I've been thinking about this a lot recently and, she's an idol. It's kind of a specific job title, and the rule that she broke comes with that job title. It's a rule that follows many an idol, male and female, and has been a rule for awhile now.
Idols aren't thought of as... individuals. They're a fabricated product created and employed to make money for businessmen.
Idols here who have boyfriends lose popularity and thus lose sales. It's different than in the west or other parts of the world. It might be strange/unaccepted/etc., but, the thinking is that if we stop them from having boyfriends/girlfriends, they are able to get us money for a longer amount of time.
Also, it protects the
career of the idols. For as long as they don't have a relationship, they will have a job. Theoretically.
Idols don't become idols to have freedom. Freedom is what normal people have. They do it for fame. With fame comes commitment, and she failed to follow it (like many before her--again, this is -not- the first time an idol has been caught and then demoted from a group).
Instead of accepting her possibility of being demoted and/or removed from AKB, she took a different action and shaved her head in an attempt to gain some forgiveness.
If you take away the shaved head, this issue becomes very minute in the Japanese entertainment industry. It becomes breach of contract and something that happens pretty frequent.
But now it's breach of contract + shell shock the entire world + broadcast to millions of people.
Do I agree with the rule, no--I think it's stupid. I was really upset when Yaguchi Mari left Morning Musume upon being caught in a relationship with Oguri Shun. But she went on to do other things--she took responsibility for what she did and she bowed out gracefully.
I know I may have a rather frank opinion of the matter (also unpopular opinion?), but like... it's happened before and only got such major attention now because she shaved her head.
I don't know. I feel for her, but it just seems completely blown out of proportion...
And to say Akimoto would force this on her is a bit unfair in my opinion. He's managed some of the most successful female idols in the past 30 years and this is the first time I hear of anything quite like this happening...If anything, this reflects badly on him whether or not it was forced.