Ichiki Kyoka has announced that she will be graduating from both E-Girls and FLOWER, as well as retiring from the entertainment industry.

According to Ichiki, she has reflected upon the idea of leaving the entertainment industry to live a life of a regular person. This means that FLOWER will continue as a 6 member group with Washio Reina taking the reigns for vocals.

While it’s sad to see a member leave it’s always an interesting decision that not many understand. Sure, you’re leaving fans who have supported you in all your performances, but sometimes it does seem like a bit overwhelming for the average person so it’s understandable.

Regardless, fans will definitely have the previous releases to enjoy material with her. It will be interesting to see how it will go from now on since the group will have a few changes here and there to accomodate the smaller group size.

Good luck Ichiki Kyoka!