Idol Group WEST. to Cease Activities on September 30
The company previously announced on August 30 that members Ryusei Fujii and Nozomu Kotaki will be leaving the group. The company has had numerous discussions with the remaining five members (Daiki Shigeoka, Akito Kiriyama, Junta Nakama, Tomohiro Kamiyama, and Takahiro Hamada) regarding the group's future activities and goals, including the possibility of continuing as a five-member group. Taking into account the activities and each member's goals for the future, the company has decided to cease the group's activities.
Starto Entertainment added that all seven WEST. members will continue to be affiliated with the company and will continue their activities as individual talents starting on October 1.
The group debuted as Johnny's West in 2014. The group changed their name to "WEST." (with a period), removing the "Johnny's" from their name in the aftermath of the sexual abuse scandal surrounding the group's Smile Up (formerly Johnny's & Associates, which then changed its name to Starto Entertainment under its new president Atsushi Fukuda) talent agency.
As Johnny's West, the seven-man idol group performed theme songs for such anime as Ace Attorney, Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON, and the 2018 Captain Tsubasa anime Under WEST. they performed a theme song for Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc.
Sources: Starto Entertainment's website, Music Natalie
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