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.”

 

 

 

“Since around September last year, the agency’s talent has been repeatedly saying that ‘the environment within the agency has improved’ and ‘we’ve gained more freedom.’ However, it seems that the staff responsible for controlling such matters may have disappeared, leading to a surge in marriages. When two members from the relatively younger group ‘JUMP’ announced their marriages, it shocked the industry. While ‘Arashi’ members waited until their 40s to marry, the fact that ‘JUMP,’ in their 30s, has now had two married members has contributed to a significant decline in their fan base.” (Variety show staff)

 

The group Kis-My-Ft2, which has seen members leave and some get married, has seen a significant reduction in regular television programs. While they once held five major dome tours, this year they’ve been reduced to three. KAT-TUN, with Kazuya Kamenashi (40) on hiatus, also faces difficulties in resuming group activities. This year, NEWS, now with only three members, saw Keiichiro Koyama (40) and Shigeaki Kato (37) get married, leaving only Takahisa Masuda (38) single. Furthermore,

 

“Just recently, there was news of a romance between Jesse (28) of SixTONES and Haruka Ayase (39), and now Shintaro Morimoto (27) has been photographed with Aoi Morikawa (29). According to reports, Morimoto didn’t appear to be particularly cautious, raising doubts about whether his manager issued any warnings.” (former sports newspaper journalist) 

 

The relationship between talents and managers has seen unprecedented developments, which would have been unthinkable during the old Johnny’s era.

 

The relationship between the media and talents has become a thing of the past.

“During the old Johnny’s era, it was customary for the agency to send a message card along with sweets to the media when announcing a marriage. In return, the program staff would often give a congratulatory gift, and the agency would send a token of appreciation (a return gift) in response. This tradition continues today.

However, there have been cases where these return gifts have not reached the media. Some media representatives are expressing concern, saying, ‘I wonder what happened.’ This was never an issue in the past. During the old Johnny’s era, it was normal for talents to properly greet the program staff and send thank-you letters in their own name. Now, such practices are no longer observed.

It seems that managers are not making an effort to build proper relationships with the staff at television stations. The relationship between talents and the agency is strictly professional, and since President Jun Fukuda does not approve of overly familiar relations, it is to be expected. However, the etiquette and manners of the talents themselves are clearly being neglected. I don’t think it’s necessary to discard the good practices from the old Johnny’s era.” (Sports newspaper reporter)

 

 

 

Since the company became STARTO, communication between the program staff and the talents’ on-site managers has drastically decreased. It seems that apart from a few program producers who deal directly with the agency, no one knows whom to contact at STARTO. On the other hand, TOBE Corporation is reportedly receiving positive feedback.

 

“Since a former savvy editor from a TV magazine took on the role of public relations, the work has reportedly become much smoother. As someone well-acquainted with the positive aspects of the old Johnny’s agency, their approach is very meticulous. It’s evident when comparing ‘King & Prince’ with ‘Number_i’; now, the two members of ‘Kink Prince’ feel significantly less prominent. Despite this, the agency has made no effort to promote them. Fans are on the verge of frustration, saying, ‘STARTO’s management isn’t functioning properly.’” (as previously mentioned by the reporter)

 

The business-minded executives seem to have no intention of maintaining good relations with entertainment media, but it’s crucial that they at least ensure proper fan service. 

 

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