“Disbandment Inevitable”: WEST. to End Activities at the End of September. What Lies Ahead for the Seven Members?

Talk of a “new unit” as well

On September 24, the seven-member idol group “WEST.” announced that they would end their activities at the end of September.

The situation took a dramatic turn in August. On the 9th, Daiki Shigeoka (34) and Takahiro Hamada (37) each announced their marriages to non-celebrity women. Shigeoka even revealed that he already had a child.

Then, on August 30, Ryusei Fujii (33) and Nozomu Kotaki (30)—known as the “Twin Towers”—announced their departure from the group. Given the timing, it is believed that Shigeoka and Hamada’s marriages had an impact. A sports newspaper entertainment reporter explained:

“The fact that Shigeoka has a child was only reported to the other members after the fact. This created an unprecedented situation where four out of the group’s seven members were married. It seems Fujiwara and Kotaki had lost their motivation.”

By the time the two left, the industry was already filled with a sense that “dissolution was inevitable,” and when the official announcement came on September 24, the prevailing reaction was, “Well, I guess that was to be expected.”

What will become of the members after the disbandment? Regarding the departing members, Fujii and Kotaki, there are rumors in some circles that they will form a new unit, and fans have reacted positively to the idea. Their future seems solid. The issue lies with the remaining five members.

First, Terushi Kiriyama (37), who kicked off the marriage spree, is building his career as a musical theater actor. He’s been cast in his first production of *Miss Saigon*, which begins its Tokyo run on October 16. A theater industry insider commented,

“He wasn’t cast because of his agency’s influence—he won the role through an audition. Over the past few years, he has found a new path in musicals, and his talent has blossomed. He’ll likely continue to focus on stage work going forward,”

said a theater insider.

Junta Nakama (38), the only single member of the group, is regarded as the “conscience of WEST.” He is expected to continue appearing as a commentator on variety and news programs. According to a television network insider,

“He’s polite on set and has no enemies. While he occasionally stirs up controversy by speaking his mind on shows, that’s also part of his charm,”

they said.

Relationship with Snow Man

Although Shigeoka is often labeled a “scapegoat,” he is also highly regarded as an actor.

He has appeared in more productions than any other member. Given the circumstances, it’s been tough for him as an idol, but in the acting world, there’s a culture where such things are overlooked as long as you’re a good actor.

“He chose to publicly disclose the existence of his child out of consideration for his family. It’s difficult to keep it a secret forever, and to interact openly with his child, he knew he’d have to come clean eventually. I think he understood from the moment he made the announcement that his idol career would face challenges,”

said a source from a talent agency in an interview with this site. Since he’s already receiving job offers, his only option going forward is to “redeem himself” through his acting.

Because Shigeoka’s impact was so overwhelming, Hamada—who hasn’t been in the spotlight as much—has benefited significantly from his YouTube channel, “Hama-chan and Koji’s O-Ude Desu,” which he runs with Snow Man’s Koji Mukai (32). The channel has over 500,000 subscribers and focuses primarily on golf, a hobby the two are deeply passionate about in their personal lives.

“Snow Man’s popularity is phenomenal; they’re the agency’s cash cow. I think a channel entirely dedicated to golf is a good way to differentiate himself. There’s likely to be a certain level of demand for him as a golf-focused entertainer,” said the aforementioned TV network insider.

Finally, there’s Tomohiro Kamiyama (33), who married a non-celebrity woman last October. He released a solo album on September 1 and is currently in the midst of a tour that runs through October 15. To make matters worse, the group’s disbandment was announced right in the middle of it all.

“He still has a loyal fan base even after his marriage, but his potential as a solo artist is unknown. The venues for his tour are generally around 2,000 people—it remains to be seen if he can consistently fill them. Since part of the reason fans have shifted toward his solo career is precisely because of WEST.’s activities, his efforts moving forward will be crucial,” said a music industry source.

Starting in October, they’ll each embark on new paths. It would be great if they could all achieve success…

[YouTube] On FRIDAY TV’s “Entertainment Reporter Channel,” active entertainment reporters discuss “WEST.’s Sudden Breakup: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes,” exploring what was actually going on within the group following the simultaneous departures of Fujii and Kotaki.They provide a thorough explanation of why the remaining five members decided to disband, as well as what is currently happening at STARTO, a company facing a string of disbandments and the end of group activities.