Biography
Who is Asuka Saitō?
Early life and family
Asuka Saitō was born in Katsushika, Tokyo, on August 10, 1998. She is of mixed heritage, born to a Japanese father and a Burmese mother. She grew up with two older brothers.
During her later elementary school years, she struggled with bullying from classmates. She sought support from her teachers, but the situation did not improve, leading her to withdraw from school for a time. This difficult period left her with a reserved personality, which she eventually worked through after she began her career as an idol.
Idol career with Nogizaka46
In 2011, Asuka auditioned for the idol girl group Nogizaka46 after her mother encouraged her to try. She successfully passed, becoming a first-generation member. Her debut as an idol occurred in February 2012 with the group's first single, titled Guruguru Curtain.
As her career progressed, she took on more prominent roles within the group. In 2016, she served as the center member for the 15th single, Hadashi de Summer. By November 2022, she announced her plan to leave the group. She officially graduated on December 31, 2022. Her farewell concert was held in May 2023 at the Tokyo Dome, drawing an audience of approximately 100,000 people.
Modeling and acting achievements
Asuka began her acting work as a child, appearing in the 2007 film Sakuran and various commercials. In 2015, she became an exclusive model for the magazine CUTiE. Following that publication's closure, she joined the magazine sweet as its youngest model at the time.
Her filmography includes lead roles in the Japanese version of You Are the Apple of My Eye and the horror drama Zambi. She also portrayed Mana Hayase and Midori Asakusa in various adaptations. More recently, she played Reika Tosu in the My Home Hero adaptation and starred as Ai Hoshino in the live-action Oshi no Ko film. In 2025, she received the Newcomer of the Year award at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize for her performance in Oshi no Ko: The Final Act. She also launched her own variety talk show, Saito Asuka's Let's Drink and Go Home Tonight, in July 2025.
Personal stats
Asuka Saitō stands at 158 centimeters tall. She was appointed as an official ambassador for the National Green and Flower Fair Katsushika in her home ward in June 2025. Also, in 2017, she released her first photobook, Shiosai, which saw significant commercial success, selling over 200,000 copies by the end of 2018.
Birthday and age
Asuka Saitō was born on August 10, 1998, which makes Asuka 28 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Asuka shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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