Former SKE48 member Kimoto Kanon has announced that she will be retiring from showbiz.

On April 9, Kimoto reported on her social media accounts, "Kimoto Kanon will retire from entertainment activities and Knock Out on March 31, 2021. During my ten years in showbiz, I was supported by many people and gained many valuable experiences while being cheered on by everybody. I am full of gratitude."

She went on to explain, "Since about two years ago, my feelings of challenging myself to something other than showbiz grew stronger. After a lot of thinking and discussions with my agency, I have made the decision to retire."

She also revealed, "With the help of many people, I am currently learning in order to challenge myself to new things. I am not retiring because of the coronavirus, so please do not worry about me! I wanted to inform you directly, but since we are in this situation, please allow me to use this space to make this announcement."

Finally, she expressed, "I am just thankful to have learned so much as an idol and actress. I was able to make it this far because I was blessed with the people around me. To the staff who have supported me until now, my family and friends, and most importantly, all of my fans, thank you very very much."