into two groups, she was placed in Morning Musume Otomegumi. Breakthrough: 2003–2008 On June 15, 2006, it was announced that Fujimoto and Aya Matsuura would join in a new Hello! Project duo called GAM. Their debut single was released on September 13, 2006, and after two other singles, their debut LP was released on May 23, 2007. On May 6, 2007, after the graduation of then-leader Hitomi Yoshizawa, Fujimoto took her place as the fifth leader of Morning Musume. On April 23, 2008, Fujimoto released a collaboration single, , featuring Takao Horiuchi. In fall of 2008, Fujimoto played the part of Rizzo in the fall musical, Grease. Personal life In March 2009, Fujimoto announced her engagement to Tomoharu Shōji from the comedy duo Shinagawa Shoji and graduated from Hello! Project. Fujimoto and Shoji married on July 3, 2009, in Hawaii. On March 27, 2012, Fujimoto gave birth to the couple's first child, a son. Outside of her career as a performer, Miki has opened a chain of yakiniku restaurants in Japan. The first Yakinuku Mikitei opened on her 26th birthday, February 26, 2011, to much success. Three more restaurants were opened. The restaurant chain was short-lived, and closed on June 29, 2012, following various incidents. On August 1, 2015, Fujimoto gave birth to the couple's second child, a daughter. Their third child was born in 2020. Controversy On May 24, 2007, Fujimoto was featured in the Japanese gossip magazine Friday pictured walking with Tomoharu Shōji, a member of the comedy duo Shinagawa Shōji. Friday explained that they had a two-hour dinner together, drove to Fujimoto's apartment, then went to the sauna, returning to Shōji's apartment just after midnight. It soon became apparent that she was to be involved in a scandal that would jeopardize her position in Morning Musume. After seeing the article, Up-Front Agency had no intention to deal with the situation since there was no proof of them dating. On the May 26, 2007 edition of Young Town Doyōbi (a radio show with Ai Takahashi, Fujimoto and Sanma Akashiya), she confirmed that the pictures were of her, and that she had been going out with Tomoharu Shōji. She also mentioned that she spoke to the head of Up-Front Agency, Naoki Yamazaki, about the situation. On June 1, 2007, Fujimoto resigned from her position in Morning Musume. She continued with GAM and remained contracted with Hello! Project and Up-Front