An Unprecedented Scandal!? Suspect Shuto Inomata Struck a “Female Acquaintance” Several Times, Causing Her to Bleed—Signs of “Danger” He Had Shown in the Past

“My boyfriend hit me.”

It was just past 9:00 a.m. on September 20, when torrential rain was falling due to an approaching typhoon. Amid a crowd of waiting reporters, a police van emerged from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Wangan Precinct.The faint silhouette visible in the back seat was Shuto Inomata (25) of “timelesz.” Seen through the wire mesh, his masked face was bowed—a sight that made him look like a completely different person from the one who usually basks in the spotlight on the glamorous stage.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested Inomata on September 19 on suspicion of assaulting a female acquaintance (26).

“He is suspected of causing injuries by repeatedly striking the woman’s face with his hand while she was a passenger in a car parked in the parking lot of a convenience store in Tatsumi, Koto Ward, Tokyo, around 10:30 p.m. on September 18. It is reported that only Inomata and the woman were inside the car at the time.

The woman was bleeding from her nose. After the assault, she got out of the car, ran into the convenience store, and asked for help, saying, ‘My boyfriend hit me.’ The incident came to light when a customer who was present called 110, reporting, ‘The woman is bleeding. She’s asking us to call the police.’

During questioning, Inomata reportedly stated, “We got into an argument, and I panicked. I might have accidentally hit her,” and has denied the allegations,” (Social Affairs Reporter, National Newspaper)

His agency, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, issued a statement on its official website on the 19th, announcing that Inomata has been placed on indefinite leave and will suspend his activities.

“As soon as the authorities’ decision is finalized, we will formally determine and announce Inomata’s disciplinary action. We sincerely apologize for the significant inconvenience and concern this has caused to our fans and all those involved.”

“I’m thinking it’s about time I left,” he admitted frankly.

Suspect Inomata was one of five new members selected through the “timelesz project” (commonly known as “Type-R”), a new member audition announced on May 1, 2024, and held through February of the following year.“Type-Ro” was conceived after “Sexy Zone”—which had been reduced to three members following Kento Nakajima’s departure—changed its name to “timelesz” in order to take a major leap forward. Footage of the auditions was streamed as a series on Netflix and generated a huge response. However, not all of the reactions were positive.

“Until then, talents debuting under the former Johnny’s system typically did so after a long period of training as Juniors, so holding a public audition to recruit new members was a first. Some fans voiced opposition to welcoming outsiders who had no experience as Juniors into a group with over a decade of history.”

Of the five new members, Takuto Teranishi (31) and Yoshitaka Hara (30) had been active since the old Johnny’s era.However, Masaki Hashimoto (26), Daiki Shinozuka (24), and the suspect Inomata—who had not been Juniors—were derided as “amateurs” or “ordinary people” and faced particularly harsh criticism.“Similar criticism is now being directed at Inomata. After all, even when STARTO talents are caught in romantic scandals, they face criticism—but in this case, he’s been arrested in connection with an incident involving a woman,” said an entertainment writer.

While Inomata was cherished among the members as the “airhead” of the group, he also showed a hardworking side on “Type-O.” However, looking back, it seems there were some “dangerous” incidents as well.

“Last June, on a variety show where he appeared alongside Hashimoto, Shinozuka, and others, it was revealed that there was a LINE group where Hara—a senior figure in the entertainment industry—was offering various pieces of advice to the three members who were relatively new to the business. During the show, Inomata bluntly said, ‘I’m thinking of leaving the group soon.’The MC quipped, ‘Don’t leave—your seniors are teaching you so much!’ and it ended with a laugh. He probably meant it as a joke, but given the incident that occurred this time, it’s likely to cause another stir.”

There have been several scandals involving former Johnny’s members that have led to police involvement since the days of the old Johnny’s agency. However, an assault charge is unprecedented. He is currently under a provisional suspension, but depending on the prosecution’s decision, he could face even harsher disciplinary action. All eyes are on how the investigation unfolds.