Shanghai Interview (2008.06.27)

Can the leader reveal a little part of the concert that is held tomorrow night?
Ai : We prepared a lot of styles of costumes but still, please pay attention to our performance.

As the leader of Morning Musume , what is the role that you must play?
Ai : Usually I don't order them to do something, neither do i get angry towards them but during important times such as the rehearsal before the concerts, I'll lead them along.

Its the first time for Morning Musume to come to shanghai for a concert, is there any special significance? What do you look forward to?
Ai : Yes, there is a special significance. I hope our china friends who don't know us will know us through this concert. I'm looking forward to China's delicacy also (looking forward to) meeting Shanghai friends
Kusumi : This is my first time to be in Shanghai. I look forward to meeting the Shanghai friends who have been supporting us.
Aika : To be invited to Shanghai world expo is a very glorious thing. To be able to perform on the Shanghai World Expo stage makes me very happy, I hope I can remember the smiling faces of the friends who will be at the concert.
Tanaka : Want to know what sort of performance we'll present? Remember to come to our concert tomorrow night.
Niigaki : I'm already very excited now!!
Kamei : I hope to be able to show our Shanghai friends Morning Musume's charm.
Michishige : I'm very happy, hope that we can give our shanghai friends a very exciting concert, and let them understand us better.
Linlin : When i joined Morning Musume one year ago, I wished to be able to perform in China , and this wish came true just in one year, I'm really very happy, I must present everyone whatever I've learning in Morning Musume.
Junjun : To be able to come back to our home (They mean country) is a really happy news. I'm really excited and we must give everyone see our best performance.

Morning Musume is a group consisting of many people and usually there are a lot of activities/events going on. But when there is no event going on, what do you all usually do?
Ai : I'll go to watch some performances, buy things, and shopping.
Kusumi : Other then group activities, every one of us have our individual events too.
Aika : Radio shows, and magazine shootings.
Tanaka : During off days, I'll go to karaoke, go for lunches/dinners/breakfasts, watch movies, and if I'm at home I'll just relax.
Niigaki : Buy things, eat lunch/dinner/breakfast with friends.
Kamei : Radio shows and photobook shootings.
Michishige : Usually we're 9 people together, so when I'm alone I'll feel a little lonely and wish to see the rest of the members, but i cherish the time when I'm alone to do my own things.
Linlin : When I'm alone, I will chat with my family and friends (from China) through the net, I'll make my own meals, then I'll practice my dances and Japanese.
Junjun : We'll go shopping, eating, and chat on the phone.

Morning Musume had changed so many members, which is the senior that you admire most? Why?
Ai : Goto Maki-san, her dance is really good, and when i just joined Morning Musume, she helped me alot.
Kusumi : Abe Natsumi- san, no matter whatever that happens, she is still cute.
Aika : Kamei. Her singing is good, her dancing is good, she catches my attention and she has good taste.
Tanaka : Goto Maki-san, whenever Goto Maki-san is around, the atmosphere would turn good.
Niigaki : Everyone is great, i respect Abe Natsumi-san, she has a very cute smile and she has good skill in presenting her potential.
Kamei : Yoshizawa Hitomi-san, she cares about everyone, and when she does things in a very cool way.
Michishige : Yoshizawa Hitomi-san. Although she graduated, she continues to care about me, shes a very kind person.
Linlin : Takahashi. She's mature, she's stable, she works very hard, and she is extremely good in singing and dancing.
Junjun : Goto Maki, I like her cool side, and she's very attractive.

Comparing yourselves to your seniors, what is your better qualities? What is the qualities that you can't win over them?
Ai : comparing to 10 years ago, the dancing and singing standard now is higher and i think the dancing standard had raised a lot (Of cos' look at morning coffee's dance =.=). About qualities that we're weaker, probably during MC segments, we can't express ourselves better then our seniors.
Kusumi : our voices can reach a very high pitch. People often say our voices are nice. Coming to our weaker points, there's a lot.....
Aika : We're able to speak in dialects, we think at dialects are important. Our weaker points is probably that we're not as sexy as them.
Tanaka : We won't lose to our seniors. I don't think we have anything weaker then them. , but if comparing to Goto Maki-san and Ishikawa Rika-san, their performance is worth us learning from.
Niigaki : Strong points? Weaker points? How should i put in, when seniors watch our performances we'll work really hard, and of course, we'll continue to work hard!
Kamei : Our stronger point is our smiles on stages, and our weaker points is that we lack of knowledge...
Michishige : Cuteness and beauty. We want to maintain the cuteness and beauty,.
Linlin : English and our height, but we'll continue to work hard.
Junjun : I think there's no best, but only better. we have many weak points which we must learn from our seniors (to improve them)

Have you though of your future after leaving/graduating from Morning Musume? What will it be like?
Ai : I'd like to challenge all the difficult obstacles and continuously improve myself.
Kusumi : Hope to continue expending myself, and get more people's attention
Aika : I think that my dancing and singing isn't strong enough, I hope I can improve my sense of rhythm.
Tanaka : To be able to sing out all the lyrics during concerts, but also, do pay attention to our facial expressions [again, i think there's something wrong here]
Niigaki : We're a combination of different artistes, but we still have things to be improved. Even if its dancing or singing, we must challenge new things *
Kamei : I'd like to improve my singing since people says the singing Eri is fabulous however, I'd like to present myself as a better dancer
Michishige : To be able to go more into the realm of songs* And also to improve my dancing to give people a better feel.
Linlin : Hope to be able to be like my seniors.
Junjun : I hope to have bigger opportunities than now. If possible, I'd like to become a big star (lol) Just joking.

Who is your favourite China/Chinese artist?
Ai : Zhang Zi Yi.
Kusumi, Aika, Tanaka, Eri : Sorry but we do not really understand china/Chinese artistes.
Niigaki : don't really understand Chinese/china stars, probably Linlin and Junjun.
Michishige : ROLA (Its some models who are in Japan), very cute girls, they have caught my attention recently.
Linlin : 韩庚，因为他也是一个人在韩国打拼的
Junjun : Jay Chou, he has the talent.