Mei Hanada is a Japanese former idol best known as a 19th-generation member of AKB48. She joined the group in 2024 and quickly gained attention for her cheerful personality, strong fan interactions, and energetic performances, earning recognition as one of the promising members of her generation. During her time in AKB48, she participated in concerts, theater performances, and music releases while steadily growing her popularity. In 2026, her career became overshadowed by controversy after AKB48's management terminated her contract, alleging repeated unauthorized private contact with a fan and other breaches of group rules. Hanada acknowledged inappropriate contact with a fan but disputed parts of the management's account, alleging she had been pressured to shave her head as a gesture of apology—an accusation the agency denied. The highly publicized dispute, which included her appearing with a shaved head in a video statement, became one of the most discussed scandals in AKB48's recent history and marked the group's first reported contract termination of a member.

Name

Hanada Mei

Nicknames

Meimei,めいめい

Date of Birth

Jun 5, 2005

Age

21 Years, 3 Months, 26 Days

Zodiac Sign

Gemini

Birth Place

Kanagawa / 神奈川県, Japan

Birth Town

Kanagawa

Birth Country

JP

Origins

JP

Years Active

2 Years, 3 Months, 8 Days

• 

  AKB48

  Mar 2024 - Jun 2026

  Graduated