Former timelesz member Shuto Inomata, whose contract with STARTO Entertainment was terminated effective September 30 Could the Other Members Make Up for the Losses Through Their Work? He threw away a long-awaited opportunity over a single mistake. Shuto Inomata, 25, a former member of timelesz, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a female acquaintance and was later released. Although no criminal disposition has yet been announced, his exclusive contract with his agency, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, was terminated effective September 30. On October 1, seven members, including Fuma Kikuchi, 31, held a press conference in Tokyo to apologize. They distanced themselves from Inomata, saying: “We cannot continue activities together.” “There is no need for you to apologize to us.” What people want to know is the scale of the financial damage caused by the incident. Just to name a few examples, the group’s solo advertising campaign for ByGLOW, a fermented beauty supplement, was canceled. Commercials featuring the group for Nissin Foods’ Chicken Ramen and the men’s clothing retailer AOKI were also suspended. The contract with CHARGESPOT, a smartphone charging station rental service, ended on October 1, and the company removed promotional materials featuring the group. A source at an advertising agency explains: “If a scandal occurs during the contract period and the expected advertising results cannot be achieved, the company can demand compensation in the form of a penalty fee. The advertising agency will likely mediate between the client and STARTO to find a settlement. “Television networks have also incurred editing costs, such as cutting Inomata’s scenes. However, rather than seeking damages directly, these costs may be treated as an outstanding debt that the remaining members make up for through their work on other occasions.” The party legally responsible for payment is STARTO, the company that had an exclusive contract with Inomata. In 2016, after Becky, 42, was embroiled in a widely publicized affair scandal with Enon Kawatani, 37, of Gesu no Kiwami Otome, she reportedly told her agency that she would personally cover the penalty fees and ultimately paid hundreds of millions of yen. However, such cases are rare. Inomata was a member of timelesz for only a short time, and his income is hardly reassuring. It seems unlikely that he has the financial means to pay the costs himself. Ultimately, his agency will probably have to shoulder most of the burden.