in addition to what other people said already, I think most artists, especially the more established ones, focus more on touring than promoting albums and especially singles because it doesn't rake in the money it used to. An artist has X-amount of time during a year and has to spend that time making the most of it so to speak...

I honestly think the Japan tsunami was the catalyst for her lack of releases this year. If you look at her releases~
* ViVi collab shirt
* Hotel LOVE SONGS becomes POWER of MUSIC - more intimate performances versus extravagance of her planned tour
* FIVE mini album, powerful and emotional in sound but not extravagant or over the top release
* Ayu Life Style Book, an intimate look into Ayu's life
* Hotel LOVE SONGS coming in 2012

Everything has been low key...we saw that she was deeply upset by the events after the earthquake and her promotion after that was low-key, personal and intimate. She's probably felt it was "wrong" to actively promote and be happy and laughing while so much devastation is still evident in upper Japan. She's also recently married, so perhaps she's spending more time talking to Mannie about what their plans for the future are.

Besides that, she deserves a break every now and then. Even though she only released a little this year, the only new Ayu things I bought this year were the ViVi shirt and FIVE. I guess I no longer see lots of releases as important for her to be appreciated! I still haven't even watched all the RnRC and LS PVs, let alone FIVE.....I'll get to those when I feel like something new. It's important not to burn through her stuff too quickly and perhaps go back and revisit her older stuff and appreciate it a bit more! :)

Eventually Ayu will retire, although it may be a number of years yet......so I think that her having a quiet year here and there is no big deal, when one year there will be nothing ever again xD

maybe she's just not in the mood anymore??? :D

I'd probably agree with what most people have said already. I think Ayu is moving onto a different stage of her career, she's doing all sorts now not just singing. While I've also missed her on TV and appearances, and have wondered what she's been upto, and I'm glad she is taking it at her own pace and doing other things. I'd rather her to take time to make her products personal and well produced, like to me, FIVE. I loved FIVE. And to also take time off to be with Mannie, I would never ask her to sacrifice her time with him.