 alumni, including Maeda. Looking back on the Budokan performance, Ito said, "I felt a variety of emotions," and added with a smile, "There were many people who came to see the alumni, so I felt a lot of regret, but I think that being able to perform with them at this time was a great asset. I'm looking forward to using this experience in my future activities."
They are also scheduled to appear on the 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen on New Year's Eve with their former members. This will be AKB48's first appearance on Kouhaku in about six years, and they commented enthusiastically, "With the help of all the former members, we have been given this wonderful opportunity to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We're sure we still can't reach this stage with just our own efforts. That's why we want to make the most of this opportunity, and do our best to deliver our charm to as many people as possible."
Regarding the growing attention being paid to the group, she said, "When I look at social media, I often see people say, 'I don't know anything about AKB48 right now,' and it makes me feel frustrated. My first goal is to get as many people as possible to know about us." The photobook is in two parts: a gravure section and a reading section consisting of a long interview. B5 variant, 80 pages. 2,750 yen.
