Matsui Jurina returns as center for SKE48’s 23rd single to be released on July 4th

It was announced on May 17th that SKE48’s 23rd single to be released on July 4th will feature Matsui Jurina as the center.

Matsui’s return as center marks the 10th anniversary of SKE48.  Back in October 2008, Matsui Jurina became the first SKE48 member to be featured on the cover and single of an AKB48 single, “Ogoe Diamond”.

Matsui said after being named center, “I am happy to be the center for the first time in a while and I’m very thankful.  It’s the 10th anniversary and I am very excited.  I am looking forward to the future of SKE48”.

The first single from SKE48 would be in 2009 with “Tsuyoki Mono yo” through Lantis (2009), the second through fourth singles would be released through Crown Gold (2010-2011) and SKE48 would find a home with the label Avex which they would move to in 2011.

Since 2011’s release of their fifth single “Banzai Venus”, SKE48 has debuted at #1.  Their biggest selling single thus far is their 2015 single “Coquettish Jutai Chu” which had over 702,299 total sales (640,451 in the first week alone).

SKE48 stands for Sakae, which is in the Naka district in Nagoya.