Her brother died in a Traffic accident
Yoshizawa Kouta (16), younger brother of Morning Musume leader Yoshizawa Hitomi (21), was hit by a car at the intersection at the bottom of Kagurazaka in Tokyo's Shinjuku-ku while riding his bicycle around 10:50 PM on the 10th, and died before dawn the following day at the hospital he was transported to. Yoshizawa is suffering from shock at the sudden death of the younger brother she doted on, however she is remaining firm and has directly told the staff that she wants to appear at the Osaka show on the 14th. She will sing enthusiastically so that Kouta can hear her in heaven.
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Sudden tragedy struck Yoshizawa, the leader graduating from Morning Musume on May 6th. She had Kouta, 5 years younger, and another brother, 8 years younger, and while there was an age difference, it's said that she was very doting towards them. In addition, while her shock was overwhelmingly large, to end her remaining time with the group on a high note, and also for Kouta, she chose to overcome her sadness and stand on stage.
According to the agency, once Yoshizawa received the news on the 11th, she cancelled all of her TV appearances and all other work. It's said she wanted to be with her family and Kouta. Morning Musume is currently in the middle of a Hello! Project New Year's tour, so the agency, thinking of her, planned to not have her on the tour.
However, on the afternoon of the 13th, Yoshizawa herself contacted them, and said that she intends to be at both Osaka shows on the 14th. This may have been a difficult decision for Yoshizawa, since she has not personally told the Kansai fans of her graduation, and she also has a strong professional sense.
Kouta's accident happened around 10:50PM at the lower crosswalk of Kagurazaka in Tokyo. According to the police report, Kouta was riding his bicycle, and when he was crossing through the outer part of the area, he was hit straight on from the right by a car being driven by a 20 year old vocational school student.
Kouta flew 5 meters, and his head hit the pavement hard. There was massive bleeding, and when the ambulance arrived, he was effectively in cardiac arrest. Kouta was transported to a hospital near the accident scene, where he died at 12:15 AM on the 11th. He had been returning from eating fast food with some friends in Kagurazaka, and was on his way home.
Yoshizawa has decided to overcome the unforseen death of her beloved little brother and appear at the concerts in Osaka on the 14th. While keeping memories of Kouta close to her heart, she will sing and dance so that he can see from heaven.
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"Little Eyewitness information"
The car driven by the man that hit Kouta also ended up hitting a stopped Taxi, and the taxi driver also suffered injuries. The man was arrested for breaking traffic laws and for negligence resulting in death, and sent to the prosecutor. The spot has an unobstructed view, and it hasn't seen a fatal accident in years. Considering how far Kouta flew, the man appears to have definitely speeding.
However, there is not much eyewitness information, and it is unclear which ignored the traffic signal. The incident report says signs are up at both points, and they are collecting information. According to nearby residents, Yoshizawa's father has been in the area every day looking for witnesses. Even though it has been two days since the accident, the traces of blood are still fresh.
