I've also been wondering if it could be something like ear surgery, another baby, or marriage. I don't think it's any of those things, and while the gut reaction is to think retirement, I think it's something else altogether.

Your reactions make me even feel more worried about the post, than I initially read it. My first thought was announcement of the Asia Tour, and maybe some extensions (dates, places)

Let's hope for the best

She wrote it in english so it is intended to foreign fans? Avex announced their global expansion years ago and nothing happened because of pandemic. They aimed to be "bigger than BTS with the names such as Ayumi Hamasaki". Also, Max produced an album for Ayu in USA years ago too. Maybe the announcement will be Ayu's "Exodus" album (Like Utada). I don't see Ayu retiring before 30th anniversary.

Maybe it will be the first (and last) global TA tour...

I'm 80% confident it will be something like that.
Retiring now it so off. Even if she has to for whatever reasons, she won't announce it this way.

I'm leaning towards some news for the Asia Tour.

It’s not a mistranslation as in Japanese something with a similar level of urgency was written. All the Japanese fans were speculating retirement on Twitter too, based on what was written in their native language.

Anyway, I’m still hoping for a global extension. It makes little sense how her colleagues of similar status have expanded to performances outside Asia while she never has? I would think it’s something she would like to try at least once, and it’s getting to the point where it’s now or never.

I would actually love to see this.

Right? I honestly feel like it is possible it could be something like this lol

or maybe she'll be releasing "A BEST"?

I think it's a world tour. First and last, that makes sense and is logical. First, world tour and it's gonna be the last as her fame is getting smaller and smaller.

I’m guessing maybe she will “graduate” from Arena Tours and only do concerts in halls (smaller scale venue). That explains the 聖地 and it’s the last time she will perform in Yoyogi. This is the worst news I can take, anything else NO!

Yeah, 報告 is something like a (status) report, which does make it sound like she's going to give an update on herself in Japanese.
For announcements for tours and other career related stuff they usually use words like 発表, 告知 or 解禁 or the like.

thank you for this very important context!

I love how we fans can't accept her retirement and we are trying to justify her words saying possitive ideas like a world tour outside Asia. It's like... the Ayu we know will never retire and have her fans waiting for the official announcement for 4 months.

I was very sad with her post but reading some of you give me hope for her future in the music industry. She has always been the queen, and will always be.

I'm thinking like that too

Damn, well I hope that we get enough time to go watch her perform if she retires

She's pretty much been doing that since 2017. She basically does one concert a year in a large venue.

I can't imagine her wanting to publicly say 'Hey everyone, I'm not popular enough to fill arenas anymore, so I'll only be performing in smaller venues from now on.

I think what she did for that though since 2017 was because she wanted to tour way more which was more feasible with halls. TROUBLE was supposed to end with an ARENA leg after the 101 shows were done but that was smashed by COVID.

I didn't realize she deleted her insta post until now, does that mean it was a (horrible and very) bad buzz and there's no "first and last big news" annoucement to drop anymore ?

that post (from 2 January) is still on her Instagram, it's one of her pinned posts at the very top.

Oh you're right, thank you!! I was scrolling down, so I was a bit relieved to not see it below... And now knowing it's pinned, I'm scared again... And angry again... :(