Minami Kato (加藤美南, Katō Minami, born January 15, 1999 in Niigata Prefecture) is a Japanese idol. She is a former member of AKB48's sister group NGT48 as a kenkyūsei and was the 2nd captain of the former Team NIII (pronounced N-Three).[1]
Career
On January 25, 2015, at the "AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 1035 2015" concert, it was announced that AKB48 would form a new sister group under the name NGT48. Auditions to become a member would be starting in March.[2] The auditions actually held place from April 5 until May 18 and on July 25 the first generation members were announced, one of them being Kato.[3]
She was officially promoted from a Kenkyuusei (Research Student) to a member of NGT48 Team NIII (along with 13 other members) on January 10, 2016, which was the day of the NGT48 Theater Opening. On that day she was cast as the female lead for a television series adaptation of Higurashi When They Cry,[4] which was premiered from May 20 on BS Sky PerfecTV!. She made her A-side participation debut for AKB48's 44th Single Tsubasa wa Iranai which was released on June 1, 2016.
Later that month, Kato was the first and only member of NGT48's first generation to rank in AKB48's annual General Election (選抜総選挙, Senbatsu Sousenkyo) ranking 76th with 13,571 votes.[5]
In December 2016, Kato was announced as one of the cast members for the TV drama "Tofu Pro-Wrestling," which premiered on TV Asahi on January 21, 2017. Her pseudonym in the show was "Baton Katomina."[6] On September 7, 2017, she was also announced as a participant in "Tofu Pro-Wrestling, The REAL 2017 CLIMAX", a live wrestling event based on the drama.[7] On January 17, 2018, she was once again listed as a participant for the follow-up event, "Tofu-Pro Wrestling, The REAL 2018 QUEENDOM," to be held on February 23, 2018.[8]
Kato was part of NGT48's 1st Single Seishun Dokei which was released on April 12, 2017. She centered the B-Side Song on the track Kurayami Motomu with Moeka Takakura and was a part of the song Akigan Punk.[9] She wa also part of the 2nd single "Sekai wa Doko Made Aozora na no ka?", which was released on December 6, 2017. Together with Ayuka Nakamura she also centered the B-side song Gikochinai Tsuugaku Densha on the Theater Edition.[10]
On June 17, 2017, she improved her ranking in the 2017 Senbatsu Sousenkyou as she rose by a steady number to spot 71 (with 16,641 votes).[11] During her speech, Kato thanked her fans for getting her this rank and said that she hopes she will gain many international fans.
During AKB48's annual Request Hour in 2018, her duet with Noe Yamada ranked 33rd, which made it the highest ranking song from NGT48's most recent stage show, "Hokori no Oka."[12]
Following NGT48's 2019 scandal, on May 21, Kato was demoted to kenkyūsei after posting an Instagram story of Maho Yamaguchi's graduation with the caption, "I'm doing my nails over here. I wish someone would change the channel."[13][14][15][16]
