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Risa Niigaki
新垣 里沙
Risa Niigaki at theJapan Expo on July 3, 2010
Born	(1988-10-20)October 20, 1988 (age 37)
Occupations	Singer actress model dancer rapper
Years active	2001–present
Musical career
Genres	J-pop
Instrument	Vocals
Labels	Zetima
Formerly of	Morning Musume Tanpopo Sakuragumi Happy7 7Air H.P. All Stars Athena & Robikerottsu ZYX
Musical artist
Website	Official Website – Official Blog – Official Agency Profile –YouTube Channel "RisanTube"

Risa Niigaki (新垣 里沙,Niigaki Risa; born October 20, 1988) is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a fifth-generation member of the Japanese pop groupMorning Musume. She joined Morning Musume in 2001 along with 3 others-Ai Takahashi,Asami Konno andMakoto Ogawa. She grew up inYokohama after moving there at the age of six. She was one of the longest serving members of Morning Musume, and was the leader of the group from October 2011 to her graduation on May 18, 2012.

Niigaki was born inYokohama,Kanagawa. She was the runner-up for the 'Kiss Girl Audition' in becoming theTomy image girl before joining Morning Musume. She appeared with the winner Ai Hasegawa in a Tomy Karaoke Machine commercial.

In 2001, Niigaki joined Morning Musume as the fifth generation along withAi Takahashi,Asami Konno, andMakoto Ogawa. Morning Musume producerTsunku said he chose Niigaki because she "shined during the final studio recording" for the audition song that all the finalists had to sing.^[1] She debuted and lead on the group's 13th single, "Mr. Moonlight (Ai no Big Band)" making her one of the few members of Morning Musume who was able to lead on her debut single. She first appeared in their 4th album,4th Ikimasshoi!. In the summer of that year, she also debuted in a shuffle unit as part of Happy 7, with two other members of her generation (Ai Takahashi and Makoto Ogawa).^{[citation needed]}

Later in September, all fifth-generation members were placed intosubgroups. Niigaki was placed intoTanpopo as a member of the third generation, along with Asami Konno. The new line-up only released one single before becoming inactive.^[2]

Niigaki, along with many other members of Morning Musume at that time, starred in a drama entitledAngel Hearts which was released in 2002. In 2003, she was placed intoSakuragumi, which released two singles before also becoming inactive.^[3]

In early 2007, Niigaki was chosen to be a member of theMorning Musume Tanjō 10nen Kinentai (モーニング娘。誕生10年記念隊) along withKaori Iida,Natsumi Abe,Maki Goto andKoharu Kusumi – a unit created to celebrate Morning Musume's 10th anniversary. Their first single,Bokura ga Ikiru My Asia (僕らが生きるMy Asia), was released on January 24, 2007. On June 1, 2007,Miki Fujimoto's resigned from Morning Musume,^[4][5] Ai Takahashi replaced Fujimoto as leader, while Risa Niigaki took Takahashi's place as sub-leader.

Following the announcement ofNozomi Tsuji's pregnancy, Niigaki took over Tsuji's role as Athena in the animation seriesRobby & Kerobby. In October 2007, Niigaki was placed in the unitAthena & Robikerottsu along with fellow Morning Musume memberAika Mitsui, as well asSaki Nakajima andChisato Okai ofCute.

It then was announced in July 2008 that Niigaki and Ai Takahashi would play the 70s idol J-pop duoPink Lady in the TV dramaHitmaker Aku Yū Monogatari.^[6][7] From August 6 until August 25, 2008, Morning Musume performed a version ofRodgers and Hammerstein'sCinderella with theTakarazuka Revue, in which Niigaki starred as the Prince. On February 12, 2009, it was announced that Morning Musume would be performing in the United States at the 2009Anime Expo, the nation's largest anime convention, as one of the first official guests of honor.^[8] In an interview Niigaki stated that "The movies that Disney makes are full of dreams, but when I have children, I'd like them to know about war, the pain of death and such things, so I hope they will watch [anime]."^[8] Niigaki also revealed that her favorite anime was Sailor Moon, stating that "we copied the hairstyles and had a 'Sailor Moon' playhouse in kindergarten." Niigaki became one of four members to remain in Morning Musume for seven years or more (the others being Kaori Iida, Hitomi Yoshizawa, and fellow fifth-generation member Ai Takahashi). Niigaki and Takahashi became the longest-serving members in Morning Musume history, on January 17, 2009, breaking the four-year-old record set by Kaori Iida. Later in August, Niigaki and Takahashi became the first members to remain in Morning Musume for eight years. Niigaki was later assigned to be a part of the new shuffle groupZYX-α withKoharu Kusumi,Maasa Sudo,Momoko Tsugunaga,Erika Umeda,Chinami Tokunaga,Saki Ogawa, andAyaka Wada.

On January 9, 2011, it was announced that Ai Takahashi would graduate from Morning Musume andHello! ProjectHello! A project at the end of their autumn 2011 concert tour. Niigaki would take over the position as leader of Morning Musume after Takahashi's graduation.^[9] After Takahashi's graduation, Niigaki became the only member of Hello! Project that had joined before theHello! Project Kids, and holds the record for the longest-serving member ofMorning Musume andHello! Project.

She would graduate from Morning Musume and Hello! Project on the last day of their Spring Concert Tour, May 18, atNippon Budokan.^[10] Niigaki was the fourth Morning Musume member to graduate at the Budokan. On May 18, 2012, Niigaki graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project alongsideAika Mitsui. She handed down her position as leader of Morning Musume toSayumi Michishige.^[11]

Niigaki began datingYoshikazu Kotani after starring together in the stage playAbsolute Boyfriend in 2013.^[12] After two years of dating, they held their marriage ceremony on July 11, 2016. On January 6, 2018, both announced on their blogs that they were filing for divorce, citing they were growing apart.^[13][14]

On June 30, 2022, Niigaki announced that she is remarried with a YouTube cinematographer Yasutake Yamaguchi.^[15][16]

• 2007-06-13 –Alo Hello! Niigaki Risa DVD (アロハロ！新垣里沙 DVD)
• 2009-01-21 –Alo Hello! 2 Niigaki Risa DVD (アロハロ！2 新垣里沙 DVD)
• 2010-07-14 –Alo Hello! 3 Niigaki Risa DVD (アロハロ！3 新垣里沙 DVD)

• 2002 –Tokkaekko (とっかえっ娘。)
• 2003 –Koinu Dan no Monogatari (子犬ダンの物語)

• 2002 –Angel Hearts
• 2002 –Ore ga Aitsu de Aitsu ga Ore de (おれがあいつであいつがおれで)
• 2008 –Hitmaker Aku Yū Monogatari asKei fromPink Lady

• Official BlogArchived 2012-04-14 at theWayback Machine
• Morning Musume: Official Hello! Project profileArchived 2009-04-04 at theWayback Machine(in Japanese)

• 1988 births
• 7Air members
• Happy 7 members
• Japanese female idols
• Japanese stage actresses
• Japanese voice actresses
• Japanese women pop singers
• 21st-century Japanese women singers
• 21st-century Japanese singers
• Japanese child singers
• Japanese child actresses
• Living people
• Morning Musume members
• Tanpopo members
• Actresses from Yokohama
• Singers from Yokohama

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