Nozomi Tsuji

Nozomi Tsuji (辻 希美), is a Japanese pop singer and a former member of J-pop idol group Morning Musume, its subgroup Mini Moni, and J-pop duo W. She has participated in the shuffle groups 10-nin Matsuri, Odoru 11, and 11Water, H.P. All Stars, as well as being a member of the Morning Musume splinter group Morning Musume Otomegumi.

2000–2001
In 2000, Tsuji auditioned for the pop group Morning Musume. At first, Tsunku, the group's producer, only wanted three new members for the group, and chose Rika Ishikawa, Hitomi Yoshizawa, and Ai Kago. However, he made the decision to add Tsuji as a fourth member, creating the fourth generation of the group. Their debut single was Morning Musume's 9th, "Happy Summer Wedding", marking Tsuji's debut just one month before turning age 13.

In January 2001, she formed Mini Moni with Mari Yaguchi and Ai Kago.

2002-2006
Tsuji became friends early on with her fellow fourth generation member, Ai Kago, and as the youngest two members of the group, they assumed the roles of the hyperactive troublemakers of Morning Musume. Fans took to them quickly, dubbing them "The Twins", based on their similar looks and personalities. They both retained these personalities for their first years with the group, but by 2003, they were no longer the youngest or the most childish, so their hyperactivity toned down. However, Tsuji and Kago continued their strong association with each other inside the group (and their friendship outside of it). To most casual fans of Morning Musume, it was hard to think of one without thinking of the other. Kago and Tsuji were also known as "Two Top" on the television comedy show Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!: during a special "final exam" episode featuring Morning Musume, the two were both the least knowledgeable when given surprise pop quizzes on several grade school problems, Tsuji being the least knowledgeable and Kago being the 2nd least knowledgeable, resulting in Tsuji being crowned Bakajo (Idiot Girl).

Tsuji 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. In January 2004, she regained the title and simultaneously held it with Kago until September 2005. She was also goalkeeper for Gatas Brilhantes H.P., the Hello! Project futsal team.

On November 10, 2003, the 16-year-old Tsuji released her first solo photobook (after a 2002 duo compilation with Kago, Tsuji Kago), Nono.

In May 2004, Tsunku announced the graduation of both Tsuji and Kago from Morning Musume and created the group W, featuring the pair. On August 1, 2004, they officially graduated from Morning Musume.

On November 18, 2006, Tsuji released a second solo photobook&mdash;more than three years after her first&mdash;entitled "Nonno 19" which is a possible pun; the combination of her two nicknames, "Nono" and "Non". Also, "non no 19" means "non's 19", which refers to her age. The PB shows Nozomi with her hair down, a look that has been rare for her.

2007–present
On January 30, 2007, it was announced on Hello! Project's official site that Tsuji would be voice-acting as a guest for Keroro Gunso the Super Movie 2: The Deep Sea Princess.

In line with Mari Yaguchi's involvement in the Japanese 2007 adaptation of the popular 1955 Broadway play, "Damn Yankees", Tsuji was scheduled to be double cast with fellow Morning Musume 4th generation member Rika Ishikawa in "When Will You Return?" (『いつの日君帰る』), which opened on May 4, 2007 at the Nissei Theatre in Tokyo, where she was to perform until the 22nd, but due to health problems (gastroenteritis, according to the official Hello! Project website), she was eventually replaced by Hitomi Yoshizawa.

On March 26, 2007, after Ai Kago's contract cancellation with Hello! Project, W disbanded.

On April 24, 2007, news about Tsuji's new unit was released. The unit, named Gyaruru, was supposed to be made up of Tsuji, Ami Tokito and Gal Sone. After Tsuji's marriage and pregnancy were announced in May 2007, her position within the group was filled by Asami Abe.

Tsuji was the voice of the character Athena in the animation series Robby & Kerobby, and released a single as the character: "Koko ni Iruzee!", a cover version of the Morning Musume song by the same name. She has since relinquished the role to Risa Niigaki, due to her pregnancy.

On June 19, 2008, Tsuji made an appearance at the Yuko Nakazawa Birthday Live 2008 event, handing a birthday cake to Nakazawa. On January 30, 2009, Tsuji started an online blog, the title of which is commonly rendered as either Non Peace or Non Piece (のんピース). She also performed at the Hello Pro Award '09 ~Elder Club Sotsugyō Kinen Special~ concert on February 1, 2009, her first performance in nearly two years.

Personal life
On May 8, 2007, multiple Japanese news sources announced that Tsuji was nine weeks pregnant, and engaged to 26-year-old actor Taiyō Sugiura, lead role of Ultraman Cosmos, whom she had met in April 2006 and began dating several months later. They were married on Tsuji's twentieth birthday, June 17, 2007. The event was chronicled 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 fellow Morning Musume 4th generation member Hitomi Yoshizawa&mdash;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 &mdash;and Akiko Wada, who expressed concerns that the singer's pregnancy and shotgun marriage were signs of irresponsibility. Tsuji was quoted as stating at the press conference, "I will return to the public eye when things calm down after childbirth."

Upon marriage, she changed her name to Nozomi Sugiura (杉浦希美), but has continued to use Tsuji as her stage name.

The couple's first child, a daughter named Noa Sugiura (杉浦希空), was born on November 26, 2007.

Tsuji announced in May 2010 that she was about 7 weeks pregnant with her second child; the baby is due in January 2011.

Film

 * Mini Moni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibōken! (2002)
 * Keroro Gunso the Super Movie 2: The Deep Sea Princess (超劇場版 ケロロ軍曹２ 深海のプリンセスであります！) (2007)

Television shows

 * Hello! Morning (ハロー！モーニング.) (2000–2007)
 * Futarigoto (二人ゴト)
 * Angel Hearts (2002)
 * Mini Moni's Brementown Musicians (ミニモニ. でブレーメンの音楽隊) (2004)
 * Quiz! Hexagon II (クイズ！ヘキサゴンII) (2009–)