Q In this single, you participated in the BACKS song, but what was your impression when you first heard it?
Inoue: I thought that it’s perfect for this season, where people tend to feel lonely.
Q How do you see Taniguchi Airi-san, who centered BACKS?
Inoue: Though this is her first time centering for BACKS, I think that she is someone who will be leading the group from now on, so I hope that she can have fun doing it without feeling any worries. In fact, it seems to me that she has been doing it already.
The center is a position that shines brightly, but when I objectively watch a performance, I thought that Taniguchi is someone who would make her presence known no matter where she is. So I feel very excited to see what she’ll show as the BACKS center in this work and to perform together with her
Q Inoue-san will be graduating with this single. When did you start thinking of it?
Inoue: I’ve been thinking about this for quite a while, and I spoke with staff about it as well. I wanted a period where I could express my gratitude to the fans until the very end, and so it was decided to be this timing.
I am truly grateful to the group that is “Sakurazaka46”. Without Sakurazaka46, I wouldn’t be able to experience many different things, and it is all thanks to the support from the people around me, so I’d like to do my activities with the feelings of gratitude until the very end.
Q When you started thinking about graduation, did you consult with other members?
Inoue: For my graduation, I decided it myself without consulting anyone. But to Matsuda and Takemoto, who I often goes out for meals with, it was difficult for me to keep it quiet; Tamura is also someone I often goes on trips with, so when I told them it was more like, “It’s fixed already”
It’s not that I want to hide it or anything, it’s just not something easy to talk about, so most of the members only knew when I told everyone during the 13th single formation announcement. There were a lot of members who were shocked about it, so I was doing it while thinking, “I’m sorry…”
Q In these 7 years, what do you think has changed the most from yourself?
Inoue: I have become a very positive person. There were many things that I enjoyed during my activities in Sakurazaka46, but there were also moments where I couldn’t help but to feel down. Personally, the hardest thing is not being able to respond to the expectation of the fans, and I think there were quite a lot of moments in my idol career where I thought, “I’m sorry I can’t answer your expectations”.
But, when I look back at what I’ve done, I think that I didn’t do anything wrong and I can say, “I did them!”. I have learned that doing this kind of process helps me to stay positive.
Q When was the turning point that made you become more positive, and able to pick yourself back up even when you fall down?
Inoue: The turning point was the 7th single “BACKS LIVE”. The senbatsu system was introduced in the 7th single, with the group divided between senbatsu and BACKS, and I was selected to be the center of BACKS; but that time I was filled with feelings of frustration, feelings of sorry that I couldn’t live up to the expectation of the fans.
But at such a time, the fans were like, “Let’s support Inoue” or “Let’s cheer Inoue up even more”, as if they were saying there is no time to feel depressed. Feeling that made me think, “I can’t keep feeling like this when there are people like them out there”, and from there I was able to start thinking “I’ve worked hard up until this point” and was able to accept myself no matter what outcome I receive. That period was really big for me.
Q 2025 had many changes, such as “the graduation of all 1ki”, “4ki’s entrance”, and “the first tour led by 2ki”; but what kind of a year has it been for Inoue-san?
Inoue: I think I was able to stand in many moments where my dreams came true. The three days of Tokyo Dome and Kyocera Dome that we never did before were dreams that we all made come true together, and I was glad to have been a part of it. Another one is how “SakuraMeets” has reached its third year in a highly competitive time-slot that has seen a lot of change (of shows)
Q On the other hand, do you have any regrets?
Inoue: At the Nagoya leg of the tour, I performed “Isabelle ni Tsuite” together with “SakuraMeets”s original members (Inoue, Onuma, Takemoto, Masumoto), but we always fight when it comes to Isabelle (laughs). There was always someone arguing, and even until my graduation there is no end to the arguments, so I hope that if we have another opportunity to perform it in the future, I hope that it can do it without any fuss
Q So you want to end it amicably
Inoue: That’d be great it it could happen~ But the four of us has such differing personalities, I’m a bit doubtful (laughs)
Q With just a few months left, is there anything else that you want to accomplish before your graduation ceremony?
Inoue: It’s a common thing for idols, but apparently someone who is about to graduate would become really beautiful, so I’d like to do it with Inoue’s best-ever visual, one that’ll make everyone go, “So pretty!”.
Of course, as we are a group that always puts importance on performance, I’d like to cherish “Sakurazaka46’s Inoue Rina” while also showing my own individuality. I’d be happy if people could remember, even for just a bit, that there is someone like me in Sakurazaka46, so I’ll do my best
Q This year, I think that the impact of the five days of Dome performance is especially big. How did you feel about it, Inoue-san?
Inoue: The venue is not what I think about most, but I’d be happy if I can clearly deliver the passion that I feel at each moment, no matter where I perform.
But, the fans who are cheering for us are always excited, wondering where Sakurazaka46 will go next, and I can sense their passion of “I want to take Sakurazaka46 to this point”, so I want to live up to those excitements and expectations. Tokyo Dome, Kyocera Dome were places that were also set as goals, and so I’m glad that I could achieve it together with everyone.
Q What do you think of the 4th generation?
Inoue: I haven’t interacted that deeply with them yet, but I got the impression that there are a lot of interesting girls. They have a different “junior” energy to 3rd generation, and they have a strong feeling of being a junior.
Inoue: Lately, the 4th generation members have been appearing as a guest on radio (KochiHoshi), but when we are taking pictures there is a sense of distance between us, so to speak. For example, when I put my hand lightly on their shoulder, they are still so nervous that they’d go “Huaahhhh!?” (laughs). But I got the impression that they are doing handling each of their jobs with care, so they are dependable
Q Is there anyone you are interested in?
Inoue: Inaguma Hina-chan who came to the other radio the other day, and I found it to be interesting. She has her own unique atmosphere, so to say, and she apparently reads action manga and said, “Whenever someone uses a fighting technique I feel like I can use them myself”. I was surprised to know that she is that kind of a person. Kinda weird, isn’t she? She was really nervous, but as we talked she’s someone who would tease her seniors, so it made me want to know her more better
Q It’s customary to ask about “the secret of making dreams come true”, but I’ve asked Inoue-san this question many times already. So I’d like to ask you of what you realized to be important in your 7 years career as an idol to shine, to make one’s dreams come true
Inoue: I think that everyone puts in an effort, but I think that those who put in a lot of “invisible efforts” are those who can really show themselves when it counts. Because it is “invisible efforts”, it is something that even I can’t see, but I can tell that they must be working so hard. Watching those around me, I’ve come to realize the importance of putting in “invisible efforts”.
Q Who in particular makes you feel that way?
Inoue: Our captain Matsuda, not only in her performance, but also in being a captain. She’s always smiley with a bright character, but behind-the-scenes she always think things through carefully before acting, and seeing her do that made me realize it
Q Thank you very much for the wonderful conversation!
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