Kago Ai fired from Hello!Project

Kago Ai of Morning Musume was fired on March 26th from Hello!Project due to a smoking problem. A year ago, when Kago was 17, is when the problem began and as her 'punishment' she was put under parents' house arrest. Seeing as she was progressing in the past year, it was decided she would start from scratch and preparations for her to return by bringing her to Tokyo and having her do clerical work started on January 23rd. Although everything was going well for two months, there was another incident and the comeback plan was abandoned. She has been released from her contract.