TOKIO Breaks Up! Exclusive Look at Three Decades of Triumphs and Trials

Over 30 years of history came to an abrupt end

Just five days after the “Kokubun Shock,” the decision was made. On June 25, TOKIO announced that the group would disband effective that same day. After more than 30 years of history, an abrupt end arrived.

They debuted in 1994. Their first single, “LOVE YOU ONLY,” sold over 500,000 copies, and that year, all five members—Shigeru Jojima (54), Taichi Kokubun (50), Masahiro Matsuoka (48), Tatsuya Yamaguchi (53), and Tomoya Nagase (46)—stood on stage at Nippon Budokan. In 1995, the long-running variety show “The! Tetsuwan! DASH!!” (Nippon TV), which became the epicenter of the “Kokubun Shock,” began airing. They established themselves as top idols, but an entertainment industry executive admitted, “At first, they were on the sidelines.”

“In the 1990s, Johnny’s idols like Hikaru GENJI who sang and danced were considered the mainstream. TOKIO, a rock band, was treated as an outlier.”

What pushed them to stardom was former Johnny’s Office president Julie Fujishima (58), who was their manager early on.

“For Julie, who had been a stylist responsible for dressing groups affiliated with the agency, TOKIO was the first group she handled seriously. Thanks to her enthusiastic promotion, TOKIO achieved the feat of appearing in the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen 24 years in a row. They maintained a consistent musical style while also pursuing acting. When Yamaguchi became involved in a scandal regarding the forced molestation of a minor, Fujishima worked tirelessly behind the scenes managing media relations,” said the same source.

However, despite Fujishima’s efforts, Yamaguchi left the group, and in 2021, Nagase also left the entertainment world. Chikako Komai, an entertainment reporter who covered TOKIO for many years, said, “From the time they became a trio, the members seemed to have the understanding that if another scandal happened, the name ‘TOKIO’ would be dropped.”

“That’s why, unlike groups like KAT-TUN that were disbanded by their agency STARTO, TOKIO announced their own disbandment. It’s unlikely the members will appear together on a public stage again. Jojima and Matsuoka have established their own companies and will likely continue their activities individually. With Julie Fujishima already stepping down amid the sexual misconduct issues, there is no reason to return to STARTO, with whom they had an agency contract.”

It was not a dramatic departure with the empress, but the ending was unexpectedly anticlimactic.

Masahiro Matsuoka (48), Vice President of TOKIO Inc.: In 2017, he enjoyed high-end steak with the great Sasaki Kazuhiro (aka “Daimajin”). This showed Matsuoka’s wide circle of friendships, marked by loyalty and strong human ties.

Tatsuya Yamaguchi (53), left the group in 2018: After finishing an appearance on a morning news program, Yamaguchi was heading to his condominium. This was around the time he was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of forced indecent assault.

Taichi Kokubun (50), suspended indefinitely from activities in 2025: In 2018, Kokubun was seen leaving a studio in Setagaya Ward with a smile. Many staff members were seen sending him off near the entrance.

Tomoya Nagase (46), left the group in 2021: Last summer, Nagase spoke to FRIDAY reporters at a motorcycle race venue. His Harley-Davidson bike is visible behind him.

From the July 18-25, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”