It has been revealed that Tsuyoshi Domoto of Johnny & Associates duo KinKi Kids has been hospitalized for one week due to sudden deafness, Oricon news reports.

Otherwise known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), it’s an unexplained rapid loss of hearing that usually only occurs in one ear. Depending on the patient, the “deafness” either hits them all at once or over a period of several days.

The news of Tsuyoshi’s sudden change in health status was shared by fellow Kinki Kids member Koichi Domoto during TV Tokyo’s “Ongakusai 2017” broadcast on June 28.

Koichi appeared on his own at the beginning of the program to make the announcement: “While this program is very exciting, as of right now, I’m sorry to say the other person is not here.“

“Tsuyoshi has slight hearing loss, and it was decided that he will take care of himself and stay in the hospital for a week,” said Koichi.

According to his office, on the evening of the 27th he complained that he felt dizzy and had trouble hearing in his left ear. He received a medical examination at the hospital and was immediately hospitalized with instructions to rest for a week, Sankei reports.

Koichi apologized for the confusion and gave advance notice that a special guest will join him in place of Tsuyoshi, leaving fans very curious and excited as to whom he recruited.

In the past, singer Ayumi Hamasaki, musician Shikao Suga, Hiroji Miyamoto of rock band Elephant Kashimashi, Ichiro Yamaguchi of Sakanaction, and more have talked about their experience with sudden deafness.

This news comes in the midst of the duo’s 20th anniversary promotions.

Kinki Kids made their official debut with the single “Glass no Shounen,” on July 21st, 1997 instantly becoming a classic J-pop standard and going on to sell over 1.7 million copies. A special 20th anniversary SP of the drama “Bokuara no Yuuki” starring Tsuyoshi and Koichi will be airing on their anniversary, as well as an SP of their temporarily revived music variety show “LOVE LOVE Aishiteru“.

Update:

Koichi sang with Tomoya Nagase of TOKIO.