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| JO1 Shock Exit as Ohira Shosei Confirms Departure After Months of Silence. (Credits: Ameblo) |
Ohira Shosei is leaving JO1 at the end of May, closing a turbulent chapter that has followed months of inactivity, mounting speculation and one of the most talked-about idol controversies in recent Japanese pop memory.
After half a year away from the spotlight, the singer has now confirmed he will step away from both the group and agency LAPONE Entertainment, ending a six-and-a-half-year run with the act just as JO1 prepares for a major overseas push.
The announcement lands at a delicate moment for JO1. The group, formed in 2019 with ambitions of reaching global stages, has steadily expanded its profile through tours and chart success.
Yet while the band has been building momentum, Ohira’s prolonged absence became the elephant in the rehearsal room. Everyone knew it was there; nobody could pretend otherwise forever.
Ohira Shosei had been on hiatus since last October following reports surrounding his private life, which quickly spiralled into headline material.
The story alleged overlapping relationships involving a private individual and ME:I member Shizuku Iida, triggering a fierce public backlash and internal scrutiny.
Management later announced activity suspensions linked to breaches of company rules, and from there, Ohira Shosei largely vanished from public view.
Now he has broken that silence with a lengthy apology and farewell statement directed to fans, known as JAM.
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| Ohira Shosei Apologises to Fans as He Officially Leaves JO1 |
In it, Ohira Shosei said he spent the past six months reflecting deeply on his future and holding repeated discussions with the agency before deciding to end his activities as a JO1 member.
He apologised for the delayed update, acknowledged the disruption caused to supporters, staff and fellow members, and said he would walk a different path while carrying gratitude for everything he experienced.
The tone of the message was reflective rather than dramatic. There was no attempt to rewrite history, no glossy “new chapter begins” theatre, just a clear admission that mistakes were made and the road back was not happening. In idol terms, that alone is unusually blunt.
For JO1, the timing is striking. The group is reportedly gearing up for a long-awaited United States debut later this year, making this a moment that should have been focused on expansion, fresh music and global headlines.
Instead, the conversation has swung back to crisis management and member reshuffles. Pop groups love neat eras; reality often prefers chaos.
Fan reaction has been sharply divided. Some JAM supporters said the decision was inevitable and necessary for the group to move forward, arguing the scandal had become an ongoing distraction.
Others expressed sadness, saying Ohira Shosei remained an important part of JO1’s early identity and deserved room to rebuild. A third camp, naturally, chose the internet’s favourite hobby: turning grief into memes and posting “this comeback season is cursed” comments by the minute.
Netizens across Japanese and wider Asian social platforms also questioned how the departure may affect JO1’s line distribution, choreography balance and public image ahead of international promotions.
Others noted that in the fast-moving idol industry, groups often survive these moments better than expected once the music resumes and the schedule gets busy again.
As for Shizuku Iida and ME:I, attention has once again returned to how fallout from the earlier reports affected multiple careers at once.
It is a reminder that scandals in idol culture rarely stay contained to one person, no matter how many statements get issued afterwards.
What comes next is bigger than one exit. JO1 now faces the challenge of proving its next era is defined by performance rather than past headlines, while Ohira Shosei steps into an uncertain future away from the machine that made him famous.
One story closes, another begins, and fans will have opinions about both. Were JO1 right to move on now, or could this have been handled differently?