While Kazunari Ninomiya of “Arashi” is going independent… Masaki Aiba is somehow very busy, and the reason is too deep.
The popular group “Arashi,” which entered its 25th anniversary year on November 3, has been on hiatus. While no announcement has been made regarding the resumption of their activities, there has been a major move. On October 24, member Kazuya Ninomiya (40) suddenly announced that he would leave “SMILE-UP.” (former Johnny’s office) on the same day. However, when “Arashi” was to be restarted, he simultaneously announced his intention to work with the members.
The majority of the former Johnny’s talents will be under agent contracts with the new company, whose name was publicly solicited from the fans. There is no possibility that Ninomiya’s independent agency will sign a contract with the new company. I don’t know what his true intentions are, but he may have calculated that he could get a higher salary if he became independent and participated in the activities of “Arashi” on an “individual” basis.
On the other hand, the variety show “MOKU 7 ◎× 部” (Fuji TV), in which Masaki Aiba (40), also of Arashi, serves as the MC, will start on the 26th. The show featured a VTR appearance by Ninomiya, who had just left the office. This easily broke the “convention” that former ex-johnny’s members are not allowed to appear on terrestrial TV or perform with current members of the group.
On the following day, the 27th, Aiba will start “Today’s Hitman” (TV Asahi), a drama in which he plays the lead role. In the drama, he plays the main character who leads a unique dual life as a salaryman and a hitman. What a series of new shows Aiba has started!
The figure is now that Ninomiya has turned his back on the old Johnny’s to focus on his own future, and now the agency is pushing Aiba hard. In the drama in which he stars, Aiba plays the role of a salesman with good manners and good talking skills, but the role is exactly what the public image of him is. He benefits from this character. In addition, his “straightforwardness” toward the office is one of the reasons why Aiba is being promoted.
