Tokunaga Chinami

Tokunaga Chinami (徳永千奈美) is a former Japanese idol, actress, and model previously managed by . She is a former member of Hello! Project, having joined as a member of Hello! Project Kids in 2002 and later debuting as a member of Berryz Koubou in 2004. During her time in Hello! Project, she was also a member of ZYX-α, BeriKyuu, DIY♡, and Mellowquad.
She graduated from Hello! Project on March 3, 2015 in a joint graduation concert with the other members of Berryz Koubou. Since then, she had been on hiatus as of November 25, 2015 to study abroad and learn English in New Zealand.
On February 28, 2021, Tokunaga’s contract with UP-FRONT PROMOTION expired, and she subsequently left the company to work a new job that made use of the English skills she had obtained while studying abroad.
==Biography==
===Early Life===
Tokunaga Chinami was born on May 22, 1992 in Kanagawa, Japan to a couple whose names are undisclosed.
===2002===
On June 30, Tokunaga Chinami joined Hello! Project after successfully passing the Hello! Project Kids Audition along with 14 other girls.Hello! Morning. Broadcast Date: 2002-06-30.
===2004===
In 2004, she was one of the eight members selected to form Berryz Koubou.Tsunku. "『Berryz工房』（ベリーズこうぼう）誕生について" (in Japanese). Tsunku Official Website. 2003-01-15.
She was a member of Little Gatas and Mix Gatas and was added to Gatas Brilhantes H.P. in 2007.
===2008===
In 2008, her cellphone was stolen and several pictures were leaked out to the internet.
===2009===
At the spring concert in Tokyo (Berryz Koubou Concert Tour 2009 Haru ~Sono Subete no Ai ni~), on April 5 it was reported that Tokunaga collapsed on stage. A short while after Tokunaga collapsed, fellow member Tsugunaga Momoko came out on stage and said that “Chinami just got over enthusiastic and used up too much energy, but she will be fine”. A recording of Tsugunaga’s message has confirmed the news.
In 2009, Tokunaga was assigned to be a part of the new shuffle group ZYX-α along with Niigaki Risa, Kusumi Koharu, Umeda Erika, Tsugunaga Momoko, Sudo Maasa, Wada Ayaka, and Ogawa Saki.
Tokunaga, along with four other members of °C-ute and Berryz Koubou left the Hello! Project futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P.. The members left of their own violition due to feeling that they could not perform as high level players due to their level of ability.
===2012===
On July 20, it was announced that Tokunaga, Yajima Maimi, Natsuyaki Miyabi, Nakajima Saki and Iikubo Haruna were chosen to form the unit DIY♡."Two new Hello! Project units formed". tokyohive. 2012-07-21. The unit released an indies single, titled "Forefore ~Forest For Rest~ / Boys be ambitious!" (with GREEN FIELDS), on November 7.
===2013===
On March 2, at SATOYAMA e Ikou! ~Forest For Rest~, Tokunaga was announced a member of the new SATOUMI movement unit, Mellowquad, along with fellow Berryz Koubou member Natsuyaki Miyabi and ℃-ute's Yajima Maimi and Okai Chisato.
On May 22, Tokunaga had her birthday event, titled Tokunaga Chinami Birthday Event ~there My 21 Birthd Party.night~.
On May 26, Tokunaga appeared on the cover of the magazine Rod & Reel. This is her first time being on the cover of a magazine by herself.
On June 8, Tokunaga's Twitter account was closed.
===2014===
On May 22, Tokunaga celebrated her 22nd birthday. The special event was called Berryz Koubou ~Tokunaga Chinami Birthday Event 2014~, the event featured two performances in Tokyo.
===2015===
On March 3, Tokunaga graduated from Berryz Koubou and Hello! Project, along with the rest of the group. After graduating, she and Shimizu Saki became Hello! Project Advisors."Berryz工房について" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2015-02-27.
On April 30, Tokunaga began co-hosting the Hello! Project show GREEN ROOM alongside fellow former Berryz Koubou member Natsuyaki Miyabi.
On May 4, she attended Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2015 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ as a judge.
In November 25, it was announced by 's representative director that Tokunaga would halt her position as a Hello! Project advisor to study abroad and learn English."徳永千奈美に関するお知らせ" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2015-11-25. Tokunaga herself stated in a blog post that she would be leaving in mid-December."未来のお知らせ！" (in Japanese). Tokunaga Chinami Official Blog. 2015-11-25.
===2017===
On June 12, Tokunaga returned to Japan in order to get a driver's license so she would able to drive while living abroad, but she failed the exam on her first try. It was not until November 1, that she announced she had finally received her license and would study abroad once more."Japan" (in Japanese). Tokunaga Chinami Official Blog. 2017-06-12."楽しみ〜♩" (in Japanese). Tokunaga Chinami Official Blog. 2018-11-01.
===2018===
On February 6, Tokunaga announced she was in New York City training as an official NBA ambassador for RakutenTV, who made a deal with the NBA for exclusive online distribution rights in Japan.https://www.instagram.com/p/Be0JeNQgDNI/ She would be working alongside Morning Musume '18 member Nonaka Miki, who was revealed to be an ambassador the day before.https://www.instagram.com/p/Be1Lk-RnUby/ On February 18, she announced she was the ambassador for the Cleveland Cavaliers.https://www.instagram.com/p/BfW-2PIgDLN/
===2020===
On July 23, after several years of studying abroad in New Zealand, she revealed that she had returned home to Japan about a month prior, but had not publicly disclosed her return back then due to COVID-19 precautions."ただいま" Tokunaga Chinami Official Blog. 2020-07-23.
===2021===
On February 28, Tokunaga’s contract with UP-FRONT PROMOTION expired and was not renewed.https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/202102220000736.html She revealed that she had been building her resume and applying to jobs since her return to Japan in mid-2020, and had landed a job that made use of the English skills she had obtained while studying abroad."2021/02/22" (in Japanese). Tokunaga Chinami Official Blog. 2021-02-22.
===2022===
On March 3, Berryz Koubou's major debut 18th anniversary, Tokunaga Chinami announced that she had gotten married in early spring 2021 to someone she had been dating to a while, and that she had given birth to her first child, a baby boy.https://www.instagram.com/p/CaoJRHWlOn2
==Personal Life==
==Profile==
==Discography==
===Solo DVDs===
*[2007.04.01] Tokunaga Chinami Berryz Koubou DVD Magazine Vol.8 (DVD Magazine)
*[2012.10.13] Orange
*[2013.09.07] White
==Publications==
===Solo Photobooks===
#[2009.09.11] Chinami
#[2012.10.12] Metamorphose (メタモルフォーゼ)
==Works==
===Movies===
*[2002] Koinu Dan no Monogatari (仔犬ダンの物語)
*[2004] Promise Land ~Clovers no Daibouken~ (Promise Land ~クローバーズの大冒険~)
*[2011] Ousama Game (王様ゲーム) (as Kamoshita Akemi)
===TV Programs===
*[2002–2007] Hello! Morning (ハロー! モーニング)
*[2007–2008] Haromoni@ (ハロモニ@)
*[2008] Berikyuu! (ベリキュー!)
*[2008–2009] Yorosen! (よろセン!)
*[2009] Bijo Houdan (美女放談) (2 episodes)
*[2010–2011] Bijo Gaku (美女学)
*[2011–2012] Hello Pro! TIME (ハロプロ！ＴＩＭＥ)
*[2011–2013] Kaette Kita Berryz Kamen! (帰ってきたBerryz仮面!)
*[2012–2013] Hello! SATOYAMA Life (ハロー！ＳＡＴＯＹＡＭＡライフ)
*[2014–2015] The Girls Live
===TV Dramas===
*[2012] Suugaku♥Joshi Gakuen (数学♥女子学園)
===Theater===
*[2006] Edo Kara Chakushin!? ~Timeslip to Kengai!~ (江戸から着信!? 〜タイムスリップto圏外!〜)
*[2007] Reverse! ~ Watashi no Karada Doko Desu ka? (リバース! 〜私の体どこですか?)
*[2008] Berryz Koubou VS Berryz Koubou (Berryz工房 VS Berryz工房)
*[2009] Thank You Very Berry (サンク ユー ベリー ベリー)
*[2010] Sanokuen Shoujo (三億円少女)
*[2011] Real Etude Minna no Ie Girl's STAGE (リアルエチュード みんなの家 Girl's STAGE)
*[2011] Sengoku Jieitai (戦国自衛隊) (Stageplay)
*[2012] Sugar Spot (シュガースポット)
*[2013] Warera Jeanne ~Shoujo Seisen Kageki~ (我らジャンヌ 〜少女聖戦歌劇〜) (as Harold and Tatiana)
*[2014] Musical Sengoku Jieitai (戦国自衛隊) (Musical)
===Internet===
*[2011] Michishige Sayumi no "Mobekimasutte Nani??"
*[2013–2015] Hello! Project Station
*[2014–2015] MUSIC+
*[2015] GREEN ROOM (Main MC)
===Radio===
*[2004–2009] Berryz Koubou Kiritsu! Rei! Chakuseki! (Berryz工房 起立! 礼! 着席!)
*[2009–2012] Berryz Koubou Beritsuu! (Berryz工房 べりつぅ!)
*[2012–2015] BZS1422
===Music Videos===
*[2003] Fujimoto Miki - "Boogie Train '03" (as back dancer)
==Trivia==
==References==
==External Links==
*Berryz Koubou Profile (archived)
*Official Blog
*Instagram
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Category:Tokunaga Chinami
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