Arashi Final Live Sparks Sound Leak Attendance and Illegal Filming Concerns Amid Crowded Outside Listening Behavior
Annoying behavior of fans that became a topic of discussion
Arashi, who are currently holding their final concert tour “ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2026 ‘We are ARASHI’” ahead of the end of their activities, performed at Tokyo Dome on April 1 and 2, but it was reported that many people gathered around the venue to try to listen to the concert’s sound leakage.
In past Arashi concerts as well, such as at the National Stadium, crowds gathering around venues to listen from outside had been criticized as a nuisance behavior among fans. Unfortunately, it appears that during the final tour as well, some inconsiderate fans stood out negatively.
Arashi debuted in November 1999 with their first single “A・RA・SHI.” The group, which eventually came to be called a national idol group, remained at the forefront of the entertainment industry for many years, but went on hiatus on December 31, 2020. Ohno Satoshi (45) stepped away from the public eye, while the remaining four members shifted to individual activities.
Then on May 6 last year, they announced that they would conclude Arashi’s activities following a tour scheduled for spring 2026. The tour, which will surely become an unforgettable memory for both members and fans, began on March 13 this year in Hokkaido.
“Before their hiatus on December 31, 2020, Arashi held a live concert titled ‘This is ARASHI LIVE 2020.12.31’ via livestream. Although the venue was not disclosed, some reports attempted to identify it, prompting the then-Johnny & Associates to issue an unusual request: ‘We kindly ask fans not to gather around the venue.’
In addition, the special concert page also included warnings such as: ‘The venue for this performance has not been disclosed,’ and ‘Please do not come to the venue or surrounding areas, as it may disturb neighbors and in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.’” (entertainment writer)
Some users uploaded photos of Arashi singing on Threads
Of course, gathering outside the venue without tickets to enjoy a concert through sound leakage attendance is not an activity that the management officially condones.
However, since this is the final tour before the end of Arashi’s activities, it appears that fans who were unable to get tickets came to Tokyo Dome hoping to experience even a bit of the atmosphere on site.
“From videos and photos posted on social media, it seemed that during the April 1–2 Tokyo Dome performances, a considerable number of people were staying around the venue. Some even posted videos saying things like ‘I could hear the sound leakage’ and ‘I was so happy.’
In addition, although filming inside the venue is of course prohibited, there were users on the text-sharing app Threads who uploaded photos of Arashi performing, which caused a surprising situation. Some posts even reported that they had reported it to the agency, and those posts were later deleted. There were also scattered cases of people taking photos inside the venue after the show and uploading them to social media.
It is possible they wanted to keep a memory of the final live performance.” (same source as above)
Regarding such rule-breaking behavior, responsible fans expressed dismay, saying:
“I don’t understand why people still don’t get that ‘sound leakage attendance’ is a nuisance behavior, even though it’s said to be against the rules. There are too many Arashi fans acting selfishly just because it’s the last time.”
“Even if you went to listen from outside, I can’t understand the mentality of openly posting it on social media.”
“Sound leakage attendance is clearly a violation of the rules. At least for the last time, I wish people would behave in a way the members can be proud of.”
“You can’t say you didn’t know filming was prohibited, right? What is the point of posting it on social media? I reported it.”
It was these kinds of critical voices that spread online.
“The current tour is scheduled to conclude on May 31 at Tokyo Dome. Unless the organizers take some measures, the final day is likely to see even larger crowds around the dome.” (same source)
Meanwhile, on April 8, Arashi announced that the final concert would be streamed live. This could significantly reduce the number of sound leakage attendees. In order for Arashi to close their career on a high note, cooperation and restraint from fans will be required.