Reebok President’s Revelation and Meguro Ren’s Direct Contract Spark Speculation

What is happening to “STARTO ENTERTAINMENT” (STARTO) led by President Jun Fukuda?

On March 6th, Yosuke Tanaka, the president of the sports brand “Reebok Japan,” updated his X (former Twitter) account. He announced the end of the annual contract with SixTONES, with whom the company had been collaborating. In his statement, Tanaka expressed gratitude to the group and mentioned that discussions had been ongoing for contract continuation, but:

 

“Due to various discussions arising, such as changes in the management structure at Start Company, and how this affects the members and fans, it has taken time to adjust.”

After this post caused a stir, the president deleted it. Some fans expressed indignation, believing that they lost their jobs due to Start Company’s mishandling.

The company, formerly known as Johnny & Associates, changed its name and now manages talent and operates as an agent. In April, they are planning to hold a long-awaited live event involving all talents at the Tokyo Dome. According to music industry insiders,

“Intending to showcase their continued vitality both internally and externally.”

However, up to now, Junichi Okada, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Toma Ikuta have left the agency. Tsuyoshi Domoto will also leave by the end of March. Even though Ninomiya and Domoto are leaving the agency, their activities with “Arashi” and “KinKi Kids” respectively will not be affected.