Nako Yabuki (矢吹 奈子, born 18 June, 2001) is a Japanese actress and former singer. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group HKT48 and the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One, having finished sixth in the competition television show Produce 48.[2] As an actress, she is known for her role as young Minami Asakura in the film Touch (2005).[3]
She joined HKT48 in November 2013, and was a concurrent member of AKB48 from 2015 to 2017. She is an exclusive model for Japanese magazine Love Berry since 2016.[4]
Career
Yabuki made her film debut as young Minami Asakura in the coming-of-age film Touch in 2005. Two years later, she appeared in JCB and Dainichi (ja) commercials.[5] In 2009, she appeared in the made for television films Detective Samonji Susumu and My Father's Longest Day.[6]
She appeared in a Koala's March commercial in 2011.[1] In 2012, she appeared in the short film On the Shinhori River.[7] The following year, she appeared in the tokusatsu superhero film Gatchaman.
Yabuki during an AKB48 performance in 2012
Yabuki is a fan of Rino Sashihara. During an AKB48 handshake event, she met Sashihara, who told her to audition for the group.[8] Yabuki decided to audition for HKT48 instead, after Sashihara was demoted and transferred to HKT48.[8] In 2013, she passed the third generation auditions for HKT48.[9]
In 2018, Nako participated in reality girl group survival show Produce 48, and after ranking #6 in the final ranking,[10][unreliable source?] she placed in the top twelve, and became a member of Korean-Japanese idol group Iz*One. She and the other two Japanese members of the group took a hiatus from their respective Japanese groups until their contracts with Iz*One expire in April 2021.[11]
On April 29, 2021, her contract with Iz*One officially expired and she and the other two Japanese members returned to Japan. On May 15, 2021, Nako officially resumed HKT48 activities with a theater appearance.
On October 16, 2022, during HKT48's 11th-anniversary concert, she announced her graduation from the group with a graduation concert which was held on April 1, 2023.[12] After graduation, she continued her career as an actress.
On January 28, 2023, Yabuki's contract with Vernalossom expired.[13] On June 18, it was announced that Yabuki had signed on with Twin Planet.[14]
AKB48 general election placements
Since her debut in 2013, Yabuki has taken part in five of AKB48's annual general elections. Her placements were as follows :
^矢吹奈子がHKT48を卒業 (in Japanese). Natalie. October 16, 2022. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
^Choi, Hye-jin (January 29, 2023). "아이즈원 출신 야부키 나코, 사쿠라 前 소속사와 계약 종료..향후 거취는? [스타이슈]" [Yabuki Nako, former member of IZ*ONE, terminates contract with Sakura's former agency.. What is the future? [Star Issue]] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023 – via Naver.
^"矢吹奈子 所属のお知らせ". TWIN PLANET ENTERTAINMENT (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-06-18. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
^"HKT48矢吹奈子：「科捜研の女」でJK姿に 事件の根幹に関わるキーパーソン" [HKT48 Nako Yabuki: A key person involved in the root of the case who appears as a JK in "Kasouken no Onna"]. MANTANWEB編集部. November 7, 2022. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
^"矢吹奈子「沼る。港区女子高生」出演決定！「揺れ動く繊細な気持ちを丁寧に表現できれば」【コメント】" [Nako Yabuki will appear in "Numaru. Minato Ward High School Girl"! "If I could express my fluctuating delicate feelings carefully" [Comment]]. ntv.co.jp. December 21, 2022. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
^Lee Seung-gil (July 28, 2022). "아이즈원 야부키 나코, 다시 한국에서 본다...로운과 '더 아이돌 밴드' MC 확정 [공식]" [IZ*ONE Yabuki Nako, see you again in Korea... Rowoon and 'The Idol Band' confirmed as MCs [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^矢吹奈子 PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SEASON3 公式アンバサダーに就任決定 [Nako Yabuki appointed as PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SEASON 3's official ambassador]. Produce 101 Japan official website (in Japanese). May 15, 2023. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
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