Society | Jan 28

Arashi pop group to suspend activities in 2020

Jan 28 (NHK) - A Japanese pop group, Arashi, will suspend its activities at the end of 2020. The news has shocked fans in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.

The group posted a video message on its official fan club website on Sunday. Arashi's leader, Satoshi Ohno, says they had discussed his proposal to go their separate ways at the end of next year. He says he told the other members that he would like to have the freedom to continue his own career.

The group held a news conference on Sunday evening to explain the decision.

The members have also been individually active in a wide range of media, including variety shows, news programs, movies, and TV dramas.

Chinese fans of Arashi took to the microblogging platform Weibo. One person expressed confusion, saying that a two-year countdown has abruptly started. Another post urged the group to reunite someday.

In Taiwan, where Arashi has held concerts, local media outlets reported the announcement as breaking news. The online edition of United Daily News ran the story with the headline, "Fans are crying." It says people were taken by surprise and cannot believe the announcement.

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