Japanese idol group HIGH SPIRITS Sparks Photo Controversy

 

Iroha Izumi (20) of the idol group "HIGH SPIRITS" updated her X (formerly Twitter) on the 28th. She addressed the matter of a photo she took at DisneySea causing a "flame war" (online controversy).

On the 27th, Izumi uploaded a photo taken at DisneySea. She was wearing sunglasses on her chest, and a man was reflected in them. Although Izumi explained that it was her "older brother," this image had become a "flame war," with approximately 12 million views as of 8 PM on the 28th.

Regarding this matter, Izumi apologized on the 28th, saying, "I sincerely apologize for uploading an image that caused misunderstanding. It was my carelessness due to neglecting confirmation." She explained the circumstances, saying, "Because my long-awaited return home coincided with my brother's day off, we made a sudden promise to go to Disney together the night before. My family is very close, and I am very close to my brother. Therefore, I lacked a sense of crisis and uploaded the image thoughtlessly."

She reflected, "I sincerely apologize to those who felt unpleasant or sad, and to those who were misled by this post. I should have considered that going out with a man, even if he is my brother, could lead to misunderstandings."

She also emphasized, "I absolutely do not have a boyfriend, as some speculations suggest." She concluded, "I will continue my activities with an absolute vow never to betray those who support me, and I appreciate your continued support of Iroha Izumi."