Shaven - headed star of J - pop sensation AKB48 makes tearful admission on YouTube . Apology does not prevent her demotion within the ranks of wildly popular Japanese idol groups . Shaving her head -- considered a ritual act of contrition in Japan -- Minegishi described her actions as `` thoughtless and immature '' in a four-minute video posted on YouTube that was viewed more than 3 million times . Actor Jun Akimoto denies accusations he is sexualizing young girls . Bands have been a goldmine , grossing 16.28 billion yen ( $ 212 million ) in 2011 .
Shaven - headed star of J - pop sensation AKB48 makes tearful admission on YouTube . Apology does not prevent her demotion within the ranks of wildly popular Japanese idol groups . Actor Jun Akimoto denies accusations he is sexualizing young girls . Bands have been a goldmine , grossing 16.28 billion yen ( $ 212 million ) in 2011 .