Former Cherry Bullet member Kokoro has spoken out after reports surfaced that she was removed from Japanese girl group ME:I, accusing her agency of serious abuse of power and fabricating claims about her mental health in order to terminate her contract.
In an interview released on January 14th with Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun, Kokoro stated, “The company lied and said I was ill. I want to clear the misunderstandings they created and reclaim my human rights.”
Kokoro debuted in 2019 as a member of Cherry Bullet, but left the group in December of the same year. In 2024, she ranked 11th on Produce 101 Japan The Girls and re‑debuted in April of the same year as a member of ME:I, focusing her activities in Japan. However, before even reaching two years since debut, her exclusive contract with LAPONE GIRLS was terminated.
Japanese outlet Josei Jishin previously reported that Kokoro was dismissed due to repeated “problematic behavior,” claiming she took time off for treatment and rest due to poor health, yet continued to go out without concealing her face, ultimately leading to her removal. Kokoro strongly denied this narrative.
According to Kokoro, the company frequently violated the members’ privacy by conducting sudden weight checks, searching their rooms and refrigerators, and even inspecting trash cans. She said she asked managers to respect their private lives and often acted as a mediator between the members and management because she cared deeply for the team. Kokoro explained that her efforts to resolve even small complaints for the sake of the members may have been viewed by executives as going against company intentions.
She added that since debut, she had almost no days off. At one point, overwhelmed and exhausted, she left a group chat shared by members and managers as a sign she “couldn’t endure it anymore.” Although she remained in the dorm and alternative communication methods existed, the company allegedly treated this incident as evidence of a mental health issue and urged her to see a doctor.
Kokoro said she underwent brief consultations at two Tokyo hospitals 30 minutes at Hospital A and 15 minutes at Hospital B and was told by medical staff that she was fit to continue working. However, on March 24, 2025, company executives allegedly informed her and her mother that both hospitals had diagnosed her with borderline personality disorder, advising her to rest and focus on treatment before returning. Shocked, she agreed at the time.
Four days later, her mother received an email stating that an official notice announcing Kokoro’s suspension from activities would be released. Kokoro said she did not agree with the wording but accepted it because her top priority was returning to the group.
While resting in her hometown of Nagoya, Kokoro continued weekly treatment visits to Tokyo and said she desperately wanted to return to activities. To stay close to music, she went to karaoke alone and wrote songs at home. Doubting the diagnosis, she later visited a hospital in Nagoya, where a doctor reportedly told her that borderline personality disorder could not be diagnosed in such a short consultation time.
When Kokoro relayed this to Hospital B, she claims the doctors were flustered and denied ever making such a diagnosis or informing the company that she was unable to work. Medical records reportedly stated her condition was “good.” After her lawyer inquired further, the hospital responded that a nursing assistant had mistakenly conveyed the diagnosis, allegedly based on statements from a manager claiming Kokoro had “run outside in a frenzy,” “screamed and cried,” and “waved a knife while shouting that she wanted to die.”
Kokoro firmly denied all of these claims, calling them “complete lies.” She said she desperately wanted to return to the team and repeatedly drafted and deleted messages asking when she could resume activities. By July, she had returned to the dorm to prepare for her comeback, but alleged that senior executives entered her room without permission, telling her she was “going crazy” from staying in a dark room. Although one manager promised to help her return, she was eventually informed that contract renewal was impossible.
When she asked for a clear reason, Kokoro said she was only told there were “multiple reasons” and that she had violated company rules something she strongly denied. “I have absolutely no memory of breaking any rules. I never violated them,” she asserted.
Kokoro expressed deep regret that she was never allowed to directly greet fans or properly say goodbye to her fellow members. “I just wanted to show fans that I’m healthy,” she said, adding that she wants to continue repaying the support she has received and will keep trying to return to the stage.
ME:I is a girl group under LAPONE GIRLS, CJ ENM’s Japanese label. The group originally debuted with 11 members but has reorganized into a seven‑member group following the departures of Kokoro, Ran, Shizuku, and Kokona.
Sources: Daum