It has been reported that on Ariyoshi Hiroyuki’s radio show, he addressed Yonsentoushin’s Tsuzuki Hiroki — currently suspended from activities after being referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Nuisance Prevention Ordinance — saying the remaining two members would just “have to do their best.” On 5channel’s Entertainment/Sports News+ board, posters speculated about the group possibly continuing as a duo, citing real examples of comedy trios that found success after becoming duos.
On the August 23 broadcast of “Ariyoshi Hiroyuki’s SUNDAY NIGHT DREAMER” (JFN network), Ariyoshi addressed Yonsentoushin’s Tsuzuki Hiroki, who was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Tokyo Metropolitan Nuisance Prevention Ordinance and has been suspended from activities by his agency for the time being.
Ariyoshi opened by saying, “First off, there’s something I want to get out of the way — Yonsentoushin’s Tsuzuki,” before adding sharply, “Tsuzuki was referred to prosecutors for groping someone. I really wish he’d cut it out.”
He went on to riff on the topic with jokes, pulling others into the bit, but in reality Tsuzuki was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Tokyo Metropolitan Nuisance Prevention Ordinance and assault, and remains suspended from activities by his agency for the time being.
Source: sirabee.com / Original article here
I mean, the shaved-head guy was kind of the one steering the conversation
and he was writing the material too, wasn't he?
Goto's the one who writes the material
Wait, what?!
Wasn't it the gloomy-looking guy who wrote the material?
You'd only get to say that if he'd also gone soft on Tsuzuki
Better than when they were a trio, at least
Doesn't exactly feel like they're thriving as a duo, but I do think each of them is doing their best individually
don't need that guy
Tokyo 03
Conto Akashingo
Let's Go Sanbiki
Not many trios have made it big since Neptune, have they
even Robert is basically doing solo work at this point
Going solo turned into a huge success for him
Sandwichman
Didn't know Sandwichman used to be a trio
From what I heard, back in comedy school Goto was originally paired with Tsuzuki, got fed up with him, split off and teamed up with Ishibashi instead — but Ishibashi turned out to be so hopeless that Goto got back together with Tsuzuki and just tacked Ishibashi on as a bonus. Given that history, they'll probably manage somehow
Then Goto must be genuinely worn out by all this
Background and Key Points
Yonsentoushin (四千頭身, “four thousand heads tall,” a self-deprecating joke about member height) is a Yoshimoto Kogyo comedy trio — Goto Yuki, Ishibashi Ryuki, and Tsuzuki Hiroki — that broke out in the late 2010s and became regular variety-show fixtures. Ariyoshi Hiroyuki is one of Japanese television’s most powerful hosts and, crucially, a fellow Yoshimoto talent, which is why his on-air comments carry weight for the group’s fate. Tsuzuki has been referred to prosecutors (書類送検) for allegedly violating the Tokyo Metropolitan Nuisance Prevention Ordinance — the statute used for groping (chikan) cases — plus an assault allegation, and is currently suspended from work by the agency. That is a procedural step short of indictment or conviction, not an expulsion; Tsuzuki technically remains a member.
The thread didn’t split on whether Tsuzuki misbehaved — that was taken as settled — but on whether Yonsentoushin would actually be stronger as a duo. Posters traded conflicting claims about who writes the group’s material (one thread of replies credited Ishibashi, another insisted it’s Goto, with a later poster adding an origin story where Goto and Tsuzuki were paired first), which is really the crux: nobody agreed on how much creative weight Tsuzuki actually carries, only citing precedents like Sandwichman and Ostrich Club as trios-turned-duos that thrived.
What outside readers likely miss is that Ariyoshi’s remarks were delivered as banter on a comedy radio show, not a policy statement — and that groping allegations under this ordinance are a common, almost routine scandal category in Japanese entertainment, so the tone here (joking rather than grave) reflects that familiarity, not indifference.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Ariyoshi Hiroyuki comments on Yonsentoushin’s future: “There are cases where it would’ve been better as a duo” / “The two of them will just have to do their best”.”
