Former SDN48 Member Reveals Four Pancreatic Tumors, Attributes Concern to Food Additives

Seara Mitsukami, 38, a former member of SDN48 and singer, disclosed on her blog on June 18 that she was diagnosed with four benign tumors in her pancreas following an MRI scan. The diagnosis came after she underwent medical screening on June 15 that revealed abnormal tumor marker readings and prompted doctors to recommend urgent imaging due to observed shadows in initial results.

Mitsukami expressed shock at the findings, writing on her blog: "I just heard the MRI results, and I'm so shocked I can't find words." However, she emphasized reassurance that the tumors were confirmed to be non-malignant. She stated: "To be clear from the start, they were not malignant tumors. I was relieved by that alone. But there were tumors in my pancreas—and there were four of them."

Regarding the possible cause, Mitsukami linked the discovery to her dietary habits, specifically attributing the tumors to excessive intake of food additives. She wrote: "I can only think of the obvious cause. I was told not to consume too many additives, so additives must be the cause of the tumors after all. I'll be careful going forward." She indicated she would provide more detailed explanation in a separate blog post.

Mitsukami joined SDN48, a sister group of AKB48, as a third-generation member in 2011. The group effectively disbanded in 2012 when all members graduated. She married a civilian man in 2019 and has given birth to two children—a daughter in 2020 and a son in 2021.