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 shared memories of her time with fellow AKB48 seniors Yuko Oshima and Minami Takahashi, with whom she performed at the group's 20th anniversary concert held this month.
AKB48 held a 20th anniversary concert at Nippon Budokan (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) from December 4th to 7th. The appearance of former members such as Oshima and Takahashi attracted much attention. Ito said with a smile, "There were many people who came to see the former members, so I felt a lot of regret, but I think that being able to perform together at this time was a great asset. I'm looking forward to making use of this experience in my future activities!"
She beamed and said, "I was so happy" to be able to meet Oshima Yuko, who has been a big fan of hers since elementary school. "I performed 'Nami-nori Kakigori' by Oshima's unit Not yet on a day when Oshima wasn't performing, but to my surprise, she saw it! What's more, when she performed herself, she mentioned my name on stage, which was such an amazing response that I was stunned and speechless. My respect for her has grown, and I love her even more now!" she said excitedly.
Ito celebrated her 22nd birthday on December 6th during the 20th anniversary concert. "As soon as I met Takahashi Minami, she said to me, 'Today is your birthday, right?' I was so surprised that she even remembered my birthday!" she said with emotion.
Ito was 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).
