JO1 announces North American tour and US EP ‘ANIMAL’ release

The global boy group JO1, a collaboration between CJ ENM and Yoshimoto Kogyo, is launching a major expansion into the North American market. During a press conference in Tokyo, the group described their upcoming move as a mission to establish ‘JO1 POP’—a musical identity that sits between J-pop and K-pop.

To support this launch, the group will release their US EP ‘ANIMAL’ on October 2, 2026. The project features production by Grammy-winning producer Dem Jointz, who served as the primary composer and arranger for all five tracks. Additionally, members Takumi Kawanishi, Ren Kawashiri, and Shoya Kijima contributed to the songwriting process.

The North American tour is scheduled to begin in Toronto on October 2, followed by stops in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Promotional activities in the United States will include autograph sessions in three cities—New York, Chicago, and San Francisco—as well as pop-up stores hosted by hello82 in nine different cities.