This week’s guest was BLUE ENCOUNT.

BLUE ENCOUNT – Bakemono / Starfish (ELLEGARDEN cover)

This week’s guests were KAT-TUN, Matsushita Kohei, milet, Ryokuoushoku Shakai, and 2PM.

KAT-TUN – EUPHORIA

Matsushita Kohei – Tsuyogari

milet – Ordinary days

Ryokuoushoku Shakai – LITMUS

2PM – Boku to Mata

This week’s guests were MAN WITH A MISSION, KAT-TUN, BE:FIRST, and climbgrow.

MAN WITH A MISSION – FLY AGAIN / Get Off of My Way / Emotions / Merry-Go-Round

KAT-TUN – We Just Go Hard feat. AK-69

BE:FIRST – Shining One

climbgrow – Yumeji no Jate

Hey, Arama Japan! It’s Friday, so it’s Open Post time! Feel free to chat with your fellow readers about whatever you like! Enjoy!

In July, I had the chance to interview King & Prince for The Japan Times. In the interview, we discussed the group’s foray into English language songs on their recent album “Re:Sense”, their new social media accounts, who their dream collaborators are, and more! Check the interview out below!

This week’s episode featured Official HIGE DANdism. This episode marks the band’s first appearance on the show. In this episode, the roots of Official HIGE DANdism’s music are explored.

Official HIGE DANdism – Stand By You / Cry Baby / Apoptosis

This past April, Masahiko Kondo left Johnny & Associates after 44 years. The previous November, it was revealed that he had been cheating on his wife for the past five years, leading him to go on indefinite hiatus in regards to his entertainment career.

Masahiko is now ready to speak. On September 7, he appeared on the Nippon Cultural Broadcasting radio show “Matsui Sayuri ‘new normal’ no Ko Heya.” This was Masahiko’s first time back on the radio station, where in the last five years of his time at Johnny’s, he hosted his own show, “Masahiko Kondo Kurukuru Matchbox.”

Masahiko said that all of the drama of last year was the trigger that led him to choose to leave Johnny & Associates. He found balancing his entertainment career and his racing career, his main career, difficult to do due to staff changes at Johnny & Associates. He also found it difficult to work in a company where the generations change so rapidly.

He also fondly remembered Johnny Kitagawa and his sister Mary, saying, “I have so many memories, and I want to keep those memories in my heart and continue to do my best. I’m really thankful to them.”

On September 8, KREVA unexpectedly released a new digital album, “LOOP END / LOOP START.” This album comes nearly two years after his previous one, “AFTERMIXTAPE.” It is described as a look into KREVA’s life during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time during which he has worked constantly. The 14 song album will include the previously released songs “Fall in Love Again”, featuring Daichi Miura, and “Tanpopo”, featuring ZORN.

In tandem with the release of “LOOP END / LOOP START”, KREVA has released a combined music video for three of the album’s new songs, “Finally”, “Back in those days”, and “Kae Rareru no wa Mirai dake.” He also held an onlive live event in support of the album. Check out both videos below, along with more information on KREVA’s new album!