"26 Years Since Their 1999 Debut"
"Arashi to Disband After Long-Awaited Concert Tour"
The Japanese five-member male idol group Arashi, which suspended its activities at the end of 2020, has announced that it will conclude its activities after holding a concert tour next spring.
On May 6, Arashi posted on Facebook, "The five of us have started moving toward holding a concert tour scheduled for around next spring," and added, "With this tour, Arashi will end its activities."
The group explained that, just before their hiatus, they were unable to perform in front of large audiences due to the spread of COVID-19. After repeated discussions among the members, they decided to perform at a concert and directly express their gratitude to their fans. They also mentioned that about a year and six months ago, they discussed resuming activities as Arashi, but could not easily reach a conclusion because the environment and circumstances surrounding each member had changed.
Regarding next year's concert tour, Arashi stated, "At this stage, we are not in a position to share all the details," and said they would provide updates as plans are finalized.
Japanese media outlet Sports Hochi reported, "It has been 26 years since their debut in 1999," and added, "After a concert where they will meet fans who have been waiting since the hiatus, Arashi will come to an end."
Arashi, which means "storm," consists of Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. The group has enjoyed top-tier popularity in Japan. They appeared for 12 consecutive years from 2009 in the NHK TV program "Kohaku Uta Gassen," where popular singers perform at the end of each year. After Arashi suspended group activities, several members remained active individually in TV dramas and variety shows. They achieved significant success in various fields, including as actors, TV hosts, and news anchors.
Meanwhile, on January 27, 2019, Arashi announced through a fan club website that they would end their activities at the end of 2020. Leader Ohno said, "After many discussions, we agreed to continue activities together only until December 31 next year. Although the sudden announcement may have surprised you, we thought it was best to properly explain our decision to our fans above all else." At the time, the members also dismissed rumors of discord, stating, "They are not true."
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