Pop Idol Minami Minegishi of AKB48, begging forgiveness of her fans and managers, her long hair shaved, her face contorted by grief and shame. The YouTube video of her confession and recantation - viewed more than 3 million times on AKB48’s official channel, but currently private at the time of writing this - makes for horrible viewing. She begs, cries, bows before the camera, distraught and obviously emotionally damaged.