Haruka Nakagawa – One Year After Transfer

Translated from Mainichi Shinbun 18 Oct 2013 00:12 written by Koizumi

Last november she transferred to the (AKB48) sister group JKT48, based in Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia, and is continuing her activities as a member today too.

It is an everyday routine for things not to proceed as planned there. She caught the dengue fever and amebiasis too, but says:

“I’m used to things now. I can eat food with my hands without problems too.”

Lately she’s hooked on the meatball soup called “Bakso”.

There are 49 members, trainees included, in the JKT48, but she is the only Japanese fully dedicated member.

She learnt Indonesian basically by self-study, and participates to TV shows too without an interpreter. She enjoys even when hosts jokingly rebuke her.

“It seems my pronunciation and intonation are funny.”

She visited Indonesia for the first time February 2 years ago, for an AKB show. She felt the local people’s open character, and thought “This country might be good for me..”

The JKT’s concept is the same as AKB, “idols you can go meet”. On stage and during events too, you can now hear the fans calling for “Haruka”.

She has no intention of coming back to Japan for the time being.

“My AKB friends said that I might get married here.”

Her dream is to become an actress active internationally, and to be a connecting bridge between Japan and Indonesia.

Personal History: Haruka Nakagawa, born in Tokyo. In 2006 passes the audition to join the AKB48 and has her theater debut. In 2012 she announces her transfer to the JKT. 21 years old.