Japanese idol group Arashi to disband after spring tour next year
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The popular Japanese all-male idol group Arashi, which has been on hiatus since the end of 2020, announced Tuesday that it will disband after a tour next spring with all five members.
"The environment surrounding us has changed," as have each member's circumstances, the group said in a post on its official social media accounts and on an official fan website.
"We came to the conclusion that we should all come together as Arashi, hold a concert that would allow us to express our thanks directly with the kind of in-person performance" that was not possible because of the coronavirus pandemic, it said.
The boy band shocked fans when it announced in January 2019 that it planned to temporarily stop performing together. The decision was made after group leader Satoshi Ono informed the other members in June 2017 that he wished to leave.
Arashi is one of the most successful idol groups created by giant entertainment agency Johnny & Associates Inc., now known as Starto Entertainment Inc.
The group's members have been active not only in music but also in movies, TV dramas, variety shows and commercials since its debut in 1999.
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