I sent the link to my japanese friend. She replied;
"I was surprised to see it.
Members of AKB48 cannot date with any guys because they are idol.
Since her scandal about dating with some guy, Yasushi Akimoto forced her to cut her hair in a short crop style
What AKB48 is doing is really unique in Japan, I think."
Two things here. She is saying that akimoto forced her, and this is a rather unqiue reaction... That AKB48 is not following the norm by doing this