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Japan Forward
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Arashi to Hold Final Tour in 2026 Before Disbanding
このページを 日本語 で読む The popular Japanese idol group Arashi announced on X that they will hold a concert tour in the spring of 2026. Following the tour, the group will officially conclude all activities. Here is the full statement. We have something we would like to share with you. It has been about four and a half years since we went on hiatus. During our final year before the hiatus, we were unable to perform in front of all of you due to the impact of COVID-19. To express our heartfelt gratitude directly to the fans who have supported us all this time, the five of us have come together once again to begin preparing for a concert tour planned for next spring as Arashi . At one point, especially after the establishment of our company, Arashi Inc, we considered moving forward with a new structure and new staff. However, after more than 20 years of being supported by the same dedicated team, we realized we wanted to create this final chapter together with them. This tour will mark the official conclusion of our activities as Arashi. About a year and a half ago, the five of us began meeting and talking whenever we had the chance, discussing the possibility of reuniting as Arashi. As the environment surrounding us, as well as our individual circumstances, have changed, it wasn't easy to find a clear answer on how to do this. After much time and many conversations, we arrived at one shared decision: to reunite one more time and perform as Arashi. By doing the things we couldn't during the pandemic, such as directly thanking our fans and performing live, we hope to bring our journey as a five-member group to a close. Once this tour begins, there are no plans for another hiatus. Members of the boy band Arashi. To give priority to current fan club members for concert ticket applications, we are temporarily suspending new fan club registrations. Preparations for the tour are underway with the help of many people, but we are not yet ready to share all the details. As plans are finalized, we will share updates directly with our fans, in our own words. Additionally, with the conclusion of Arashi's activities, the fan club will officially close at the end of May 2026. Until then, we intend to provide as much content as possible for fan club members, and we hope you'll enjoy what we have planned. For those not currently in the fan club, we're preparing to reopen membership registration so you can enjoy upcoming content as well. The next content release for fan club members is scheduled for mid-next month [June]. Once again, the five of us will come together to thank our fans for their continued support by bringing you something very special. Please look forward to it. Arashi — Aiba Masaki, Jun Matsumoto, Kazunari Ninomiya, Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai Arashi is a Japanese boy band formed in 1999 by the former Johnny & Associates (now SMILE-UP.). The group debuted on September 15, 1999, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Over the next two decades, Arashi became one of Japan's most successful and influential pop groups, achieving numerous albums that topped the Oricon charts. The above is an unofficial translation. Subheadings were added by the editorial team. Author: The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Asahi Shimbun
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
The final tour? Arashi to end activities after 2026 concerts
The five-member male idol group Arashi announced on May 6 that it will end activities with a concert tour to be held next spring. The unit created by Johnny & Associates Inc. had been on hiatus since the end of 2020. Arashi released a three-minute video on its website for official fan club members, acknowledging it has been four and a half years since the five members were seen together before revealing that they are preparing for a concert tour scheduled for around next spring. The J-pop group's activities will end with this tour, as will the official fan club's operations in May 2026. Satoshi Ono, 44, the group's leader, said in the video: 'After many discussions, we all came to the conclusion that we would get together once again to hold a concert as Arashi and end our activities as a five-member group with the act of expressing our thank you directly to all the fans, which was not possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.' He added, 'It was unthinkable that we would go into another hiatus after resuming our activities.' Arashi consists of Ono; Masaki Aiba, 42; Jun Matsumoto, 41; Kazunari Ninomiya, 41; and Sho Sakurai, 43. The group members made their debut with the release of their first CD in 1999. Their popularity earned them an appearance in the annual nationally televised New Year's Eve music and entertainment show "NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen' for 12 consecutive years starting in 2009. Each member also took on individual roles, appearing on variety shows as well as in TV dramas and commercials, earning support from audiences of all ages. On the 20th anniversary of their debut in 2019, the group announced that it would suspend its activities at the end of 2020.
Tokyo Weekender
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Popular Boy Band Arashi To Disband After 2026 Spring Tour
There was mixed news for fans of the popular all-male Japanese group Arashi on Tuesday. The good news is that the five members will finally be performing together again next spring after being on hiatus since December 31, 2020. The bad news is that the reunion will be short-lived. In May of next year, the group will officially disband. 'For about a year and a half now, the five of us have regularly gotten together to discuss the idea of working as Arashi again,' said the group in a post on its official social media accounts and fan website. 'However, it was not easy to find an answer to how to do this, as the environment surrounding us has changed, in addition to each of our individually changed circumstances compared to before.' List of Contents: Arashi Spring Tour: Priority to Current Fan Club Members About Arashi Related Posts Arashi Spring Tour: Priority to Current Fan Club Members Arashi surprised its fans in January 2019 when its members announced that they planned to temporarily stop performing together. A year and a half earlier, the group leader, Satoshi Ohno, informed the other members that he wanted to leave. On New Year's Eve in 2020, they performed their last live-streamed concert together before the hiatus. It was held without a live audience due to COVID-19 restrictions. Next year's shows are certain to sell out. According to the group's official X page, new applications for fan club membership will be temporarily suspended so that priority for tickets can be given to current fan club members. At present, Arashi is unable to give any specific details about the spring 2026 tour as discussions are ongoing. About Arashi Arashi officially formed on September 15, 1999, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Johnny & Associates announced the group's debut via a press conference on a cruise ship. Five trainees from Johnny's Jr. division of the agency — Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya and Jun Matsumoto — were chosen as members. The boy band's first single, 'Arashi,' was a major hit. It sold more than 1 million copies by the end of its chart run. In January 2001, Arashi released its debut album, Arashi No.1 Ichigou: Arashi wa Arashi o Yobu! , which debuted at number one on the Oricon chart. It was the group's best-selling album until the release of All the Best! 1999–2009 , the world's best-selling LP in 2019 with 3.3 million copies sold globally. Arashi has also received the 'Artist of the Year' award from the Recording Industry Association of Japan a record six times. Related Posts TV Host Masahiro Nakai Announces Retirement Amid Sex Scandal Saying Goodbye to Arashi and Mitsuyo Asaka While Erika Toda Ties the Knot BBC Documentary Exposes Abusive Past of Johnny Kitagawa
Hype Malaysia
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Iconic Japanese Idol Group ARASHI To Disband In 2026 Following Final Tour
It's a bittersweet day for the J-pop industry and ARASHI (嵐) fans. The legendary Japanese idol group recently announced their comeback after a four-year hiatus – only to follow up with news that they're disbanding. The group shared a new post on social media on 6th May 2025 (Tuesday), delighting fans with their first group appearance in years. The quintet – made of members Satoshi Ohno (大野智), Sho Sakurai (櫻井翔), Masaki Aiba (相葉雅紀), Kazunari Ninomiya (二宮和也), and Jun Matsumoto (松本潤) – went on hiatus in 2021 to focus on solo activities. Despite the initial joy of seeing the group's reunion, fans quickly voiced sadness after the group shared their plans for their future. In their official statement, the group revealed plans to end their hiatus and start touring again in 2026. However, J-pop icons continued, saying that the tour would be the group's last as they would disband upon its conclusion. ARASHI explained that they've regularly discussed the possibility of reuniting the group after their hiatus. However, after contemplating the current circumstances, the members decided to end their activities as a group after their final tour. As ARASHI's final tour is still in its preparation stage, more details will be shared once everything is ready. The group will also close its official fan club in May 2026, following the end of their group activities. However, the members said they would continue to deliver as much content as possible until the fan club's closure. ARASHI ends their statement by expressing gratitude to all their fans for their continued love and support. The J-pop legends have been a household name in Japan for over 20 years. The group debuted in 1999 under the renowned entertainment agency Johnny & Associates Inc., now known as Starto Entertainment Inc. In their career, the quintet has amassed a loyal following and become one of Asia's best-selling boy bands. The members also actively appear in movies, dramas, commercials and variety shows. Fans from across the globe have shared their reactions to the bittersweet news. While many supported ARASHI's decision to disband, they also voiced sadness over no longer being able to see all five members as a group. On the other hand, international fans also urged the group to consider a world tour before disbanding to give overseas fans a chance to catch the final tour. The warm response to ARASHI's announcement is a testament to the group's influence in the J-pop world. We hope those who have supported the group throughout their career will be able to join their final tour. In the meantime, watch their announcement video below: Source: Twitter
The Mainichi
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
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.
