Ogawa Makoto

Makoto Ogawa (小川 麻琴, Ogawa Makoto) is a Japanese pop singer and actress best known as a former member of Morning Musume. She joined the group in August 2001 along with fellow fifth generation members Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, and Konno Asami.

Biography
Before joining Morning Musume, Ogawa Makoto was enrolled at an entertainment school Apple Little Performers (ALP) in Niigata, where she was one of the top students. She even made her CD debut on a cheer song for the J2 soccer team, Albirex Niigata. She has also been a model for magazines and campaign, such as one for automobile safety for the elderly. Tsunku commented that she was selected to join the group because she displayed great dancing skills and shined during the audition process.

Ogawa graduated from Morning Musume on August 27, 2006 at the final performance of Hello! Project's musical rendition of Ribbon no Kishi. She left Morning Musume to study languages abroad, with the intent to return to Hello! Project. On June 6, 2008, a Japanese newspaper announced that Ogawa had returned to Hello! Project and would appear on the next Haromoni@ episode. She has just returned from studying English in New Zealand for nearly two years.

Trivia
In her primary school days, her friends called her "Tomato Ketchup 100% OK" and "Machiko."