is a Japanese singer, actress, and television personality. She joined the girl group Morning Musume in 1998 as a second generation member and was the leader of subgroups within Hello! Project, such as Mini-Moni, Morning Musume Sakuragumi, and ZYX. After leaving Morning Musume in 2005, Yaguchi has continued to appear on television in dramas and variety shows. Career 1998-2005: Morning Musume Yaguchi became a member of Japanese idol girl group Morning Musume during the second generation auditions in 1998. In 1998, she also became a member of Tanpopo, one of Morning Musume's sub-groups. During her time with Morning Musume, her solo line "Sexy Beam" from their 2000 single "Koi no Dance Site" became a media phenomenon and became closely associated with her. In late 2000, Yaguchi founded Mini-Moni, a sub-group of Morning Musume and Coconuts Musume featuring members who are 150 cms. and shorter, as their leader. She left the group in 2002 after the release of Mini-Moni the Movie: Okashi na Daibōken!, which explained a fictional account behind her reasons for leaving. In 2003, she participated in the girl groups ZYX, Romans, and Morning Musume Sakuragumi. Yaguchi abruptly resigned from Morning Musume in April 2005 after her relationship with Shun Oguri went public in the media, stating that the incident affected her ability to uphold the group's idol image, as the members were not allowed to date. Afterwards, Yaguchi began to focus on acting and hosting variety shows. 2005-2009: Solo career Yaguchi's first solo recording, "Nigiyaka na Fuyu," a collaboration with Berryz Kobo, appears as the coupling track on Berryz Kobo's November 2005 single "Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai" for Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart the Movie 2: Friends of the Snow-Laden Sky. She and Berryz Kobo member Saki Shimizu made cameos in the film. Yaguchi starred in the Japanese drama series along with fellow Hello! Project member Mai Hagiwara. Yaguchi was also one of the main actors in the Japanese daytime drama series . She co-hosted her show Yaguchi Hitori, and did MCing for Hello! Project concerts. From May 25, 2007 to June 6, 2007, Yaguchi performed in the musical Damn Yankees at the Tokyo Aoyama Theater. In the summer of 2007, Yaguchi was recruited to host the Gyao internet TV show Midtown TV. Yaguchi and seven Hello! Pro Eggs appeared on the live-audience show Ciao TV. Following the popularity of singles and an album released in conjunction