Ex-Johnny's group Tokio to disband after scandal revelation
Japanese pop group Tokio, formerly part of Johnny & Associates Inc., said Wednesday it has decided to disband following member Taichi Kokubun's hiatus over a misconduct scandal, according to a statement on its official website.
The all-male group is widely known in Japan for its support for Fukushima Prefecture following the 2011 nuclear crisis. It debuted under the talent agency but later left after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations surfaced against the agency's late founder Johnny Kitagawa.
"We decided it would be difficult to regain trust and continue receiving support as a group," the group posted on its official website.
Last week, Kokubun, 50, said he was indefinitely suspending his activities in a press release from his office, also named Tokio.
Neither Kokubun nor his office has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but a source close to the matter said they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment.
After the 2011 accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the then five-member group helped promote local agricultural products through commercials, as their variety program had featured them engaging in farming in the prefecture.
Kokubun's hiatus comes amid a recent sexual scandal involving former TV host Masahiro Nakai, who also belonged to Johnny & Associates. Another former Tokio member, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, left the group in 2018 after he forcibly kissed a high school girl at his home.
© KYODO
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D780%26fit%3Dcover%26gravity%3Dfaces%26dpr%3D2%26quality%3Dmedium%26source%3Dnar-cms%26format%3Dauto&w=3840&q=100)
Nikkei Asia
36 minutes ago
- Nikkei Asia
Nintendo Switch 2 launched in mobile-games-fixated Southeast Asia
A Mario Kart-themed installation at Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport on June 20, part of a promotional campaign that kicked off ahead of the official launch of the Switch 2 console in the city-state on June 26. (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga) TAMAYO MUTO, TSUBASA SURUGA, RAMON ROYANDOYAN, and WATARU SUZUKI TOKYO/SINGAPORE/MANILA/BEIJING -- Nintendo launched its Switch 2 console in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines on Thursday, as the Japanese games giant builds on the device's successful debut in its largest markets earlier this month. Switch 2 became the fastest-selling game console in the company's history immediately after its launch in Japan, North America, Europe and Australia on June 5. The popularity of the device will now be put to the test in Southeast Asia, where smartphone and PC gaming have traditionally held sway and the console game market is relatively small.
SoraNews24
an hour ago
- SoraNews24
Totoro travel bags, suitcase ready to take responsibility for inspiring your Japanese countryside trip
Hey, Totoro, can you hold our stuff while we go for a walk in the forest? It may not be a travelogue or official tourism promotion video, but it's safe to say that My Neighbor Totoro is a major reason for a whole lot of trips to Japan. For many people, the Studio Ghibli anime's depictions of the Japanese countryside are their first inkling of the bucolic beauty waiting outside the concrete jungles and neon thickets of the country's big cities, and 'Whoa, this looks like something out of Totoro!' is something countless visitors have thought to themselves when they see farm and forestland in Japan. So if Totoro is going to be inspiring people to travel to/in Japan, it's only fair that he help them carry their stuff, right? Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku has a whole line of Totoro travel bags, including a roller suitcase decked out with illustrations of the forest spirit frolicking in a clover patch, along with the white Little Totoro and some Soot Sprite friends. ▼ There don't appear to be any four-leaf clovers, but who needs luck when you've got this much cuteness? The rollers and TSA-compliant combination lock add convenience and security to the suitcase, which is 33 x 52 x 21 centimeters (13 x 20.5 x 8.3 inches) and has a carrying capacity of 30 liters. If you need more room, you'll be happy to know that with the handle extended… …you can slide it through a Totoro Boston bag. This one doesn't just show off Totoros on the fabric pattern, either, because the zipper pulls are little metallic Totoros too. Actually, the suitcase also has Totoro zipper pulls, but they're located inside, and a shiny silver color instead of the rustic bronze shade for the Boston bag's. Size-wise, these are both luggage pieces you'll want to leave in your hotel or inside a locker while doing your sightseeing, but there are two day-use bags in the line as well, a backpack… …and a 'town shoulder bag.' ▼ The shoulder bag is also sized to perch nicely on top of the suitcase. Prices start at 4,950 yen (US$34) for the shoulder bag, with the Boston bag 5,500, the backpack 5,940, and the suitcase 24,200 yen. The whole bunch is available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here following a restock, and if you'd like Totoro to help support your neck while you catch some Zs on the plane (and transform too), they've got you covered on that as well. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
The Mainichi
4 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Ex-Johnny's group Tokio to disband after scandal revelation
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese pop group Tokio, formerly part of Johnny & Associates Inc., said Wednesday it has decided to disband following member Taichi Kokubun's hiatus over a misconduct scandal, according to a statement on its official website. The all-male group is widely known in Japan for its support for Fukushima Prefecture following the 2011 nuclear crisis. It debuted under the talent agency but later left after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations surfaced against the agency's late founder Johnny Kitagawa. "We decided it would be difficult to regain trust and continue receiving support as a group," the group posted on its official website. Last week, Kokubun, 50, said he was indefinitely suspending his activities in a press release from his office, also named Tokio. Neither Kokubun nor his office has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but a source close to the matter said they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. After the 2011 accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the then five-member group helped promote local agricultural products through commercials, as their variety program had featured them engaging in farming in the prefecture. Kokubun's hiatus comes amid a recent sexual scandal involving former TV host Masahiro Nakai, who also belonged to Johnny & Associates. Another former Tokio member, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, left the group in 2018 after he forcibly kissed a high school girl at his home.
