The 124th Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2025) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
2) Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi
3) Taigan no kaji

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori

2) Damemane

3) Musashino Rondo

4) Caster

5) Parallel Fuufu

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
2) Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi
3) Anata wo ubatta sono hi kara

4) Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

5) Taigan no kaji

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Taigan no kaji

Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi

3) Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

4) Angel Flight

Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori

Source: The Television

The 124th Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2025) - Best Leading Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Nakai Kiichi - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi

2) Shison Jun - Koi wa yami

3) Matsuda Genta - Jinji no Hitomi

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Inoo Kei - Parallel Fuufu
2) Shison Jun - Koi wa yami
3) Masakado Yoshinori - Musashino Rondo
4) Mamiya Shotaro - Ignite
5) Abe Hiroshi - Caster

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Nakai Kiichi - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi
2) Shison Jun - Koi wa yami
3) Abe Hiroshi - Caster
4) Matsuda Genta - Jinji no Hitomi

5) Uchino Seiyo - PJ ~ Koukuu kyuunandan ~

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Nakai Kiichi - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi
2) Shison Jun - Koi wa yami

3) Matsuda Genta - Jinji no Hitomi

4) Uchino Seiyo - PJ ~ Koukuu kyuunandan ~

5) Abe Hiroshi - Caster

Source: The Television

The 124th Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2025) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Yoshine Kyoko - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
2) Koizumi Kyoko - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi
3) Kitagawa Keiko - Anata wo ubatta sono hi kara

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Yoshine Kyoko - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
2) Kawaei Rina - Damemane!

3) Kitagawa Keiko - Anata wo ubatta sono hi kara

4) Matsumoto Wakana - Dr. Ashura

5) Ihara Rikka - Parallel Fuufu

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Yoshine Kyoko - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
2) Kitagawa Keiko - Anata wo ubatta sono hi kara
3) Koizumi Kyoko - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi

4) Sakurai Yuki - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

5) Matsushita Yuki - Dear My Baby

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Koizumi Kyoko - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi

2) Tabe Mikako - Taigan no kaji

3) Kitagawa Keiko - Anata wo ubatta sono hi kara

4) Sakurai Yuki - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

Yoshine Kyoko - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori

Source: The Television

The 124th Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2025) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Honda Kyoya - Nami urarakani, Meoto biyori

2) Dean Fujioka - Taigan no kaji

3) Miyazawa Hio - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Honda Kyoya - Nami urarakani, Meoto biyori
2) Yamada Ryosuke - Damemane
3) Miyama Ryoki - Ignite
4) Michieda Shunsuke - Caster
5) Sano Masaya - Dr. Ashura

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Honda Kyoya - Nami urarakani, Meoto biyori
2) Miyazawa Hio - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate
3) Takahashi Mitsuomi - Otto yo, shindekurenai ka
4) Mochizuki Ayumu - Koi wa yami
Shiono Akihisa - Mamono

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Dean Fujioka - Taigan no kaji
2) Honda Kyoya - Nami urarakani, Meoto biyori

3) Miyazawa Hio - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

4) Ichinose Wataru - Taigan no kaji

Takahashi Mitsuomi - Otto yo, shindekurenai ka

Source: The Television

The 124th Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2025) - Best Supporting Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Yamamoto Maika - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori

2) Eguchi Noriko - Taigan no kaji ~ kore ga, watashi no ikiru michi! ~
3) Kaga Mariko - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Yamamoto Maika - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
2) Wakui Emi - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori
3) Kichise Michiko - Damemane! 
4) Kamishiraishi Moka - Ignite
5) Tomita Miu - Damemane!

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Uchida Yuki - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi
2) Yamamoto Maika - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori

3) Eguchi Noriko - Taigan no kaji ~ kore ga, watashi no ikiru michi! ~

4) Kaga Mariko - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate
5) Kita Kana - Mamono

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Kaga Mariko - Shiawase wa tabete nete mate
2) Eguchi Noriko - Taigan no kaji ~ kore ga, watashi no ikiru michi! ~

3) Yamamoto Maika - Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori

4) Matsumoto Honoka - Angel Flight

5) Uchida Yuki - Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi

Source: The Television

The 124th Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2025) - Best Theme Song

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Dansu ni maniau - Koizumi Kyoko & Nakai Kiichi (Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi)

2) Muchuu - BE:FIRST (Nami urarakani, meoto biyori)

3) Blue Amber - back number (Anata wo ubata sono hi kara)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Muchuu - BE:FIRST (Nami urarakani, meoto biyori)
2) Destiny - Ae! group (Musashino Rondo)
3) Hana no you ni - Ryosuke Yamada (Damemane! - Dame na tarento, manejimento shimasu -)
4) encore - Hey! Say! JUMP (Parallel Fuufu Shinda boku to tsuma no shinjitsu)
5) Damashiai - tuki (Caster)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Muchuu - BE:FIRST (Nami urarakani, meoto biyori)

2) Dansu ni maniau - Koizumi Kyoko & Nakai Kiichi (Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi)

3) Blue Amber - back number (Anata wo ubata sono hi kara)
4) Maria - Abe Mao (Dear My Baby ~ Watashi ga anata wo shihai suru made ~)
5) mimosa - Hamasaki Ayumi (Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Dansu ni maniau - Koizumi Kyoko & Nakai Kiichi (Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi)

2) BEAT - WurtS (Koi wa yami)

mimosa - Hamasaki Ayumi (Zoku zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi)

Muchuu - BE:FIRST (Nami urarakani, meoto biyori)

5) Blue Amber - back number (Anata wo ubata sono hi kara)

Source: The Television

Quick Review #143: "Watashi no otto to kekkon shite" - Summer 2025

Title: Watashi no otto to kekkon shite / 私の夫と結婚して　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 8 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who are fans of the original webtoon and/or Korean drama series OR like time-travel second-chance-in-life revenge stories OR are fans of the main leads

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* I have not read the original webtoon nor watched the Korean drama series.

Liked:

- While I am not a fan of time-travel second-chance-in-life stories and did not want to start watching the Korean series because it had so many episodes, the fact that the Japanese version was much shorter at just 10 episodes definitely lowered the barrier to entry. And as a result, the pace of the story was fast, especially in the first half and in a way, prevented the developments from being too drawn out. Although I was initially a bit concerned about this being a direct copy-and-paste from the Korean version, I'm glad to see that this Japanese version had the typical elements of Japanese-style storytelling and retained the Japanese societal traits so the story was a lot more palatable than I thought.

- The acting of the 4 main leads i.e. Koshiba Fuuka, Sato Takeru, Shiraishi Sei and Yokoyama Yu was simply brilliant. If not for the four of them, this story might not have been compelling enough for me to finish watching everything in 3 days. Koshiba's transformation, not just in the external sense but also the internal emotions of her character, was believable and extremely interesting to watch. Shiraishi went all out to play such an obnoxious woman throughout most of the drama but towards the end, managed to show the pitiful side of how her character became so warped. Yokoyama definitely showed very convincingly how his character pretended to be smart and had an inflated ego based on empty confidence yet was downright dumb till the end. And for Sato, I'm sure many female viewers will be quite besotted with him not just because his image this time was visually appealing but also because his character was so much in love with the heroine and did so much for her. I also thought that the chemistry between Koshiba and Sato was very good and they did look quite compatible with each other.

- Perhaps due to the fact that this was an Amazon Prime drama with a top production house in South Korea so the production did come across as more polished and refined in terms of its visuals, cinematography and art design (costumes and sets in particular). Guess having lots of resources (or rather money) does help in making things better than the norm. The BGM and songs used in the drama were rather suitable for the story developments as well. If joint productions do bring out the best from both countries, I surely wouldn't mind seeing more of such collaborations. However, that would only work if neither side tries too hard to push for their influences to be highlighted more prominently than the other despite the story not being positioned to accommodate that. 

Disliked: 

- I'm still not a fan of this genre despite the quality of this drama. It will take a lot more novelty and a refreshingly different approach to change my mind about this because I've seen so many of such stories over the years.  And if you are looking for a revenge tale which will be gratifying enough to see the evil being punished for their deeds, I think this drama did end on a rather meek note especially the parts which tried to "redeem" or justify the deeds done by the baddies. They might have certain experiences which you can sympathise with but still, it doesn't make their actions understandable nor forgivable.

- While I do think that Sato's character would be pretty appealing to most female viewers, I felt a bit uncomfortable about him trying very hard to suppress and lower the tone of his voice when he was speaking. Perhaps the script was designed in such a way that he had to act in this way to show the aloofness of his character so as to contrast against the strong love he had for the heroine (he spoke very nicely and often gently to her compared when talking to others). This is just me but I actually prefer a male lead who can be effortlessly kakkoii without having to speak in such a low tone on purpose and coming across as awkward. As such, I think not being swept off my feet by this loving buchou probably lessened my level of enjoyment while watching this drama.

Quick Review #142: Gekijouban TOKYO MER ~ Hashiru kinkyuu kyuumeishitsu ~" (movie)

Title: Gekijouban TOKYO MER ~ Hashiru kinkyuu kyuumeishitsu ~ / 劇場版　TOKYO MER ~ 走る緊急救命室 ~　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 5 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who are fans of the drama series but don't mind the movie's story being rather flat this time

* Potential spoilers ahead!

Liked:

- If you had enjoyed the drama series, you should be satisfied to see the return of most, if not all of the cast members (except the one who "died" in  the series and only appeared in flashbacks and photos) reprising their roles with the addition of new characters. Among them, An stood out most because her character was supposed to be the ex-girlfriend of Otowa (Kaku Kento) and the leader of Yokohama MER which had a completely different mindset as compared to Tokyo MER.

Disliked: 

- What really worked for the drama series did not seem to work wonders for the movie this time. While it may have been exhilarating and gratifying to see the Tokyo MER team overcome seemingly impossible life-threatening situations to save patients with zero casualties all the time, the formula got rather stale this time as I got very put off by some seen-that-done-that developments e.g. shouting loudly to declare that there were no casualties and the predictability of the story. Coupled with the fact that I actually know the Yokohama Landmark Tower pretty well and had stayed at the hotel there before, what I knew about this building kept bothering me as I watched how the characters go up and down that massive building with so much ease as if it was nothing. Perhaps it's just me but the added "reality" angle here by using an actual building actually backfired for me.

- To be honest, Yokohama MER was not a match for Tokyo MER in various ways. Other than An who could have potentially given Suzuki Ryohei a run for his money as the "leader of the opposite side", the rest of the Yokohama team did not have the same kind of name awareness as their counterparts in the other team so it felt like An was leading a group of literally unknowns. And to be fair to them, they also hardly got any airtime to show what their characters were like. Secondly, if it had been that the Yokohama MER team members were given ample time to show their mettle rather than appear as snobs who talked big and did nothing spectacular from the start, they might have come across as serious and credible competition against their seniors in the MER field. Due to these reasons, the Yokohama MER team never threatened the Tokyo MER team in any way at all so it felt like they were just there for no particular reason and purpose other than to emphasize the heroic deeds of the Tokyo team. I felt that it was especially a waste for An's character to be rather forgettable towards the end - there could have been more to show the clash of her ideals with Kitami (Suzuki) or the ex-lovers relationship with Otowa.

Preview of "Hachigatsu no koe wo hakobu otoko" (Drama SP)

Title: Hachigatsu no koe wo hakobu otoko / 八月の声を運ぶ男

Official website: here

Official X: here

O.A. Date: 13 August 2025 at 10pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Cast: Motoki Masahiro, Ishibashi Shizuka, Ito Aoi, Abe Satoko, Okuda Yohei, Kunihiro Tomiyuki, Ono Machiko, Tanaka Tetsushi & Abe Sadao

Preview of "Stingers Keishicho otorisousa kenshoushitsu" - Summer 2025

Title: Stingers Keishicho otorisousa kenshoushitsu / スティンガーズ　警視庁おとり捜査検証室

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 22 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme Song: "Magic" by Pilot

Opening Song: "Masquerade" by harha

Cast: Morikawa Aoi, Fujii Ryuusei, Hongo Kanata, Shida Sara, Iuchi Haruhi, Sugimoto Tetta & Tamayama Tetsuji etc.

Quick Review #141: Terumae Romae 1 (movie)

Title: Terumae Romae / テルマエ・ロマエ　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 7 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who like to watch an entertaining film in a similar style as "Tonde Saitama" but set in the ancient Roman era and/or are fans of the cast especially Abe Hiroshi and Ueto Aya

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* I have not read the original manga.

Liked:

- If you are in the mood for some light entertainment i.e. chuckling rather than laughing out loud kind of humour, this is probably suitable for you. While much of the film was set in the ancient Roman era, the parallels and links between that and the current time in Japan was done pretty seamlessly and provided much comical relief until the tone turned a bit more serious towards the end.

- Abe Hiroshi is definitely very suitable for the lead role of Lucius, not just because of his ability to bring out both the serious and funny sides of the character but also due to his not-so-typical Japanese looks. In fact, if you look at the cast lineup, there were quite a number of actors known for their deep and well-defined features such as Kitamura Kazuki and Ichimura Masachika to play the Romans. As such, this deliberate casting choice helped to make the story flow more naturally so it was easier to immerse myself into the story.

And Ueto Aya was at her best in displaying her cute charm especially when she stood beside the towering Abe. However, those looking for romance between their characters might be a tad disappointed since this part was more or less hinted at but nothing really happened.

Disliked: 

- I thought that the story started pretty abruptly with a full blown explanation on why public baths were such a big thing in the ancient Roman era instead of introducing viewers to the scheme of things gradually. And if you are like me who knows very little about that era, it might not be so enjoyable because I couldn't really see the significance or importance of certain elements in this era or the terumae culture. While I did think at times that the style of this movie was somewhat similar to "Tonde Saitama" i.e. seemingly senseless and exaggerated humour, I actually enjoyed the latter more because I knew more about Saitama and the differences which various regions in Japan had when compared to one another so the jokes made a lot more sense to me. Being clueless about the Roman era probably limited my level of enjoyment for this movie especially the part about building a bathing era for the army engaged in battle for a prolonged period of time.

Quick Review #140: Rakujitsu - Summer 2023

Title: Rakujitsu / 落日　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 8 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a decent suspense story with good acting from Kitagawa Keiko, Yoshioka Riho & Takeuchi Ryoma

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* I have not read the original novel.

Liked:

- Although the drama was very short with just 4 episodes, this length was actually beneficial in helping the story to stay on course and the pace to be maintained at just enough to lure viewers to continue watching without feeling bored but not too fast enough to confuse. It felt as if an onion was being peeled layer by layer as the facts came to light one by one so it was quite satisfying to be surprised at many junctures.

- The acting from Kitagawa and Yoshioka was very good. While their characters may seem subdued at first due to the emotions and trauma they had hidden underneath, the moment when their pasts and vulnerabilities were revealed didn't come across as overly dramatic as they maintained the balance very well. On the other hand, Takeuchi may not have appeared much but he also left a deep impression on me with how he managed to show both sides of his character convincingly.

Disliked: 

- The thing I find about Minato Kanae's stories is, they always start off brilliantly but I always find the endings underwhelming for some reason. Not sure if the problem had to do with bringing her novels to life in dramas and movies though. While I knew that this story would probably not be conclusive or offer any concrete solutions at the end, I thought that the way the ending was presented felt a bit odd and forced to resonate with the title. 

Quick Review #139: Ame ni kieta himawari - Summer 2022

Title: Ame ni kieta himawari / 雨に消えた向日葵　　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 7 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a story about family ties and overcoming crime-induced trauma but don't mind the lack of suspense and/or would like to watch Muro Tsuyoshi and Sato Ryuuta's serious acting

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* Disclaimer: I have not read the original novel.

Liked:

- The good thing was that this drama was only 5 episodes long so despite the heavy themes about the difficulties of overcoming crime-induced trauma and how families grapple with their loved ones being victims of crime, I thought that the overall mood was emotional but not too draggy. By showing those who are embroiled in the current case vs. those who had supposedly emerged from the pain of past trauma, it provided a good contrast and conveyed the message that time is the best medicine to cure those wounds but everyone has their own way and timeline to do that.

- Given that Muro and Sato tend to act in more funny or somewhat eccentric kind of roles, it was a refreshing change to see them getting serious in this drama. However, I liked the fact that they didn't seem to be trying too hard to put on a straight face and their balanced acting this time would probably convince viewers that these two are indeed capable of good acting. Might take a bit of time to get used to seeing Muro hardly ever smiling in this drama though.

Disliked: 

- The thing is, the original novel is said to be a mystery story but there was really nothing to deduce especially with regard to the ongoing case featured in the drama. While this is one of the rare dramas which does not take a critical view of the police nor paint them to be unfeeling jerks when dealing with the victims and their families, you can't help but feel that the drama also didn't showcase them in a positive light especially when it comes to the investigation process. Somehow, I felt that the lapses in the process or how analogue their methods were just seemed to be quite illogical so that's why it took them so long to find the culprit and victim. As such, if you don't mind the lack of suspense or rather this element is considered weak in this drama, you might be able to enjoy this for the humanity aspect instead.

Quick Review #138: Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori - Spring 2025

Title: Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori / playe　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 8 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a cute and sweet love story and don't mind the predictability of the plot and/or are fans of the lead actors

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* Disclaimer: I have not read the original manga.

Liked:

- While I never expected much from this drama right from the beginning, it turned out to be way better than I thought. To be honest, the plot wasn't anything new nor did it offer much surprises along the way. However, what made this a gem was really the way the story was presented. Amid the messy and dramatic furin and love triangle/multi-angled stories which are very common these days, there was really nothing much to derail the main couples from their journeys of falling in love with each other. Everything was straightforward yet it was so refreshing and relaxing to see how things were progressing. I guess bucking the trend and going back to the good old-fashioned basics of a love story, also thanks to the fact that this story was sent in the older days, really helped to make this a lot more palatable than expected.

- The cast was simply amazing in more ways than one. For a start, Yoshine Kyoko and Honda Kyoya played their characters so well and managed to convey the shyness, awkwardness and innocence of the lead couple as they "went backwards" by getting married first then falling in love with each other. Surprisingly, it didn't feel like acting because they were so natural in their performances and I have to say, I was really impressed. Likewise goes for Yamamoto Maika and Koseki Yuuta - at one point, I became a bigger fan of the Fumiko-Fukami pairing that I wanted to see more of them and their interesting interactions. Last but not least, Namase Katsuhisa's narration was so hillarious and provided much entertainment for this story which could be a tad predictable at times.

- The theme song by BE:FIRST was such a perfect fit for this drama and it's rare these days that I could remember a song pretty well and liked it enough to add it to my playlist just after watching the first episode.

Disliked: 

- Towards the end, I felt that the story was showing signs of losing steam and wondered if it could be more compact by shedding an episode or two. Much as I liked most parts of this drama, the finale came across to me as rather slipshod because I was expecting more to round things up nicely. However, that prolonged recap of Natsumi and Takimasa's love journey with those flashbacks got on my nerves. To make things worse, I wanted more of Fumiko-Fukami but there was no wedding scene! If not for the poorly-done finale, I think I would have rated this higher.

Preview of "Ubai ai, Manatsu" - Summer 2025

Title: Ubai ai, Manatsu / 奪い愛、真夏

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 18 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays 11.15pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Cast: Matsumoto Marika, Yasuda Ken, Takahashi Maryjun, Shirahama Alan, Mori Kasumi, Ishiyama Junsei, Tanihara Nanato & Ishii Masanori

Preview of "Shiawase na kekkon" - Summer 2025

Title: Shiawase na kekkon / しあわせな結婚

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 17 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Don't look back in anger" by Oasis

Cast: Abe Sadao, Matsu Takako, Itagaki Rihito, Tamaoki Reo, Kanada Satoshi, Baba Tooru, Tsuji Nagiko, Sugino Yosuke, Horiuchi Keiko, Komatsu Kazushige, Okabe Takashi & Danta Yasunori

Preview of "Bokutachi wa mada sono hoshi no kousoku wo shiranai" - Summer 2025

Title: Bokutachi wa mada sono hoshi no kousoku wo shiranai / 僕達はまだその星の校則を知らない

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 14 July 2025

Timeslot: Mondays at 10pm

Broadcast by: Kansai TV

Theme Song: "Shura" by Yorushika

Cast: Isomura Hayato, Hotta Mayu, Hiraiwa Kami, Ichikawa Miwako, Hidaka Yukito, Minami Kotona, Hyuga Wataru, Nakano Arisa, Tsukishima Rui, Kondo Hana, Koshiyama Keitatsu, Kikuchi Himena, Nose Rin, Kitazato Ruu, Eriya, Fuchikami Yasushi, Xu Fengfan, Shinohara Atsushi, Nishino Emi, Negishi Takuya, Chad Mullane, Suwa Masashi, Sakai Maki, Omi Toshinori, Kino Hana, Mitsuishi Ken & Inagaki Goro

Preview of "19 banme no karute" - Summer 2025

Title: 19 banme no karute / １９番目のカルテ

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 13 July 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original manga by: Fujiya Kazuhito

Theme Song: "Ichi ni tsuite" by Aimyon

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Koshiba Fuuka, Arata Mackenyu, Shimizu Hiroya, Okazaki Taiiku, Iketani Nobue, Honda Chikara, Matsui Haruna, First Summer Uika, Tsuda Kanji, Ikeda Narushi, Namase Katsuhisa, Kimura Yoshino & Tanaka Min

Preview of "Housoukyoku senkyo" - Summer 2025

Title: Housoukyoku senkyo / 放送局占拠

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 12 July 2025

Timeslot: Saturdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: NTV

Theme Song: "W" by Snow Man

Cast: Sakurai Sho, Higa Manami, Kato Seishiro, Sota Ryosuke, Gunpi, Saito Nagisa, Yamaguchi Daichi, Takiuchi Kumi, Sonin, Takahashi Katsunori, Kataoka Reiko, Fukuzawa Akira, Totsugi Shigeyuki, Kikuchi Fuuma etc.

Preview of "Koroshita otto ga kaettekimashita" - Summer 2025

Title: Koroshita otto ga kaettekimashita / 殺した夫が帰ってきました

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 11 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Sakurai Mina

Cast: Yamashita Mizuki, Hagiwara Riku, Tanabe Ririka, Ootsuka Nene, Sakurai Yuki, Nozomi Futo, Doi Shiori, Kasahara Hideyuki, Sugawara Daikichi & Kawanishi Kenshiro

Preview of "Noumen Kenji" - Summer 2025

Title: Noumen Kenji / 能面検事

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 11 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original novel by: Nakayama Shichiri

Cast: Kamikawa Takaya, Yoshitani Ayako, Ohnishi Ryuusei, Ukaji Takashi, Takezai Terunosuke, Mizuki Arisa & Terawaki Yasufumi

Preview of "Ai no, gakkou." - Summer 2025

Title: Ai no, gakkou. / 愛の、がっこう。

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 10 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme Song: "Reini" by Spiral feat. Yura

Cast: Kimura Fumino, Raul, Tanaka Minami, Nakajima Ayumu, Sakaguchi Ryotaro, Mikata Ryosuke, Nonami Maho, Hayasaka Miu, Arai Keishi, Beppu Yurai, Ryou, Tsutsui Mariko, Sakou Yoshi & Sawamura Ikki

Preview of "Daitsuiseki Keishicho SSBC kyoukouhangakari" - Summer 2025

Title: Daitsuiseki Keishicho SSBC kyoukouhangakari / 大追跡　警視庁SSBC強行犯係

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "BEACON" by DREAMS COME TRUE

Cast: Oomori Nao, Aiba Masaki, Matsushita Nao, Ito Atsushi, Takaki Yuuya, Adachi Rika, Maruyama Rei, Nomura Kouta, Honda Daisuke, Yashiba Toshihiro, Mizushima Rin, Watanabe Keisuke, Miyaji Masafumi, Mitsuishi Ken, Endo Kenichi & Sato Koichi

Preview of "Saigo no kanteinin" - Summer 2025

Title: Saigo no kanteinin / 最後の鑑定人

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Original novel by: Iwai Keiya

Theme Song: "Shinjitsu" by Yazawa Eikichi

Cast: Fujiki Naohito, Shiraishi Mai, Sakoda Takaya, Nakazawa Motoki, Abe Ryohei, Kurihara Rui & Matsuyuki Yasuko

Preview of "Chihayafuru - Meguri -" - Summer 2025

Title: Chihayafuru - Meguri - / ちはやふる - めぐり -

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: NTV

Original manga by: Suetsugu Yuki

Theme Song: "Meguri Loop" by Perfume

Cast: Touma Ami, Saito Jun, Santoki Soma, Arashi Rina, Takamura Kaito, Sakamoto Manato, Hara Nanoka, Fujiwara Taiyu, Ishikawa Raizo, Seto Kotoka, Takahashi Yutaro, Ohnishi Riku, Tachibana Yuki, Fujieda Yoshiki, Otomo Kazuki, Urushiyama Takumi & Kamishiraishi Mone etc.

Preview of "Yuukai no hi" - Summer 2025

Title: Yuukai no hi / 誘拐の日

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 8 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Original Korean drama by: Jung Hae-yeon

Theme Song: "us" by yama

Cast: Saito Takumi, Nagao Yuno, Fukazawa Tatsuya, Adachi Yumi, Nozomi Futo, Sato Kanta, Hasegawa Hatsunori, Suzuki Kosuke, Uchida Yuki & Eguchi Yosuke

Preview of "Ashita wa motto, ii hi ni naru" - Summer 2025

Title: Ashita wa motto, ii hi ni naru / 明日はもっと、いい日になる

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 July 2025

Timeslot: Mondays at 9pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme Song: "Chiisana uta" by JUJU

Cast: Fukuhara Haruka, Hayashi Kento, Ikuta Erika, Katsumura Masanobu, Kazama Shunsuke & Yanagiba Toshiro etc.

Preview of "Doctor Price" - Summer 2025

Title: Doctor Price / ドクタープライス

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 6 July 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10.30pm

Broadcast by: YTV / NTV

Original manga by: Sakatsu Tsukasa & Ayuzu Masaki

Theme Song: "Fake Show" by Omoinotake

Cast: Iwata Takanori, Makita Aju, Miura Takahiro, Narumi Riko, Kitayama Hiromitsu, Hayashi Yasufumi, Tsubokura Yoshiyuki, Yusuke Santa Maria & Shinohara Ryoko

Preview of "Replica Mototsuma no fukushu" - Summer 2025

Title: Replica Mototsuma no fukushu / レプリカ　元妻の復讐

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 July 2025

Timeslot: Mondays at 11.06pm

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original manga by: Tanaka Tomo / Hirai Hacchi

Opening theme song: "CHEAT" by Kis-My-Ft2

Ending theme song: "B.U.G." by Dios

Cast: Triendl Reina, Miyamoto Mayu, Kimura Ryo & Senga Kento

Preview of "Konbanwa, Asayama-ke desu" - Summer 2025

Title: Konbanwa, Asayama-ke desu / こんばんは、朝山家です。

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 6 July 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10.15pm

Broadcast by: ABC TV / TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Come back home" by FUNKY MONKEY BABY'S

Cast: Nakamura An, Ozawa Yukiyoshi, Satou Honami, Kojima Ken, Kageyama Yuka, Watanabe Miyu, Shimada Tetta, Tosa Kazunari, Sano Hiroki, Takezai Terunosuke, Kawai Aoba, Maruyama Tomomi, Uno Shohei & Matsuo Satoru

Preview of "Revenge Spy" - Summer 2025

Title: Revenge Spy / リベンジスパイ

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 5 July 2025

Timeslot: Saturdays at 11pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Asymmetry" by Naniwa Danshi

Cast: Ohhashi Kazuya, Shibuya Nagisa, Takahashi Mitsuomi, Oriyama Nao, Tsukaji Muga, Seino Asahi, Nakajima Hiroko, Shimizu Shin, Ito Shuko, Yui Karen, Daichi Nobunaga, Saeki Arata, Bona, Mizobata Junpei & Takashima Masanobu

Preview of "DOPE Mayaku torishimaribu tokusouka" - Summer 2025

Title: DOPE Mayaku torishimaribu tokusouka / ドープ　麻薬取締部特捜課

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 4 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 10pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original novel by: Kisaki Chiaki

Theme Song: "Never ends" by Uru

Cast: Takahashi Kaito, Nakamura Tomoya, Araki Yuuko, Miura Masaki, Toyoda Yuudai, Kumada Rinka, Oshinari Shugo, Iriyama Noriko, Sano Kazuma, Fernandez Naoyuki, Kumai Keita, Aoto Niko, Koike Teppei, Matobu Sei, Ito Atsushi & Iura Arata

Preview of "Renai Kinshi" - Summer 2025

Title: Renai Kinshi / 恋愛禁止

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 3 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 11.59pm

Broadcast by: YTV / NTV

Original novel by: Nagae Toshikazu

Theme Song: "Koe prod. * Taku Takahashi (m-flo)" by IS:SUE

Opening theme song: "Kyoshoku no kisu" by shallm

Cast: Ihara Rikka, Sato Daiki, Konishi Sakurako, Kokubo Toshihito, Ishikawa Manahiro, Ishii Masanori & Watanabe Keisuke

Preview of "Laundering" - Summer 2025

Title: Laundering / ロンダリング

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 3 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 12.15am

Broadcast by: Kansai TV

Theme Song: "Black Nightmare" by Naniwa Danshi

Cast: Fujiwara Joichiro, Sugai Yuka, Hashimoto Ryo, Kubota Maki, Chou Tamiyasu, Wada Masato, Tanimura Mizuki & Ohtani Ryohei

Preview of "Ameagari no bokura ni tsuite" - Summer 2025

Title: Ameagari no bokura ni tsuite / 雨上がりの僕らについて

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 2 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 12.30am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original manga by: Rakuta Shouko

Ending theme song: "Petrichor" by SG

Cast: Ikeda Masashi, Hori Natsuki, Watanabe Miho, Yamada Maho, Takasugi Kou & Kirishima Reika

Preview of "40 made ni shitai 10 no koto" - Summer 2025

Title: 40 made ni shitai 10 no koto / ４０までにしたい１０のこと

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 4 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 12.12am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original manga by: Mamita

Theme Song: "Sumire" by Chevon

Ending theme song: "Maboroshi" by the shes gone

Cast: Kazama Shunsuke, Shoji Kohei, Hirai Amon, Takayama Riko, Watanabe Keisuke & Hirako Yuki

Preview of "Kita-kun ga kawaisugite te ni amaru no de, 3 nin de shea suru koto ni shimashita." - Summer 2025

Title: Kita-kun ga kawaisugite te ni amaru no de, 3 nin de shea suru koto ni shimashita. / 北くんがかわいすぎて手に余るので、３人でシェアすることにしました。

Official website: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 11pm

Broadcast by: Kansai TV

Original manga by: Sakaki Kotsubu

Theme Song: "Love Syndrome" by CENT

Opening Song: "Numakoeteko" by This is LAST

Cast: Honda Tsubasa, Shida Mirai, Iwase Yoji, Mashiko Atsuki, Oideyasu Oda, Takatsuka Hiromu, Yokomizo Naho, Hashimoto Wataru, Hano Aki, Maggy, Ozawa Maju & Manda Hisako

Preview of "Kanzen Furin - Kakusu bigaku, Abaku kakugo -" - Summer 2025

Title: Kanzen Furin - Kakusu bigaku, Abaku kakugo - / 完全不倫 - 隠す美学、暴く覚悟 -

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 12.24am

Broadcast by: NTV

Theme Song: "Shurabanban" by Yayoi

Cast: Nimura Sawa, Maeda Gouki, Nomura Shuhei, Ohnishi Ayaka, Kaya Souya, Hori Miona & Naenano

Ex-TOKIO member Matsuoka Masahiro meets the press for the first time following the band's sudden disbandment

After TOKIO’s sudden disbandment on 25 June 2025 following Kokubun Taichi’s indefinite hiatus from 20 June due to reported compliance violations, Matsuoka Masahiro faced the press for the first time on 27 June 2025 and answered their questions for about 20 minutes. This was done outside the Tokai City Arts Theater after his rehearsal for the stage play “Kaseifu no Mitazono THE STAGE Les Mizera Furo” which will be held on 28 and 29 June. 

Matsuoka was the first ex-TOKIO member to speak out openly on these issues and here are the key points as gathered from various sources:

• Matsuoka was dressed in a black T-shirt and brown pants and wore a cap and glasses. 

• He started off by apologising again to sponsors, everyone in Fukushima Prefecture, fans who had been supporting TOKIO for the past 31 years and all associates who they worked with in various programmes for the situation. With the liquidation of Kabushikigaisha TOKIO, they are in the midst of settling contracts with sponsors and various work parties following the disbanding of the band. Once everything is settled, the company will be officially shut down.

• With regard to why the decision was made to disband in just 5 days after Kokubun’s issue came to light, this move was made to limit the impact and inconvenience caused to their work associates and fans to the minimum. Matsuoka and Joshima Shigeru i.e. Leader met up in person on 24 June to reach the decision and called Kokubun on the spot to convey this.

• Matsuoka admitted that when he and Leader saw the NTV press conference which exposed Kokubun’s issue, they came to the realisation that they wouldn’t be able to protect TOKIO nor work using this name anymore. Honestly speaking, Matsuoka’s first thought was “not again, how many times has this been?” and also felt embarrassed because the band already had two members leave due to different reasons. In fact, when they set up Kabushikigaisha TOKIO, that was done with the understanding that if ever any one of the trio had to leave for any reason, that would mark the end of TOKIO. While it was a painful decision to make, this was a move which could not be avoided given the circumstances. While it was a cowardly and shameful manner of how TOKIO came to an end and they all felt really sorry to their fans, he stressed that this was something that they didn’t want to do but had to go ahead with it.

• When asked if there is a possibility that Matsuoka and Leader could meet fans again in person via other formats in future, Matsuoka said that assuming if they are forgiven for what happened in the future, they might be able to do something. However, at this stage, there is nothing they can really do and it is not in their position right now to even think about sounding fans on how they feel towards this kind of proposition.

• As for the current condition of Kokubun, Matsuoka revealed that he was in the doldrums and feeling remorseful for what happened. He also felt that Kokubun himself would have wanted more than anyone else to talk about what happened in front of the media because the latter is a man with a strong sense of responsibility. However, it was unlikely that Kokubun would be able to say anything even if he appeared in public given the confidentiality restriction so Matsuoka decided to be the one speaking up instead. This was also because Matsuoka was the PR director for their company.

• Although Kokubun kept apologising to him and Leader, Matsuoka didn’t think that this wasn’t an issue which could be brushed off easily. When he and Leader told Kokubun about the decision to disband TOKIO over the phone, all Kokubun could do was to apologise repeatedly. Considering that they had spent 36 years of their lives together, Matsuoka recounted that he had never heard Kokubun sound like that before. And since they are no longer band mates, he doesn’t think that whatever he says now would matter to Kokubun anymore.

• When asked about the relationships between the 5 ex-TOKIO members including Nagase Tomoya and Yamaguchi Tatsuya who left for their own reasons, Matsuoka felt that they each had their own ways of showing their love for the band. While they have not spoken to one another on this matter, he believed that Nagase and Yamaguchi would both have their own perspectives on this situation. Matsuoka and Leader did not contact Nagase and Yamaguchi on this and vice versa.

• As for his relationship with Kokubun going forward, Matsuoka said that although they have become ex-band mates now, he doesn’t think that this will mean the end of their longtime friendship even though he knows very well that there may be people who won’t look on this favourably. He and Leader are still contacting Kokubun time to time recently for business matters only.

• As for the question whether Matsuoka knew what Kokubun had done, he said that it was meaningless to pursue the reason for what led to this state of things. If asking for the answer to what Kokubun did would help salvage the situation, Matsuoka would do so but to him, dealing with the present situation matters more than delving into what caused it. 

• Due to the privacy protection measures, nobody including Leader and him and their staff members knew what had exactly happened and when the problematic actions took place. However, in response to media rumours that this may be related to DASH-mura, Matsuoka said that this was untrue. 

• With regard to recent media reports suggesting that Kokubun had engaged in bullying of fellow TOKIO members, Matsuoka denied this vehemently and stressed that there was absolutely no bullying within the group. He said that he was bewildered when he heard about such media reports and lamented how the unfounded rumours of late have been fueling lots of ridiculous theories that are going around.

• When asked if Leader and Matsuoka would continue visiting and interacting with Fukushima Prefecture which had deep and longtime ties with TOKIO, he said that they would definitely do so.

• As for the individual career plans of him and Leader, Matsuoka said that they are focusing on their respective projects on hand and the procedures to end their company for now. After the dust has settled and they take time to consider their options, they will then announce that in due course. The two of them will also be speaking to their 4 employees to find out their preferences and take the responsibility to secure re-employment for them if they wish.

Sources: 

Sponichi Annex 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a6d7cfd2fa3c7d722cb9333bc41c124ece0d56fe 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cfcbd95946174ec9c162c4c3422a902e414da068 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0f45db33fd028ec35e4f62684bbe9a7f4f860ad9 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0f45db33fd028ec35e4f62684bbe9a7f4f860ad9 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/40625553bb52f66f7bbd28356699e698592b53e7 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/037d6dbc428b96cec81236178ed58934c294ced2 

TV Asahi News

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d040ed97ce97e6166c990214a65c61cb3bd90586 

NTV News

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4f4ffae8bad555bf49ed24ac56f1a7c414754c8f 

Daily

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/2ea07d3097d296b46bfea42088559bfe8f4f68c4 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b62d0e57b684559b89086d324e62d6844d958990 

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e51140f4dba2b604f49eb42e5123f04a88cb107b 

Tokyo Sports

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/8816f08545c58604ff77e1a5d67bb9305b477971 

Preview of "Cinderella Closet" - Summer 2025

Title: Cinderella Closet / シンデレラクロゼット

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 July 2025 (to be released via Netflix first from 24 June 2025)

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 12.58am

Broadcast by: TBS

Original manga by: Yanai Wakana

Theme Song: "Akuma" by Frederic

Cast: Osaki Ichika, Matsumoto Reo, Karuma, Mito Yuna & Hachimura Rintaro

Preview of "Hatsukoi DOGs" - Summer 2025

Title: Hatsukoi DOGs / 初恋 DOGs

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Cast: Kiyohara Kaya, Narita Ryo, Na In-woo, Hagiwara Riku, Miyazawa Ema, Nadagi Takeshi, Noro Kayo, Miyazaki Shuto, Nagase Riko, NOA, Marui Wan, Jin Dae-yeon, Reo, mie, Sakai Maki, Fukada Kyoko & Kishitani Goro

Preview of "Watashi ga anata to iru riyuu ~ Guam wo otozureta 3 kumi no danjo no isshuukan ~" - Summer 2025

Title: Watashi ga anata to iru riyuu ~ Guam wo otozureta 3 kumi no danjo no isshuukan ~ / 私があなたといる理由～グアムを訪れた３組の男女の一週間～

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 12.30am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Cast: Renbutsu Misako, Mizobata Junpei, Nakai Tomo, Momose Takumi, Katsumura Masanobu & Ishino Youko

Preview of "Banshaku no ryuugi 4 ~ Natsu hen ~" - Summer 2025

Title: Banshaku no ryuugi 4 ~ Natsu hen ~ / 晩酌の流儀4 〜夏編〜

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 27 June 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 12.42am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Cast: Kuriyama Chiaki, Takeda Kouhei, Tsuji Nagiko, Baba Hiroyuki, Mister-chan & Okayama Hajime

Preview of "Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni koishiteru 2nd Stage" - Summer 2025

Title: Ayaka-chan wa Hiroko-senpai ni koishiteru 2nd Stage / 彩香ちゃんは弘子先輩に恋してる 2nd Stage

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 26 June 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 1.29am

Broadcast by: MBS

Original manga by: Sal Jiang

Cast: Kato Shiho, Mori Kanna, Honda Kyoya, Yuki Mio, Yamashita Eiku, Someya Yuka, Taira Minori, Kojima Riria, Nasu Hohomi, Kurata Ema, Matsumura Sayuri, Seto Kazuya & Nanami Hiroki

Preview of "Ryousangata Ruka - Puramo buin no aoki gyakushuu -" - Summer 2025

Title: Ryousangata Ruka - Puramo buin no aoki gyakushuu - / 量産型ルカ - プラモ部員の青き逆襲 -

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 3 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 12.30am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Ending theme song: "Puratomo" by LINKL PLANET

Cast: Kaki Haruka, Tsutsui Ayame, Yamasaki Ryutaro, Kobayashi Momoko, Omoto Yukina & Okada Yoshinori

Preview of "TOKAGE Keishicho tokushu sousagakari" (Drama SP)

Title: TOKAGE Keishicho tokushu sousagakari / TOKAGE 警視庁特殊犯捜査係

Official website: here

Official X: here

O.A. Date: 30 June 2025 at 8pm

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original novel by: Konno Bin

Cast: Sorimachi Takashi, Kuriyama Chiaki, Ryuusei Ryo, Fukikoshi Mitsuru & Shiina Kippei

TOKIO's Kokubun Taichi goes on an indefinite hiatus due to supposed "compliance violations"

This piece of news saddens me because it has to do with TOKIO, one of my favourite Japanese artists who I have been supporting for a long time since I came to know about them in 1996.

Over the last decade or so, the band has already gone through a number of hurdles and challenges which led to its members leaving one by one, be it voluntarily or not. The problem this time though is, nobody is saying what exactly is the issue other than it's a compliance violation. This will no doubt fuel lots of speculation and rumours swirling around that could be potentially even more damaging than the actual reason for Kokubun Taichi having to go on an indefinite hiatus. What could be serious enough to warrant him being taken off the shows but not to the extent of having a criminal complaint filed against him? So it's something that morally incorrect but legally OK? 

I just cannot wrap my head around this.

I think everyone is waiting for an answer but whether there will be one or if the official explanation reveals the reason in its entirety, only time will tell.

Here's the timeline of what's known so far based on various news reports (all dates/times in JST):

27 May 2025

NTV was said to have uncovered the multiple incidents involving Kokubun's compliance violations and shared information on this with relevant departments within the TV station. It then engaged external lawyers to conduct investigations. (Sports Hochi)

19 June 2025

Rumours of Kokubun quitting from his TV shows started circulating late in the evening and that official announcements will be made on the following day. The reason for the move was said to be due to "serious compliance violations" but at this point, nobody knew what exactly was the reason. (Sponichi Annex)

20 June 2025

- NTV's president Fukuda Hiroyuki announced on 20 June 2025 during a last-minute press conference at 1pm that the TV station had ascertained "multiple compliance violations in the past" by Kokubun thus the decision was made to take him off the variety show "The Tetsuwan DASH". 

• He had been appearing in this programme as a member of TOKIO since it started in 1995. 
• Fukuda revealed that he was informed of this matter on 27 May 2025 and that following the investigation by external lawyers, it was deemed that it would be inappropriate for Kokubun to continue appearing in the show. 
• However, despite persistent questioning by the media at the press conference, Fukuda refused to reveal details of what happened or when it happened, citing privacy concerns. 
• This attracted criticism from the media and online that the press conference did not answer any of the critical questions and was meaningless other than a display of NTV cutting off Kokubun first before his agency and company made his hiatus announcement.
• What was only ascertained during the press conference was that this matter had nothing to do with anti-social forces, involved multiple people but was not a "large-scale case".
• It was reported that an emergency board of directors meeting was called earlier in the morning to approve this decision.

- Kabushikigaisha TOKIO and STARTO ENTERTAINMENT released their statements announcing the indefinite hiatus of Kokubun:

• It had come to their attention that Kokubun Taichi had been involved in multiple incidents of compliance violations. After discussing this issue with him and as a way of taking responsibility to reflect on his actions, he will be going on an indefinite hiatus with effect from 20 June 2025.
• In the statement from Kabushikigaisha TOKIO which was signed off by the president cum TOKIO's leader Joshima Shigeru, it apologised to work associates and fans for the sudden announcement and causing them worry and inconvenience as a result. 
• As of now, they have not made any decisions on what to do in future and all queries on this matter should be directed to STARTO ENTERTAINMENT which the company has a group agent contract with because Kabushikigaisha TOKIO does not have a designated channel to handle such queries.
• Kokubun himself apologised for the concern and inconvenience caused to everyone and that his lack of self-awareness and complacency despite having worked in the entertainment industry for so many years were what led to his inadequate actions. At the moment, the period of his hiatus has not been fixed and he will take time to reflect on himself and change his ways.
• STARTO ENTERTAINMENT's statement was similar to that of Kabushikigaisha TOKIO's which mentioned Kokubun's hiatus and apologised for the sudden announcement and inconvenience caused to everyone.

The work situation of Kokubun

The following information was compiled by Sponichi Annex and FLASH:

• Co-vice president of Kabushikigaisha TOKIO and in charge of planning since April 2021
• President of TOKIO-BA, a new project under Kabushikigaisha TOKIO. Joshima Shigeru & Matsuoka Masahiro are the vice presidents for TOKIO-BA
• TOKIO entered into an agency contract with STARTO ENTERTAINMENT in April 2024
• Had 6 regular shows on TV and radio i.e. The Tetsuwan DASH (NTV), Danshi Gohan (TV Tokyo), Sekai kurabetemitara (TBS), TOKIO Terrace (Mainichi Housou), Kokubun Taichi no THE CRAFTSMEN (BS10) and Kokubun Taichi Radio Box (JFN).
• CM: Japan Net Takata Fukushima Prefecture "Fukushima Pride" - Japan Net announced on 20 June that it had taken off his CMs.
• It had been announced on 12 June that Kokubun is to host TV Tokyo's "TV Tokyo Ongakusai 2025 ~ Natsu ~" in July. 
• Kabushikigaisha TOKIO had already informed various TV stations and work partners of Kokubun's resignation from these shows.
• Despite TOKIO not doing any music-related activities in recent years following the departure of Yamaguchi Tatsuya and Nagase Tomoya in 2018 and 2021 respectively, Kokubun was still involved in making music as recently as in March this year. He was the producer (using the name Mitazono Kaoru) for the digital single "clock" by special unit Shima Shigeko & Hikaru i.e. Joshima and Inoo Kei which was the theme song for the drama "Kaseifu no Mitazono" starring Matsuoka.
• Over the past 4 years since the official LINE accounts of Kabushikigaisha TOKIO and Kokubun were set up on 10 June 2021, he had been sending daily morning greeting messages without fail through his official account between 6am and 7am to his followers which exceeds 128,000. However, the last message he sent was on 19 June and there was nothing for today i.e. 20 June which attracted speculation online prior to the hiatus announcement this afternoon.