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The story
In the ongoing story of WEST.’s Kotaki Nozomu and Fujii Ryusei announcing their departure from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, it’s been reported that Shigeoka Daiki failing to tell the other members in advance about the birth of his first child became one of the deciding factors behind their departure. On September 5, member Nakama Junta appeared live on a TV program and apologized to fans and industry figures. On the 5channel Geinou/Sports News+ (Geisoku) thread, opinions clashed: some argued it’s out of line to criticize someone over marriage or having a child, while others said that failing to inform fellow group members in advance is a serious breach of trust when you’re part of a group act.
“I’m sorry for causing anxiety and worry for our fans, and for causing so much trouble for everyone involved.”
The one who apologized during a live appearance on ABC TV’s Oshiete! News Live Seigi no Mikata on September 5 was Nakama Junta (38).
(details omitted)
Source: jisin.jp / Read the original article here
What people said
Pretty sure he's the older brother, not the younger one
The moment you tell someone, it'll leak somewhere and the tabloid vultures will swarm.
So basically he didn't even trust the members he was supposedly close with.
Not telling them where you live, sure, that's just a joke. But not telling your bandmates you got married, let alone that you already had a kid — that's grounds enough to quit the group.
That's supposed to be a happy occasion.
The idol world is really twisted.
As long as you're active in an idol group, that's not okay.
Just announcing marriage would be one thing, but people were already stunned that a kid had been born — and on top of that, he kept it from the members until right before the announcement? That's disrespecting both the fans and the members.
If you're a solo singer or actor, do whatever you want, but if you're in a Johnny's group with other members, that's not fine.
Past 30 and saying 'we'll be proper idols'… come on.
Right?
What, is he supposed to ask 'my girlfriend's pregnant, is it okay if we have the baby'?
Funny how the groups that push 'we're so close' tend to be the most fragile.
Just means they don't have anything else to sell, doesn't it.
Maybe it's time to just retire the whole 'idol' marketing gimmick.
Once you're past 30, just let people live.
Though yeah, I do think once you're married you should probably leave the group idol life.
If it's not a group you're actively joining, I don't see the problem.
You're working as a unit — this isn't some one-man sports day.
As someone who likes to keep work and private life separate, I get the feeling.
If this were a regular company employee, you'd need to disclose some personal stuff for things like ceremonial-occasion allowances or dependent benefits.
But none of that applies to these guys, right?
Well, they're idols — it's a popularity business.
Marriage and childbirth aren't just personal matters, they affect the whole group.
At the very least, sharing the info beforehand should've been necessary.
If he was going to hide it from both the agency and the members, he should've just kept the marriage and the birth itself secret entirely.
Isn't that what 'separating work and private life' actually means?
They were probably just close coworkers, not actual best friends.
Well, it's not like it's a 'workplace' that produces anything.
If you're selling yourself as an idol, marriage is a huge change that can tank your commercial value.
And not even telling the members he already had a kid — that's basically implying, 'if I tell you guys something that hurts my value, you'll leak it.'
It was Johnny's group 'Johnny's WEST,' so you should know that much.
Is there any upside to keeping going past that? They'll already have fans, so solo work should work out fine.
25 is plenty. Even that feels like they're already too grown-up for it, honestly.
That's not the point. The issue is he hid from the members that he was married and had a kid.
Past 30 and pulling that — come on.
Something's off with that, yeah.
Getting complained at for getting married in your late 30s/40s is just absurd.
V6 disbanded, but Tonisen (the group's older-member trio) kept right on performing though.
So does that mean he handles all his own comings and goings himself?
Apparently he meets his manager somewhere near his house.
If he drove his own car to a job, people would find out the make and plate number, so he wouldn't do that.
Casual clothes are off-limits too — he reportedly prepares outfits that just look casual for photos.
I heard he has a decoy house and the pickup car goes there instead.
Does he need their approval before they're allowed to have the kid or something?
If marriage and kids affect an idol's popularity (and income), you'd want to ramp up solo work to make up for it.
To prepare for that, the others would want a heads-up in advance — not for 'permission,' but because they're professionals too.
Idols who exist because of their fans don't get that luxury.
Even Kimutaku (Kimura Takuya) properly reported his marriage, after all.
Re: #102 What's wrong with doing the same thing Kimutaku did?
Did Katori, Kusanagi, Nakai, and Inagaki (his SMAP bandmates) actually get told in advance and already know?
Background and Points of Debate
WEST., who belong to STARTO ENTERTAINMENT (formerly Johnny & Associates), went on hiatus in 2024, and members Kotaki Nozomu and Fujii Ryusei have since announced their departure from the agency. This report claims that Shigeoka Daiki’s failure to tell the members in advance about the birth of his first child became one of the deciding factors in their departure, and on September 5 Nakama Junta was seen apologizing on a TV program. The thread was split over how much idols should be obligated to disclose about their private lives. Some argued that ‘marriage and childbirth are happy occasions and there’s no reason to be angry,’ while others countered that ‘when you’re active as a group, hiding information that affects your commercial value from your own bandmates is a matter of trust.’ Some compared it to how Kimura Takuya announced his marriage, but the thread itself never confirms whether his co-stars were actually informed in advance — that remains pure speculation. It’s also worth noting that neither an official account from the agency nor Shigeoka’s own detailed explanation can be confirmed from the thread’s content alone.
*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[STARTO ENTERTAINMENT] 《The Deciding Factor Behind the Double Departure》 Kotaki & Fujii Furious… WEST.’s Shigeoka Daiki Didn’t Even Consult the Members Before His First Child Was Born [Ailuropoda melanoleuca★].”
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