STARTO’s Future Power Dynamics Revealed in Nippon TV Music Special

In July, Japan’s commercial TV networks began airing their summer music specials. Among them, Nippon TV’s THE MUSIC DAY, an eight-hour broadcast on July 5, stood out for its heavy reliance on talents from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT (STARTO). This marked the 13th edition of the annual program.

The main host was Sho Sakurai (43) of Arashi, a familiar face for the show. Appearing from STARTO were eight groups: timelesz, WEST., King & Prince (Kinpuri), SixTONES, Snow Man, Naniwa Danshi, Travis Japan, and Aぇ! group.

In the “Shuffle Medley” segment, held twice during the show, seven of these groups (excluding timelesz) performed in mixed formations across group lines. They covered songs from former Johnny’s groups like SMAP’s Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana and Hikaru GENJI’s Paradise Ginga. Notably, Jesse (29) from SixTONES, known for his strong vocals, delivered a rendition of his idol Koji Tamaki (66, of Anzen Chitai)’s classic hit Kanashimi ni Sayonara.

“The performance order and program structure seemed designed so that fans of the different STARTO groups would tune in at different times,” said a TV industry insider. “That strategy paid off—Part 3, airing from 7 PM, achieved an average household viewership rating of 11.3% in the Kanto region (according to Video Research), by far the highest among commercial key stations during that time slot. Part 2, starting at 4:50 PM, also recorded a strong 7.8%.

Nippon TV appears to be especially valuing STARTO talents more than other networks—King & Prince is even serving as the charity partner for this year’s major telethon, 24-Hour TV.”

Another notable point was the changing face of the featured groups. Many that stood out—like timelesz, WEST., and Kinpuri—had originally been deeply supported by the late Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of the former Johnny’s. But with lineup changes, group rebranding, and transformations such as Kinpuri shrinking from five to two members, their original identities have evolved significantly.

Fans also took notice of some absences: regulars like NEWS, SUPER EIGHT, Hey! Say! JUMP, and Kis-My-Ft2 did not appear on THE MUSIC DAY this time.

They were overshadowed by the momentum of the younger groups

Regarding this trend, entertainment journalist Kazuhiko Futa explains, “It’s not that TV stations are trying to diminish Johnny Kitagawa’s influence, but rather that groups heavily promoted by Johnny have naturally been overshadowed by the rising momentum of younger groups.” Futa points to one of the root causes of competition among groups within the former Johnny & Associates as the longevity of idol groups themselves.

“In the past, the former Johnny’s agency launched numerous groups such as the Tanokin Trio, Shibugakitai, Shonentai, Hikaru GENJI, and Otokogokumi. These groups typically had a peak selling period of about four to five years. Once their popularity waned, the strategy was to push new groups, which proved very successful. However, the next generation—groups like SMAP and TOKIO—not only excelled in singing but also expanded into variety shows, enjoying long-lasting careers.

This longevity effectively blocked chances for newer groups. For example, NHK’s annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen allotted only two slots to the former Johnny’s groups for many years. While new groups debuted regularly, none could match the momentum of the established veterans.”

Despite this bottleneck, the number of groups increased because, during this period, talents from the former Johnny’s—led by SMAP—enjoyed overwhelming popularity.

The reason only the younger groups were chosen is

“Especially from the generation of Arashi onward, the number of applicants wanting to join the former Johnny’s agency increased significantly. There was even a time when they had around 300 juniors (former Johnny’s Jr.) in both eastern and western Japan. As more talented individuals gathered, the intervals between group debuts after Arashi became much shorter than before Arashi’s debut. As a result of the increase in groups, the agency couldn’t promote all groups equally, which led to widening disparities between them,” said Mr. Futa.

Back when the former Johnny’s was thriving, the agency reportedly controlled which groups appeared on TV shows. Nowadays, the decision-making power lies with the TV networks. The networks prioritize the core viewership—men and women aged 13 to 49. This is also why younger groups tend to be chosen preferentially.

“TV stations can’t feature unlimited numbers of STARTO groups, so they choose those likely to bring in the highest ratings. Especially timelesz, whose popularity has skyrocketed thanks to audition programs—they are in high demand now. In contrast, while Kis-My-Ft2 and Hey! Say! JUMP have members with high individual exposure, their group appearances have decreased. Going forward, STARTO will likely focus on promoting groups that appeared on MUSIC DAY,” Mr. Futa added.

In March of this year, STARTO’s KAT-TUN disbanded, and in June, TOKIO announced their disbandment following a scandal involving member Taichi Kokubun (50). It seems that moving forward, new-generation groups will lead STARTO’s future.

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