Yui Imaizumi’s confession: “My goal is to be Nozomi Tsuji!　My child led me to a world where I can be myself

Six and a half years since graduating from “Keyakizaka46”
What sparked Yui Imaizumi’s return to the entertainment world after two and a half years — and the determination behind it

 

I want to show my child the cool side of me—one more time.

“I will never retire again!”

With her large, expressive eyes fixed on the reporter, Yui Imaizumi (26) made that vow with conviction.

Imaizumi debuted in 2015 as a first-generation member of the idol group Keyakizaka46 and quickly rose in popularity as one of its central figures. After graduating from the group in 2018, she shifted her focus to acting. But in 2022, she suddenly announced her withdrawal from the entertainment industry.

Now, this spring, she has returned to the spotlight after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus. When asked what led to her comeback, she chuckled shyly before speaking slowly.

“My honest thought when I decided to return was, ‘Well, I can never retire again now, huh?’ (laughs). If I left again, I’d probably get labeled as someone who’s always quitting, and then no one would want to support me anymore. And to be completely honest, leaving the industry didn’t actually ease my mind like I thought it would.”

Her first job after returning was Yui Imaizumi’s Big Comeback Special: “Sorry to Keep You Waiting!” by Otenki Nori on SBS Radio. The program featured Nori (46), a comedian from the trio Otenki and a well-known radio host. Their lively banter was so well received that the show was picked up as a regular program starting May 3.

Imaizumi credits Nori for helping her feel comfortable on air and bring out her natural charm.

“We’d worked together before I stepped away, on Bunka Housou’s ‘Rekomen!’ I was shaking with nerves at the first recording after it became a regular show. But having Nori-san next to me helped ease my anxiety, and I started having fun. There was this casual moment during the show when I thought, ‘I’m really back,’ and I genuinely felt happy that I chose to return.”

But what drove her to leave the industry in the first place? Behind that decision was a deep desire to protect her child.

“A weekly magazine published photos of me and my child. I can tolerate being photographed—that comes with the job. But seeing my child subjected to that kind of attention. I just couldn’t let that slide.

Reading that article and seeing our photos made me realize, ‘If I continue working in entertainment like this, I won’t be able to protect my child.’ That’s when I decided to walk away.”

The decision to do what I love

Even after retiring, the relentless attention from the media didn’t stop. Despite moving homes, her location would leak, and she sometimes spotted people near her residence who appeared to be reporters.

“Even after I left the industry and became just an ordinary person, if I saw an unfamiliar car parked outside my house, I’d immediately tense up—wondering if it was another journalist. I was constantly living in fear of something I couldn’t even see.”

Imaizumi had stepped away from the spotlight to protect her child. Yet ironically, it was that very child who played a major role in her decision to return.

“I was attending a friend’s wedding when they played one of my solo songs from my idol days. My child heard it and said, ‘That’s mommy’s song! Mommy, you’re amazing!’—and that just made me so happy. I often sing my old songs at karaoke, and my child has said things like, ‘Mommy, you were on TV, right?’ Hearing things like that made me want to show them a cooler version of myself again.”

She continued,

“It also felt like such a waste—to keep being afraid of the media even after leaving the industry. If I was going to feel the same fear whether I was in entertainment or not, then I figured I might as well do what I love. It helped, too, that my parents offered to support me with childcare.”

New goals

Along with resuming her entertainment career, Yui Imaizumi has found a new goal—one that was born from the inconveniences she personally experienced while raising her child.

“I want to open a café with an attached daycare,” she shared. “Since having my child, I haven’t had a single moment to just relax and enjoy a cup of tea. I want to create a place where moms can feel at ease and spend time comfortably. It’s something I wished I had myself—so I thought, if I could be the one to make that space, it would be really special.”

Now moving forward both as a mother and as a talent, Imaizumi says she has a role model she looks up to.

“I’ve always loved Nozomi Tsuji (37), a former member of Morning Musume. She was the reason I first dreamed of becoming an idol. As a mom who’s successfully balanced childcare with a career in entertainment, she’s someone I truly admire. I never miss her YouTube videos, and I even use her dinner recipes for reference. I’m doing my best with each job I take on, hoping that one day I can become someone like her.”

Judging by the fulfilled and radiant expression on her face, it seems a second retirement isn’t on the horizon anytime soon.

From the June 20, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”