Japanese idol group TOKIO member Taichi Kokubun (50) has reportedly been suspended indefinitely from all entertainment activities due to a serious violation of company regulations. The news has sent shockwaves through the Japanese entertainment industry, leaving many fans wondering what exactly happened to warrant such a severe measure against Kokubun.
This afternoon, Nippon TV announced that Kokubun Taichi would be stepping down from the variety show "The Tetsuwan DASH" after confirming multiple instances of problematic behavior that violated regulations. Kokubun has already submitted his resignation from various television programs and declared an indefinite suspension of his entertainment activities.
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Nippon TV President Hiroyuki Fukuda held a press conference to explain the handling of the incident and the company's current stance.
When asked by the media, "What exactly did Kokubun do?", President Fukuda responded, "Due to privacy concerns, we cannot disclose the specific timing or content of the incident." He emphasized that this is not a criminal case, and therefore, "criminal charges are not currently being considered." The issues reportedly came to light on May 27, when staff members reported them, leading to an immediate investigation.
The president further explained, "As soon as we became aware of the issues, we immediately reported them to internal senior management and relevant departments, and promptly commissioned external experts to conduct an investigation. The investigation confirmed inappropriate conduct, leading to today's formal decision for him to withdraw from the program."
However, when reporters repeatedly pressed for details regarding the nature of the violations, he consistently refused to elaborate, citing "privacy protection" as the reason. Regarding Kokubun's relationship with the program, he only stated that he "could not comment."
TOKIO Co., Ltd. also issued a statement today on its official website, announcing that Taichi Kokubun would be indefinitely suspending all activities due to a "serious violation of company regulations." Taichi Kokubun also released a statement:
"For many years, I lacked awareness of my position, my thinking was lax, I was complacent and careless, and my actions were insufficient. These are the root causes of the problem. Therefore, I have decided to suspend all entertainment activities indefinitely to thoroughly re-examine myself."
TOKIO was originally a male music group under Johnny & Associates (now STARTO ENTERTAINMENT), formed in 1994. They debuted as a band, one of the few Johnny's idol groups that genuinely played their own instruments, with a musical style leaning towards rock and pop.
Kokubun Taichi is the keyboardist of the group, and one of the three remaining members from the original five. While the official reason for the incident has not yet been fully disclosed, such a swift "indefinite suspension of activities" suggests that the violations may have been of a magnitude that the agency found unacceptable.