Tsugunaga Momoko has graduated from Country Girls & H!P (6/30)

[Sohee]

Very surprising.

But I'm very excited to see how things will change.
As per usual, I'm really glad that these girls are with UF where the girls' studies and so on is prioritized.

[Daisuki Daiiyo]

I'm really excited about this. It's like Country Musume ni [someone], but in reverse! I kind of wish Yamaki and Ozeki could've participated, since Ozeki on loan to Juju or Momusu would've been wonderful. I'm glad that UF is respectful of their wishes to focus on school though.

I think it's a cool idea for the 20th anniversary to have the original transfer member group, go out and participate in activities with others, but can also understand the apprehension the girls have. I don't think H!P fans are so fickle that we would be upset about a CG member ~ruining~ a group. My main concern is that the members that did agree to transfer, aren't really stand outs imo (save for new center Chisaki), so if they're transferred to a big group like MM/Angerme/Tsubaki, they would just get lost.

[Jessi]

This threw me into all sorts of a loop yesterday. I'm not happy the group is essentially disbanding (Except it's not?) but this transfer system is really unprecendented and for that it's kind of exciting. Of course it's easier for me to accept because Country Girls is cursed and these kind of things just seem to happen to them. If it were any other group I would be pretty upset. I also was under the assumption that the three girls would stay together, but momokos blog post hints otherwise, so now I'm thinking the three groups getting a girl are MM/Kobushi/Angerme because these groups are losing a girl in the next few months (assuming Maho doesn't return)

[Denki]

So far, Morning Musume, ANGERME and Juice=Juice have said they're willing to accept a transfer member.

But man, a lot of people don't like the decision. Momochi, Yamaki, Morito, Dawa, Karin, Katsuta, etc.

[Jessi]

I just can't see Juice=Juice accepting a member. It's been a very stagnant group since debut at least and they have a more mature vibe that would really be shaken up by adding one of the three girls.

[Denki]

Out of the three, I think Chisaki would fit Juice=Juice best. She's not at the main singer's level, but she can help them in the dance department. Plus, she doesn't have a child-like image like both YanaFuna.

[Amped]

if all three participated in MM, Harunan will never leave because of Chisaki, Akane will be reunited with Musubu, and Yokoyama will be saxophone rivals with Yanagawa.

[Amped]

Country Girls posted their full statements and feelings on their blogs about their decisions

Funaki Musubu
http://ameblo.jp/countrygirls/entry-12282422069.html

Chisaki's decision.
http://ameblo.jp/countrygirls/entry-12282423628.html

Yanagawa's decision
http://ameblo.jp/countrygirls/entry-12282422411.html

Yamaki's decision
http://ameblo.jp/countrygirls/entry-12282424636.html

Ozeki's decision
http://ameblo.jp/countrygirls/entry-12282423408.html

translated

Funaki
http://blog-project.net/funaki-musubu/258485

Chisaki
http://blog-project.net/morito-chisaki/258493

Yanagawa
http://blog-project.net/yanagawa-nanami/258498

Yamaki
http://blog-project.net/yamaki-risa/258479

Ozeki
http://blog-project.net/ozeki-mai/258504

What I can do is、
Burn the sight of the last performance by the 6 members of Country Girls on the 30th of June、
And、 warmly welcome any member that transfers into Juice=Juice、
And in order to make them glad that they transferred to Juice=Juice、
The only thing we can do as members is to put our strengths together and pump up the group。

http://blog-project.net/miyamoto-karin/258510

[Amped]

Satoda Mai doesn't say much and repeats what everyone has said already. No matter what, Country Girls is going to continue on.
http://ameblo.jp/satodamai/entry-12282610342.html
http://blog-project.net/special-translations/258524

Maimi

An announcement was made yesterday。
Concerning the future of Country Girls、


After the graduation of Playing Manager Tsugunaga Momoko、


Morito Chisaki、 Yanagawa Nanami、 Funaki Musubu、
The 3 of them will maintain concurrent positions with Country Girls、while being attached to different Hello！ Project groups。

And Yamaki Risa and Ozeki Mai will continue on with Country Girls activities while focusing mainly on their studies。


When I heard about the new structure、 it came as a real surprise、 but it was a decision made after the office had discussions with each of the members。


I may not know in detail about how the discussions went、


But there have been many members who have graduated in order to focus on their studies、 which I find really disheartening。


Even though I would have liked to see how their futures would have been like as idols、、、 What a waste、、、。
But it’s their life、 and if that was the path they themselves picked after sorting through the conflicts、 then I should support them！

I’ve thought that、 many times over。


During the student years、 the hardest thing is to
Balance studies and activities、
And girls who have difficulties maintaining the balance would have to pick one。


So with that、 I think that on the company’s side、 they considered a new form that would allow studies to take a preference while letting the girls continue on without graduating。


Having accepted that proposal、 all of them、 as members of Country Girls、 must not have wanted to wreck what had been built up so far！

Perhaps they’re thinking that with what Momochi-senpai has left behind、 they want Country Girls to remain、 regardless of the form！？？

At least、 that’s what I think。


I think that there are people who’ll think
「They’ll neglect their Country Girls activities、 and the group will end up being half-baked、、、。」
Or、
「When the 2 of them succesfully graduate from school and are able to focus fully on activities、 what’s going to happen after that？」


But for those girls、 Country Girls is where they started their activities！
Since they made the decision to remain、 when the time comes for them to be Country Girls、 I think they’ll pack it with everything they’ve got、

When the time comes、 I think that they’ll discuss it with the office、 they’ll think about their future in their own way、 and come up with an answer。


The group continues to exist、 so it’ll broaden their potential as Country Girls way way in the future、


Since that potential still remains、
It gives me comfort、 I can still keep my hopes up。


It must have come as a truly huge shock to all of you、 but please support and warmly watch over the girls as they work hard in the new structure。

http://blog-project.net/yajima-maimi/258528

[Amped]

Momochi interviewed by Sakigake! Music, her favorite memory on the show is when she got a "Momo Attack" by DJ Kaori


Momochi shows where the place she is graduating (Aoyama open air venue - temporary parking lot near the Fuji TV station)