In light of Taichi Kokubun‘s indefinite hiatus due to compliance violation, TOKIO has announced that it is disbanding, effective as of today, June 25.
In a statement on their website of their TOKIO Inc. management company, Taichi, along with the two remaining members of TOKIO, Shigeru Joshima and Masahiro Matsuoka, stated that “given the current situation, it will be difficult to continue working as a group called ‘TOKIO’ and regain everyone’s trust and support,” effectively bringing the band to an end.
In regards to future activities, the statement read, “First, we would like to apologize and extend greetings to all those involved with us, and then each of us would like to reflect and continue to sincerely ask ourselves what we can contribute to all those who have helped us until now.”
TOKIO debuted in September 1994 with the single “LOVE YOU ONLY.” From that year until 2017, they appeared on “NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen” 24 times in a row. The band gained popularity through television shows such as the Nippon TV variety show “The! Tetsuwan! DASH!!”
In May 2018, the company then known as Johnny & Associates terminated its contract with Tatsuya Yamaguchi after he forcibly kissed an underage girl in his home, in effect kicking him out of TOKIO. This led to the band’s musical hiatus, which was never resumed. Their final release was the 2017 single “Kumo.”
In March 2021, Tomoya Nagase left TOKIO and Johnny & Associates to pursue new endeavors.
The following month, the management company TOKIO Inc. was created by the three remaining members of TOKIO.
