Tsuji Nozomi

Tsuji Nozomi (辻 希美, born June 17, 1987 in Tokyo, Japan), is a Japanese pop singer formerly under Hello! Project, having since graduated from the label along with the rest of the Elder Club. Before her graduation Tsuji Nozomi had been a soloist in Hello! Project, having been the leader of the duo W along with fellow fourth generation member Kago Ai, one of the founding members of Morning Musume sub-group Mini Moni and a participant in the shuffle units 10-nin Matsuri, Odoru 11, 11WATER and H.P. All Stars. She was also a member of the Morning Musume splinter group, Morning Musume Otome Gumi. She joined Hello! Project in 2000 as one of the four girls chosen to be the fourth generation of Morning Musume.

2000
Tsuji auditioned for the japanese pop group Morning Musume while it was holding it's fourth generation auditions. Originally, the group's producer Tsunku had intended to select only three auditionees to be accepted into Morning Musume's fourth generation. Tsuji lost out to her fellow fourth generation members Ishikawa Rika, Yoshizawa Hitomi and Kago Ai, but then Tsunku made a surprising move and added Tsuji to the new lien-up, boosting the fourth generation up to four members. The fourth generation's debut single was Morning Musume's 9th single, "Happy Summer Wedding".

Tsuji and Kago met during the auditions and when they both found themselves in Morning Musume the two became fast friends. The two were the youngest members in Morning Musume at the time and as such took it upon themselves to become the hyperactice troublemakers of the group. Although at first both girls were shy about being on camera they soon warmed up to being recorded. Tsuji and Kago were accepted by Morning Musume's fans quickly and they ended up being dubbed "The Twins" due to their similair looks and personalities. The girls each developed a strong fanbase each in time although fans found it difficult to think of one without the other. As well as being known as "The Twins", Tsuji and Kago were also known as "Two Top" as on a television special they were both the least knowledgeable when given surprise pop quizzes on several grade school problems, Tsuji being the least knowledgeable and Kago being the second least knowledgeable.

The two retained their childish personalities for a number of years in the group but by 2003 they were no longer the group's youngest members and toned down their hyperactivity considerably. However, Tsuji and Kago continued their strong association with each other inside the group (and their friendship outside of it).

2001
Along with Yaguchi Mari and Kago Ai, Tsuji approached Tsunku with a proposal of the formation of a new sub-group. The idea was that the group could only have members who were 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in height or shorter. It was to show that 'Small people could acieve big things'. Mika Todd from Coconuts Musume was added before the group's debut and the group recieved their name, Mini Moni. The group's debut single became a #1 hit.

Tsuji also participated in the 2001 shuffle unit, 10-nin Matsuri and competed against the other two units for sales, eventually losing out to 3-nin Matsuri (which coincidentally contained Kago Ai in it's line-up).

2002
In 2001, Tsuji participated in a drama alongside her fellow Morning Musume members titled "Angel Hearts". She also released a duo photobook with Kago Ai. Tsuji continued her career in Morning Musume during 2002 and into 2003 as well as Min Moni. She also participated in the 2002 Happiness Groups as a member of Odoru 11.

2003
During 2003 she was the temporary world record holder in the Guinness World Records for spinning the largest Hula Hoop (12.5 m) for 30 seconds from January 2003 to June 2003. However, that record was broken in June 2003 by Paul "Dizzy Hips" Blair (USA), so she did not appear in the 2004 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Tsuji released her first solo photobook and continued with her duties in Morning Musume and Mini Moni, remaining active in each. In a surprise move by Tsunku, Morning Musume was split into two halfs - Morning Musume Otome Gumi and Morning Musume Sakura Gumi - so that the large group could perform in smaller towns that could not hold the larger numbers the full ensemble needed. Tsuji was placed into Otome Gumi and released two single with the group before the groups merged together and formed Morning Musume once more. Tsuji was included in the 2003 Elemental Shuffle Groups as a member of 11WATER.

It was also in 2003 that Tsuji joined Gatas Brilhantes H.P. as the goal keeper for the futsal team.

2004
2004 was a big year for Tsuji as her graduation from Morning Musume alongside Kago Ai was announced by Tsunku. This was due to the two girls going on to form a seperate group within Hello! Project, this being the duo W. On August 1, 2004, they officially graduated from Morning Musume but they had been active as W before their official graduation. Ending their duties in both Morning Musume and Mini Moni (which was about to be disbanded due to the departure of Mika Todd), Tsuji and Kago would have been left at a complete loose end and so W was formed.

In January 2004, Tsuji and Kago simultaneously regained the title Tsuji had lost and held it until September 2005. W released an essay book in 2004 titled U+U=W. It was also in 2004 that Tsuji stated her rival in Hello! Project was Matsuura Aya when she was being interviewed. In December 2004, Tsuji and Kago as W joined their fellow Hello! Project members on the 2004 shuffle unit single "All for One and One for All", credited to the H.P. All Stars.

2005
As a part of Mini Moni, in 2005 Tsuji took part in Mini Moni's Brementown Musicians, a TV show containing three main story lines (these belonging to Tsuji, Kago Ai and Takahashi Ai with Mika Todd appearing in a few episodes). In 2005 W released their second album, "2nd W". Tsuji also joined the concert unit Hello! Project Shirogumi.

2006
W's activities slowed to a stop in 2006 due to Kago Ai's indefinite hiatus as punishment for her underage smoking. Tsuji took to appearing on television shows as a variety idol in this time. However Tsuji and Kago were kept apart and not allowed to communicate.

Tsuji released her second solo photobook in 2006, titled "Non no 19". This title is probably a plahy on words as "Non no 19" means "Non is 19". Non is one of Tsuji's popular nicknames, as is Nono. "Non no 19" could be a play on these two names.

2007
Kago Ai returned after her punishment was over and began working at the offices of Up-Front Works, the agency behind Hello! Project while her comeback as a part of W was prepared. However Kago once again was caught in a scandal and her contract terminated. This led to W's disbandenment and Tsuji was once again at a loose end.

On April 24, 2007, news about Tsuji's new unit was released. The unit, named Gyaruru, was supposed to be made up of Tsuji, Tokito Ami and Gal Sone. She also began her solo career with the release of her debut single, a cover of Morning Musume's "Koko ni Iruzee!".

On May 8, 2007, multiple Japanese news sources announced that Tsuji was nine weeks pregnant, and engaged to actor Taiyō Sugiura (age 26), lead role of Ultraman Cosmos, whom she had been dating since Summer 2006, after the two were introduced to each other earlier in April. Their marriage was set for June 17, 2007 (her twentieth birthday). This was confirmed the next day by several news sources. A press conference was held on May 10, in which both entertainers expressed their apologies to the public, amidst both praise and criticism coming from other renowned artists, such as former 4th Generation Morning Musume member, Yoshizawa Hitomi—who was called in at the last minute to replace Tsuji in the play, "When Will You Return?", and consequently was forced to learn all her lines in a relatively short period of time — and Akiko Wada, who considered the singer's pregnancy and shotgun marriage signs of irresponsibility. Tsuji stated at the press conference that she would return to the public eye "when things calm down" after childbirth. As an official statement from her agency has not yet been made, it is assumed that she will be allowed to return to show business after her leave. However her position within Gyaruru has since been filled by Abe Asami.

Upon marriage, she has changed her name to Sugiura Nozomi, but will continue to use "Tsuji Nozomi" as a stage name.

On November 26, 2007, Tsuji gave birth to a girl named Sugiura Noa (杉浦希空) at 12:45 am, weighing 2.73 kg (6.0 lb; 0.430 st).

Trivia

 * She was crowned the "bakajo" (idiot girl) of Morning Musume after she scored 49.8% in the Mechaike Bakajo Kimatsu Test.
 * She loves Tokyo Disneyland and continues to visit it in her late teens and early twenties. Also, many areas of her and her husband's apartment are decorated in a Disney theme.
 * She can ride a unicycle, including pausing and turning.
 * Her Morning Musume mentor was Iida Kaori.
 * In a 2004 interview she said her rival was Matsuura Aya.
 * If she returns to Hello! Project after her maternity leave, she will be the third active Hello! Project member to be married, after Kominato Miwa and Iida Kaori.
 * The shuffle units Tsuji has been in has always had the largest number of members. Also, when Tsuji participated in the shuffles, she was always placed in the same unit as Iida Kaori.