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| J-Pop Group Pupa!! Drops Manager After Unpaid Fees Spark Backlash |
Japanese idol group Pupa!! is stepping into a new chapter. The trio announced that they’ll officially part ways with their manager, Sotaro Nakayama, following their upcoming one-man live show, “the Co-create Disc”, scheduled for July 12 at Shibuya WWW.
This decision comes in the wake of recent issues behind the scenes — namely, allegations that the group's management failed to pay a track producer their proper fees.
While the group didn’t directly reference the controversy in their statement, Nakayama himself acknowledged that there had been problems and said he believed stepping down was the right call.
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"More than wanting to fix things through work, I felt it would be better to avoid dragging the members down any further," Nakayama said. He plans to help with the transition until July 12 to ensure a smooth handover as the group moves to independent operation.
Pupa!!, formed back in 2017, confirmed that while their management structure is changing, the members aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they’re determined to keep going — together, and on their own terms.
“We’re still Pupa!!,” the members shared in a heartfelt update. “We want to keep creating a space where everyone can have fun together — and we still have so many things we want to do with you all.”
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From now on, the group will be managing themselves, with no change to their current lineup or music. They reassured fans that all existing tracks will continue to be performed, and that merch operations will go on as usual even after the July concert.
Each member — Taruto Amane, Yuino Hiiragi, and Arata Ra — also posted individual messages, expressing both their nerves and excitement about the shift.
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Despite the uncertainty, all three sounded united in their commitment to keeping Pupa!! alive and thriving.
“This is a choice we made to protect what we love — our music, our stage, and each other,” said Arata. “We’ll keep giving it our all with honesty and love.”
The upcoming concert on July 12 will be an emotional milestone for both the group and their fans. After that, Pupa!! steps fully into the driver’s seat.
And if they’ve made anything clear — it’s that they’re not slowing down anytime soon.