It has been announced that Yuto Nakajima of Hey! Say! JUMP will be graduating from the group today.
According to a statement released on Hey! Say! JUMP’s official site, during discussions in regards to preparation for the group’s 20th anniversary, Yuto expressed his desire to break away from the group to engage in solo activities full time. His fellow group members respected his wish, and it was decided that he would graduate from the group. Yuto plans to focus on acting full time, with his new solo fan club to open in October.
In his farewell statement as a member of Hey! Say! JUMP, Yuto expressed gratitude to his group members and fans. “It has been 18 years since our debut, and we’ve walked together even longer, counting our time before debut. Thanks to our fans who have always supported us, we’ve been able to see so many new sight together.
Speaking of his strong feeling about acting, Yuto said, “When I thought about what I could do as a person, and who I was, I realized I had a strong passion for acting. That passion has become even stronger, and I have decided that from now on I want to stand on my own two feet and focus on acting as my main focus.”
The now-seven member Hey! Say! JUMP will appear at a-nation on August 31.
