Twenty-six years after their 1999 debut, the five members who never lost a single member along the way broke about five years of silence to deliver one last new song. Its title is simply "Five." Here is a look at the long-awaited release, announced ahead of their final tour.

"Five," the First New Song in About Five Years: A "Last Gift" That Broke the Silence

On January 26, 2026, Arashi's official website and social media accounts were updated all at once. In a video featuring all five members, Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya and Jun Matsumoto, they announced the digital release of "Five," their first new song in about five years.

"Five" was released on March 4, 2026, with streaming and downloads starting at midnight on each service. It was also released on May 31 as a made-to-order CD single sold only through the FamiClub Store Online, in two editions, with Blu-ray or DVD, each priced at ¥1,760 (about $12) and including the music video and making-of footage.

Arashi's previous release was the digital single "Party Starters" in October 2020, making "Five" their first new song in about five years and five months. The title reflects their feelings for "the five," who have walked a quarter century together without a single change in lineup. In the video, Aiba said, "The lyrics are great, they really sink in," and Sakurai recalled, "When I listened to the finished song, I was moved, thinking, 'Wow, this is Arashi.'"

Arashi's Journey: From Debut to Hiatus, and the Decision to "End Activities"

Arashi's debut was announced on September 15, 1999, at a press conference aboard a cruise ship off Honolulu, Hawaii. As a flagship group of what was then Johnny & Associates (now STARTO ENTERTAINMENT), they were active not only in music but in dramas, films and variety shows, producing hit content such as "Hana Yori Dango," "VS Arashi" and "Arashi ni Shiyagare" and becoming a symbol of Japanese pop culture.

In 2009 they made their first appearance on NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen and topped Oricon's annual rankings. By the time they went on hiatus in 2020, their combined single and album sales exceeded 40 million, and they had repeatedly completed five-dome tours as "national idols."

But in January 2019, Arashi announced they would go on hiatus at the end of 2020, shocking fans. Their final year coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, and they were unable to thank fans in person at concerts. After the streamed concert "This is Arashi LIVE 2020.12.31," the five stopped working together.

During the hiatus, each member went his own way. Jun Matsumoto starred in the NHK period drama "What Will You Do, Ieyasu?", and Ninomiya and Matsumoto left their agency. In April 2024, the five founded Arashi Inc., putting the group's future in their own hands.

Then, on May 6, 2025, Arashi posted a video on their fan club site and said:

About four and a half years have passed since we went on hiatus. In our last year before the hiatus, because of COVID-19, we were unable to perform in front of you. To thank all the fans who have supported us directly, the five of us will come together again and start preparing for a concert tour as Arashi, planned for around next spring. And with this tour, we will end our activities as Arashi.

Not "hiatus," but "end of activities." It was the conclusion the five reached after more than a year and a half of discussion.

The Final Tour "We are ARASHI": 15 Shows in Five Domes

On November 22, 2025, in a video for fan club members, Arashi announced the full details of the final tour, "ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2026 'We are ARASHI'." Starting on March 13, 2026 at Daiwa House PREMIST DOME (Sapporo Dome) and going on to Tokyo Dome, Vantelin Dome Nagoya, Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka and Kyocera Dome Osaka, it was scheduled as 15 shows in five cities and five domes, ending at Tokyo Dome on May 31.

Tickets were limited to valid fan club members who had joined by June 2, 2025. Arashi's fan club is said to have about 3 million members, and competition for the roughly 700,000 seats was fierce. When results were announced on January 13, social media filled with mixed reactions, from "I've been a member for 15 years and lost every draw" to "the happiest day of my life."

Update: The final tour, "We are ARASHI," began in Sapporo on March 13 and drew about 490,000 people over 15 shows. At the last show at Tokyo Dome on May 31, 2026, Arashi performed 33 songs and ended their activities as a group. (Added September 2026)

"Five" Symbolizes a Choice of "Fans Over Business"

"Five" drew attention for how it was released, too. The CD single was sold only by advance order through the FamiClub Store Online, made to order, with a limit of one Blu-ray edition and one DVD edition per person. It was not sold at ordinary music stores or e-commerce sites.

Music industry insiders said, "If they had released it through normal channels without purchase limits, it would surely have sold over a million. They chose not to. You can feel that it's for the fans rather than for business." People outside the fan club could also buy it, but the sales method was designed with fans in mind.

Details of the songwriting were not revealed until the release day.

Overseas Fans: Farewells Spreading Mainly Across Asia

Arashi has devoted fans overseas, especially in Asia. Tickets for their 2006 concert in South Korea sold out in an hour, with 150,000 people rushing to book online. In 2019 they released the English single "Turning Up" and entered global streaming, and their collaboration with Bruno Mars, "Whenever You Call," also drew attention.

Overseas media widely reported on the end of their activities and the new song. Outlets across Asia, including Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, Malaysia's Hype and the Philippines' GMA News, covered the group's breakup, and fans around the world posted farewells on social media such as "Arashi's music was my youth" and "I came to love them because a Japanese friend recommended them, and now I'll never see the five on stage again."

The Meaning Behind "End of Activities"

In Japan, "end of activities" is distinguished from "breakup." A breakup implies severing ties, while ending activities simply marks a close to the group's work, with the nuance that the bond among the five continues. Many fans see the choice of these words as typical of Arashi's sincerity.

Has a long-loved artist or group in your country ever delivered a "last song"?

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