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2 clusters · 13 sources · 25 days · First seen · Last updated

Disbandment of Japanese idol group WEST

Overview

On August 30, 2026, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT announced that Ryusei Fujii and Nozomu Kotaki would depart from the seven-member Japanese idol group WEST. Kotaki stated that a divergence between his personal image and the group’s values made continuing feel “insincere” to fans, while Fujii cited a misalignment with the group’s direction. The departure disrupted scheduled appearances, such as the KAMIGATA EXPO PARK FES 2026.

Following the departure, the remaining five members—Daiki Shigeoka, Akito Kiriyama, Junta Nakama, Tomohiro Kamiyama, and Takahiro Hamada—held discussions with the agency regarding the possibility of continuing as a five-member unit. On September 24, 2026, it was announced that WEST. would officially disband on September 30, 2026, ending a 12-year career that began in 2014 as Johnny’s WEST. The decision was made to allow members to pursue individual career paths.

While the group will cease activities, all seven members will remain with STARTO ENTERTAINMENT to continue as individual talents starting October 1, 2026. The sudden announcement has drawn mixed reactions from fans; while many expressed sadness over the end of the group’s history, some have voiced frustration regarding the timing and the circumstances surrounding recent personal life updates of certain members. There are currently no plans for a final farewell stage.

Entities

WEST. · STARTO ENTERTAINMENT · Nozomu Kotaki · Daiki Shigeoka · Ryusei Fujii

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 8 days ago

    [CULTURE] 10 sources
    WEST. to disband on September 30 after 12 years

    J-pop group WEST. will disband on September 30, 2026, following the departure of members Ryusei Fujii and Nozomu Kotaki. All seven members will continue individual careers under STARTO ENTERTAINMENT.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [CULTURE] 7 sources
    WEST. members Ryusei Fujii and Nozomu Kotaki announce departure

    Ryusei Fujii and Nozomu Kotaki are leaving the Japanese idol group WEST. to pursue new paths, citing differing values and directions. The group's future as a five-member unit is currently being discussed.

Sources

fnn.jp · heartbeats.jp · hochi.news · jisin.jp · koreaboo.com · news.cube-soft.jp · news.mynavi.jp · realsound.jp · singtaousa.com · smart-flash.jp · stheadline.com · the-miyanichi.co.jp · tokyo-sports.co.jp

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history