Rina Matsuda (松田里奈), captain of the Japanese idol group Sakurazaka46, announced on September 9 that she will graduate from the group by the end of 2026.
Matsuda, 26, shared the news in a post on her official blog. According to the announcement, a graduation ceremony will be held on November 15 during the second night of the group’s “6th YEAR ANNIVERSARY LIVE” concerts at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba.
Matsuda has served as Sakurazaka46’s second captain since November 2022, leading the group through concerts, releases and television appearances during one of its busiest stretches. Her exit adds to a wave of graduation announcements moving through Japan’s “Sakamichi” idol groups this year, with Nogizaka46 captain Minami Umezawa and several other members also confirmed to be leaving their respective groups in 2026.
Matsuda has not detailed her plans beyond the group, and Sakurazaka46 has not yet announced who will take over as captain.
Who is Rina Matsuda?
Rina Matsuda is a member of Sakurazaka46, the idol group that rebranded from Keyakizaka46 in 2020 as a sister act to the long-running Nogizaka46. She became the group’s second captain in November 2022, taking on a leadership role through a period of major lineup turnover. Her graduation ceremony this November will close out that chapter for both Matsuda and the group.
Author’s Comment
Idol group graduations are basically retirement parties where nobody actually gets to leave the group chat. Matsuda spent four years steering Sakurazaka46 through a genuinely hectic stretch, and now she gets a stadium send-off instead of a gold watch — not bad, honestly. What gets me is how many captains across the Sakamichi groups are heading out the door this year; that’s less coincidence than these agencies running idol groups like relay teams, swapping the lead runner the moment a cycle wraps up. Fans will mourn hard for about a week and then cheer just as loud for whoever gets the armband next. That’s the business, and everyone in it knows the rules.
