“It Would Be Difficult for All Seven to Appear Together”: WEST. Departure Controversy Highlights the Challenges of Marriage for Idols

The disbandment theory behind controversy

On August 30, Ryusei Fujii (33) and Nozomu Kotaki (30), members of the seven-member group “WEST.” under STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, announced their departures from the group. The situation has escalated to the cancellation of their scheduled appearance at a festival in October and ticket refunds, sending shockwaves through both fans and the entertainment industry.

“The official announcement says that the members’ wishes were respected, but the fact that STARTO specifically stated that performing as a seven-member group would be difficult as the reason for their non-participation is extremely significant,” says a source from a television information program.

Rather than using the usual vague expression of various circumstances, the statement unusually did not shy away from the possibility of rifts between the members and the difficulty of repairing their relationships. As a result, rumors of the group disbanding have even begun circulating among fans.

Behind this latest departure controversy, meanwhile, is speculation that differences in attitudes have emerged within the group following a series of marriages.

Within “WEST.,” Teruaki Kiriyama (37) was the first to announce his marriage in January last year, followed by Tomohiro Kamiyama (33) in October of the same year. Then, in August this year, Daiki Shigeoka (34) and Takahiro Hamada (37) announced their marriages one after another. It was also announced that Shigeoka already has a child.

Pressure through real numbers

That means four of the seven members are now married, while Junta Nakama (38) has also been the subject of reports about a romantic relationship. Amid the group’s rapid transformation, there is a growing view that a deep rift developed between Fujii and Kotaki, who sought to maintain a strong sense of professionalism as idols, and the other members.

A sports newspaper reporter comments on the situation:

“For an idol, marriage is such a major turning point that it can threaten the very survival of a group. Looking back, when Yoshihiko Inohara (50) of V6 announced his marriage to Asaka Seto (49) at the beginning of the first day of a concert tour, so many fans were reportedly devastated that they broke down in tears and collapsed into their seats. The subsequent concerts were also affected, with noticeably more empty seats.

Likewise, Kazunari Ninomiya (43) of Arashi’s marriage caused considerable repercussions among fans because of the controversy surrounding his partner and the timing of the announcement, to the point that rumors of discord among the members even began circulating. Even one member getting married carries the risk of fans drifting away and creating friction within the group. When more than half of the members get married within a short period, as has happened with ‘WEST.,’ continuing to present a consistent image of an idol becomes an extremely difficult task.”

There was a time when entertainment agencies would put pressure on talent who wanted to get married by showing them realistic numbers, such as declines in fan-club membership and merchandise sales. Today, talent are increasingly free to marry as they wish, but the difficulty of bridging the gap between that freedom and the idol image fans expect has not changed.

This latest departure controversy has once again highlighted the reality of idols caught between the difficulty of continuing to sell dreams and their desire for personal happiness.

【YouTube】 On “FRIDAY TV’s” “Entertainment Reporters Channel,” active entertainment reporters provide an in-depth explanation titled “What Happened to ‘WEST.?’ The ‘Incident’ Behind the Marriage Rush,” examining the truth behind Fujii and Kotaki’s simultaneous departures, what is happening within the group now, and the realities behind idols getting married.