Fans’ Frustration Grows Over STARTO Co. Management Issues with Nostalgia for Johnny’s Days

On July 13, during a live performance at Yokohama Arena, the surprise announcement of Naniwa Danshi’s first Asia tour drew significant backlash from fans. The tour is scheduled to take place in Taipei at the end of November, with stops in Seoul and Hong Kong in early January.

“Since it’s an overseas tour, it should be a proud announcement for fans. However, Naniwa Danshi has not yet held a dome tour domestically. Although they maintain a position as the second most popular group within the agency after Snow Man, many fans who have subscribed to fan clubs under multiple names were unable to win tickets for their arena tour, leading to frustration. With no priority booking for this Asia tour, there seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction among fans who feel they can’t keep up.” (Entertainment reporter)

In fact, there is another issue with Naniwa Danshi that fans find unacceptable.

 

The reported romantic relationships of three members have become another source of controversy.

 

“Last year, within just four months, romantic relationships involving three members—Kyohei Takahashi (24), Daigo Nishihata (27), and Kento Nagao (22)—were reported one after another. In the past, the agency might have had the power to stop such reports or at least choose to ignore them. However, as STARTO Entertainment, known for its ‘freedom’ motto, does not have a strict no-dating policy, they were not well-prepared for such situations. As a result, a certain number of female fans left.

 

In response, STARTO Entertainment became cautious with information about only Shunsuke Michieda (22), noticeably tightening their protective measures. The Asia tour, organized to revitalize Naniwa Danshi after a significant drop in CD sales due to the romantic rumors, has even led some fans to suggest, ‘Why not just have a solo concert for Michieda-kun?.'” (Reporter)

STARTO Entertainment is facing various issues with other groups as well. This year, “Hey! Say! JUMP” (commonly known as “JUMP”) has had two married members, Daiki Arioka (33) and Hikaru Yaotome (33), leading to speculation that “if Ryosuke Yamada (31) were to get married as well, it would be the end for them.”