Interviewer: It’s been half a year since you handed the title of General Manager to Mukaichi Mion in April. How do you feel now?

Yokoyama: The burden is off my shoulders. And I think I’m learning to simply enjoy things now. It’s been ten years since I joined AKB48 and there have been a lot of fun things underlying that time, but because I was a captain and the general manager there have also been a lot of things that didn’t go well and times I got depressed… Looking back on it now I’m glad to have had the experience and I tackled it head on, so I don’t think my time as general manager was a waste.

Interviewer: It’s been a while since you didn’t have an managerial role, hasn’t it?

Yokoyama: Including my time as a captain I spent about six years in those kind of roles, so that’s been the majority of my time. That’s why as a response to that I’m going to back to how I felt when I first started and deliberately enjoying myself. Recently even my kouhai are commenting on how I seem to be having fun.

Interviewer: Now that you’re not in that kind of role it seems that everyone finds it easier to make retorts to you and you were the butt of various jokes on the tour the other day.

Yokoyama: Apparently they think the shirt I always wear to lessons is weird. The design on it is a map that someone at the beauty parlor I always go to drew. They’re making fun of that. People like Naamin (Asai Nanami) say things like “that T-shirt (laughs)”.

Interviewer: Even the young 16th generation members! When asked why you wear it every day you said, with a straight face, “Because my washing machine can clean it in 35 minutes.”

Yokoyama: No, it’s 38 minutes.

Interviewer: You’re very particular about the details. But you seemed to be having a lot of fun.

Yokoyama: I probably joke around more than anyone. (laughs) Though it’s bad to take it too far. I think it’s good to have lots of that kind of “fun”.

Interviewer: I think you, Yokoyama-san, are the person who best personifies the concert title “AKB is all about fun!”

Yokoyama: Really?! But I have been having a lot of fun recently. Though there is a reason for it. When I was doing a stage play one of the directors told me, “You don’t need to put on a performance that anyone could do. Yui-chan, express your emotions like you would in your normal life.” That made me start wondering what kind of person I am. Up to that point I’d closely watched other people as the general manager, but in contrast I hadn’t taken much of a good look at myself. So I went to Hakone alone and did the work of writing out things that I like so I could get to know myself.

Interviewer: You sure are serious.

Yokoyama: There were a lot of things. First was “beer”. (serious face) …Eh, is that wrong?

Interviewer: No, it’s what you personally like.

Yokoyama: “Flowers”, “light”, “art”, “cats”, “music”, etc. Also “having no plan” and “shrines and temples” and so much more.

Interviewer: So you took your time thinking it over at the inn?

Yokoyama: No, I went to eat soba, but I was alone so I ended up sitting with a stranger. I thought about it while eating kamo nanban (soba with duck meat and Welsh onions).

Interviewer: You thought about it in that situation?! I can’t imagine the person sitting with you was doing the same thing.

Yokoyama: I also met with a makeup artist I hadn’t seen in a while and I told her I wasn’t sure about who I am and she told me that even though I’d been trapped by the title of General Manager up until that point I should go about things from the perspective of “as Yokoyama Yui, this is what I think.” That becoming an adult is about taking responsibility for your own personal opinions, not those of your title. It’s true that as general manager I would always choose my words so as not to hurt anyone, which would lead me to end up not saying anything sometimes. My conversations would get long and I’d over-think things, so it became difficult to express myself honestly.

Interviewer: You had a habit of saying “I wonder”.

Yokoyama: I’ve stopped saying that. I’ve graduated form “I wonder”! I’m really rigid so I always acted in accordance with the titles like Captain and General Manager. Now that I have no title I’ve learned to loosen up and think, “Well, there are as many ways of thinking as there are people.”

Interviewer: Now that you’re no longer in a leadership position and you’ve contemplated who you are, you seem to be free and enjoying yourself.

Yokoyama: Also, recently I’ve been wanting to have a deeper relationship with all of these amazing people I meet at work, such as the ones who take the jacket photos for the singles and the art directors, and tie that to what comes next for me. I’ve always tried to interact with them sincerely, but it often ended with just that.

Interviewer: So you’re looking to the future. Does that mean you’re thinking about graduation?

Yokoyama: No, I’m not thinking about it right now. I want to tie it to what comes next for me as an AKB48 member.

Interviewer: Having been away from group activities for a while, did you not think about graduating?

Yokoyama: When I was general manager I often thought about how hard things were and, honestly, I did talk to other members about graduating. Then when I stopped being general manager and really enjoyed doing stage plays I simultaneously thought about how I’d like to do lots of acting work and how I’d like to be someone who can make AKB48 exciting. I really do love singing and dancing and I love the members and staff, so I want to help the group somehow. There are people who graduate and become actresses and do lots of different things, but I’ve started thinking I’d like to make a name for myself while I’m still an active idol. So I’m not even considering graduating right now.

Interviewer: You were able to get a nice reset by doing stage plays. Then you started doing AKB48 activities again starting with the Fukuoka concert on the national tour. Your dream of doing a tour, which you’ve sought since your time as general manager, came true. How does it feel?

Yokoyama: It’s a shame it couldn’t happen during my time, but I kept saying I wanted to do it so Mion carried on my will, the staff got into gear, and thankfully we were able to do a tour. I also think it turned out better because Mion thought up the setlist. I’m bad at that kind of thing and Mion used to be a fan so she understands what makes the fans happy.

Interviewer: Having participated in the tour, is there anything that felt different from the old days?

Yokoyama: In the past we’d also talk amongst ourselves about what we were going to do as units, but I didn’t think it was good to say that. So I wasn’t very open. But now I can say things like “Mion thinks up the setlist.” Yukirin-san would say how she thought it was best to be open, and I suppose we’ve become that way now. The setlist is made up of things Mion wants to try, like when she thinks “this song will be good for this girl” or “this will let her shine.” I hope by doing this we can show people that by being in AKB48 you can do the things you want to do.

Interviewer: Did you feel anything when participating?

Yokoyama: It’s super fun. (laughs) One of the things I looked forward to was rehearsal. Five of us joined in the second half of the tour and we’d always do lessons with just us. The rehearsal on the day of the concert was the first time we joined everyone. When I’d think things like “so this is where I meet eyes with this girl” it would make me think “this is AKB48 alright.” Also, the fans are so cute! These days they don’t just have penlights, they also make fans with their oshimen’s name written on them. We parade around the venue during concerts and I enjoy spotting fans with my name on them. There’s also ones that say things like “make a heart”. They’re really cute. It reminds me how nice it is to be close to our fans.

Interviewer: How was it doing Team concerts?

Yokoyama: I noticed all over again how amazing the younger members are. During rehearsal for “Kibouteki Refrain” it had been a long time since I’d done the choreography and I was making mistakes, so Zun-chan (Yamane Suzuha) told me, “You did that part wrong.” That’s not something you can really say to your senpais. But I think she wanted us to put on a good performance and make it a good show. So I think it’s admirable that she said it to me.

Interviewer: But you sweat a lot as usual and you seemed to lead the concert.

Yokoyama: I’m the type who thinks it’s better if you can convey things by recklessly sweating rather than trying to be “cool” or “cute”. This time I had Nishikawa Rei-chan tell me, “Watching you makes me think I need to do my best.” So it seems my feelings reached my kouhai, which makes me really happy.

Interviewer: The concerts were wonderful, but there were empty seats at some of the more rural venues.

Yokoyama: I think it’s best for the members to be aware of that. Yukirin told me about the situation before I joined the tour, so I asked the staff about the ticket situation as well. Mion also told the members and encouraged them to go out and make things even more exciting. There are large gaps between concerts on the national tour to begin with, and it’s a shame we couldn’t go at times when more people in those areas wanted to see us. But the show must go on. The people who do come are really satisfied, so what should be do to get them to come again next time? We need to think of ways to win over new fans or make old fans fall for us again.

Interviewer: What do you think should be done?

Yokoyama: I’d like to do my best to be in more dramas and movies so that people who see those will consider checking out AKB48 as well. I want to do my best to be an entrance to AKB48.

Interviewer: I imagine that having done the tour you’re now aware of the challenges AKB48 faces.

Yokoyama: We members and the management aren’t fooling ourselves and can see the state the group is in right now. Hopefully we can learn from these challenges and do another tour. I think this was first step towards getting more AKB48 fans.

Interviewer: I’ve asked a lot of members recently, but what is your view on the center position?

Yokoyama: Recently there hasn’t been a set one and lots of girls have been doing it. That’s interesting in a way, but I’d also like to see an AKB48 that has an absolute center. Like Maeda-san used to be. What did the others say?

Interviewer: Okada Nana-san said, “It’s good to have lots of different girl be the center.” Oguri Yui-san spoke of her resolve and said, “I want to be center.”

Yokoyama: I see. This is just my own opinion, but I think the person who’s at the core of the group needs to have a strong body and mind. To that point, Yuiyui does have a strong body and mind. Her personality is kind of quiet and cutesy, but she hates to lose and rarely takes time off.

Interviewer: She does have an airy personality, but I could sense her inner fortitude and I hear she’s actually very athletic.

Yokoyama: I’d like to be able to do something for Yuiyui. Not long ago she told me she’d like to go the massage parlor I go to when we have time. I made reservations but there wasn’t enough time. She wouldn’t make it in time for her next job if we took a car so we went together on the train, but the courses are 60 minutes which wouldn’t leave enough time to make it to the next job, so we made it 45 minutes and I went in for acupuncture. But I was worried and went back to where Yuiyui was and as I thought she was in a flurry, so I took her to her next job from there.

Interviewer: You’re like her personal manager! Lastly, what do you think is necessary for AKB48 to continue from here?

Yokoyama: I think it’s important for the people connected to the group to love it. While I was doing stage plays I realized how much I really do love AKB48. I’ve been in the group ten years and I want to keep being in it. If everyone loves AKB48 and wants to help out somehow and be there for the group then we’ll worry about things a lot and that’ll turn into action. It’s also best if we don’t get stuck thinking we have to do things a certain way. We don’t need to think about how idols usually are. I think that’s what makes AKB48 special. Doing the election, deciding the center in a janken tournament, doing pro wrestling… Thinking about it reminds me just how amazing Akimoto-san really is. Anyway, if we each go forward with love for AKB48 in our hearts then I think the number of people who find us interesting will increase again.