🎤 What happens when one of Japan's biggest pop groups signs with the same agency that represents Bruno Mars and Billie Eilish? Number_i — three former members of the mega-popular King & Prince — just inked a deal with WME, the world's most powerful entertainment agency. Here's why this is a potential game-changer for Japanese music on the global stage.
Number_i Signs with WME: A Historic Move for J-Pop
On February 5, 2026, Japanese trio Number_i announced they have signed with WME (William Morris Endeavor) for global representation. This makes them one of the very few Japanese acts to secure a deal with Hollywood's most influential talent agency — a company that has represented legends across music, film, television, and sports for over 125 years.
Under the agreement, WME will handle Number_i's worldwide agency business, including booking, brand partnerships, and global opportunities. Their management will remain with TOBE, the Japanese entertainment company founded by former Johnny & Associates executive Hideaki Takizawa. Think of it this way: TOBE is the coach who trains the team, while WME is the agent who gets them onto the world's biggest stages.
Who Is Number_i?
Number_i consists of three members — Sho Hirano, Yuta Jinguji, and Yuta Kishi — all former members of King & Prince, one of Japan's most popular boy bands under the now-restructured Johnny & Associates (currently STARTO Entertainment). In Japan's entertainment world, leaving a major agency like that was a massive, high-risk decision, comparable to a star athlete leaving a dominant franchise.
King & Prince debuted in 2018 and quickly became one of Japan's top pop acts. However, three of the five members — Hirano, Jinguji, and Kishi — left the group in May 2023, citing a desire to pursue international opportunities that the former agency was not actively supporting. They joined TOBE in September 2023 and relaunched as Number_i in January 2024.
Their debut single "GOAT" (an acronym for "Greatest Of All Time") dropped in January 2024, immediately signaling that this was not a typical J-pop act. The track blended hip-hop, R&B, and electronic influences — a deliberate move toward a sound with global appeal.
The Road to WME: Building International Credibility
Number_i's path to WME was paved through strategic U.S. appearances that gradually built their international profile:
In April 2024, they performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, one of the world's most prestigious music events. Their appearance was facilitated through 88rising, the Asian-focused media company that has become a crucial gateway for Asian artists entering Western markets. After Coachella, "GOAT" hit No. 10 on the U.S. iTunes overall chart and No. 3 on the Hip-Hop chart.
Their debut full album "No.Ⅰ" topped Billboard Japan's Hot Albums chart in its first week and ranked No. 4 on Spotify's "Top Albums Debut Global" chart — a remarkable showing for a Japanese-language release.
In 2025, they performed at 88rising's Head in the Clouds festival in Pasadena, further solidifying their presence in the U.S. live music scene. Their latest single "3XL," released in January 2026 and produced by member Sho Hirano, continued their genre-blending approach.
Why WME Matters
WME is not just any agency. Born from the 2009 merger of the William Morris Agency and Endeavor Talent Agency, it stands as one of the "Big Three" talent agencies in Hollywood, alongside CAA and UTA. Its music roster includes global superstars like Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish, and Alicia Keys. The agency also represents talent across film, television, and sports — it is the majority owner of WWE and UFC through TKO Group.
For Number_i, having WME in their corner means access to a network that can secure major festival slots, U.S. and European tour bookings, brand partnerships with global companies, and potential crossover opportunities in film or television. WME's offices span Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, and Sydney — the key entertainment capitals.
J-Pop's Global Strategy vs. K-Pop's Model
Number_i's approach to international expansion is worth comparing to the well-established K-pop model, though the two take fundamentally different paths.
K-pop's global dominance was built on a systematic "idol factory" approach: years of rigorous training, multilingual capability, synchronized choreography designed for social media virality, and massive investment in global marketing infrastructure from day one. Companies like HYBE (BTS) and YG Entertainment (BLACKPINK) essentially treat global expansion as a core part of the business plan from pre-debut.
Japanese artists, by contrast, have historically focused almost exclusively on the domestic market — the world's second-largest music market by revenue. The former Johnny & Associates (now STARTO Entertainment), which dominated Japan's male idol scene for decades, famously restricted even the online distribution of their artists' music, let alone international promotion.
Number_i represents a new generation of Japanese artists trying to find a third path: maintaining their Japanese identity and creative direction while leveraging Western industry infrastructure to reach global audiences. Unlike K-pop acts that often tailor content specifically for Western markets from the start, Number_i is essentially saying, "We'll make the music we believe in, and find the right partners to bring it to the world."
As Sho Hirano told The Hollywood Reporter in a previous interview: "We believe that music goes beyond borders. We just make good music, whatever we believe in, and we'd like to spread that to more and more people."
The 88rising Connection
A key piece of Number_i's international strategy has been their relationship with 88rising, the U.S.-based media company founded by Japanese-Korean American Sean Miyashiro. 88rising has been instrumental in bringing Asian artists — including Japanese acts like Joji and Atarashii Gakko! — to Western audiences.
88rising's founder has spoken about his excitement in working with Japanese artists, noting that while K-pop is already "fully established globally," there is a thrilling opportunity in showcasing talent from Japan and other Asian countries. Number_i's appearances at Coachella and Head in the Clouds were facilitated through this partnership, which served as a crucial "proof of concept" before the WME signing.
What This Means for Japanese Entertainment
Number_i's WME deal is significant beyond just one group. It signals that Japan's entertainment industry is finally — if slowly — adapting to global realities. Several factors make this moment notable:
First, the collapse of the old Johnny & Associates system following the sexual abuse scandal involving its late founder created a massive reshuffling of talent. Former Johnny's artists like Number_i now have the freedom to pursue international strategies that were previously impossible.
Second, TOBE president Hideaki Takizawa publicly stated that creating "a foothold for entering the U.S. market" was a key goal. The WME partnership is the most concrete realization of that ambition.
Third, other Japanese acts are also making international moves — XG (signed to XGALX), Atarashii Gakko! (via 88rising), and YOASOBI (whose "Idol" became a global viral hit through the anime "Oshi no Ko") are all finding different routes to overseas audiences.
Challenges Ahead
Despite the excitement, significant challenges remain. Language barriers persist — Number_i performs primarily in Japanese, and unlike many K-pop acts, they have not released dedicated English-language tracks. Building name recognition in markets dominated by English-language and K-pop content requires sustained effort and significant investment.
Fan culture differences also matter. Japanese idol fandom has its own unique conventions — including the "oshikatsu" (supporting your favorite) culture — that don't always translate directly to Western fan engagement patterns. And some observers note a gap in live performance polish compared to K-pop acts who train specifically for large international stages from a young age.
Still, the WME signing gives Number_i something most Japanese artists have never had: a world-class infrastructure partner dedicated to opening doors globally.
Looking Forward
The WME deal positions Number_i at the forefront of what could be a broader wave of Japanese entertainment exports. With Japan's domestic market shrinking due to population decline, the economic incentive for global expansion has never been stronger. If Number_i can build a sustainable international presence, they may pave the way for more Japanese artists to follow.
In Japan, there is a saying: "出る杭は打たれる" (deru kui wa utareru) — "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down." Number_i chose to stick out, leaving behind one of Japan's most powerful entertainment systems to chase a global dream. With WME now in their corner, they have one of the world's most powerful hammers working for them instead.
Number_i's journey from King & Prince to WME is a uniquely Japanese story of reinvention and ambition. In your country, how do local artists typically break into the international market? Is there an established system, or do they have to forge their own path like Number_i? We'd love to hear your perspective.
References
- https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/j-pop-trio-number_i-wme-exclusive-1236495436/
- https://natalie.mu/music/news/658921
- https://kai-you.net/article/94560
- https://mdpr.jp/music/detail/4725341
- https://www.billboard.com/music/features/88rising-founders-asian-artists-coachella-interview-1235665075/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WME_Group
Reactions in Japan
WME signing for real?! Being with the same agency as Bruno Mars and Billie Eilish is insane when you think about it. I was worried sick when they left King & Prince, but they've come this far.
Honestly, at Coachella I thought it was just an 88rising slot. But a formal WME deal — that's earned on merit. Changed how I see them.
Worth noting this is an agency deal, not a record deal. WME's role is to get them opportunities — but making hit songs is still on them.
Feels like Takizawa's strategy is finally taking shape. TOBE is steadily advancing the global expansion that the old Johnny's never could.
As someone who's been a fan since King & Prince days, it's complicated... The two who stayed must've wanted chances like this too. But I do want to support Number_i's challenge.
I work in the music industry, and WME's network is legit. North American tour bookings, festival slots, brand collabs — everything levels up. This is huge.
Comparing them to BTS or BLACKPINK is unfair. K-pop spent over a decade building global infrastructure. Number_i just reached the starting line.
Happy about the deal, but worried their Japanese activities might suffer. International expansion only works with a solid domestic fanbase.
Louis Vuitton ambassador and WME signee — on paper alone, Sho Hirano's credentials now read like a global celebrity's.
Atarashii Gakko!, XG, and now Number_i — each taking different routes overseas. There's no 'right answer' yet for J-pop's global push. Everyone's figuring it out.
Love that they're competing in Japanese without switching to English. Forcing English kills the personality — BABYMETAL conquered the world in Japanese too.
But let's be real — signing with WME alone doesn't mean they'll blow up in America. The real battle starts now. Don't get expectations too high.
Former Johnny's fan here. The only ex-Johnny's who made it overseas are Yamapi and Akanishi. Can Number_i break through that wall? Even with WME, it won't be easy.
Breaking free from the Johnny's system and reaching WME is genuinely impressive. Given how insular Japan's entertainment industry is, you have to respect these three's initiative.
As a Sho stan I'm literally crying. When he left King & Prince, people said 'going global is impossible.' And now it's WME... Walking the talk is truly cool.
WME handles film and TV too, right? Could Sho Hirano end up in a Hollywood movie someday? Can't stop my imagination running wild.
I'm a K-pop fan from Taiwan. Honestly, I'd never heard Number_i's music, but the WME signing piqued my interest. It's refreshing to see a Japanese act taking a different approach from Korean artists.
From Brazil here. J-pop entering WME is massive news. K-pop is totally systemized, but Japanese artists seem to have more artistic freedom. That could be their weapon.
Music producer from the US. WME signing Number_i shows they're betting on the broader Asian music market. J-pop might be the next wave after K-pop, or it might not. But they clearly see the investment potential.
French here. Sho Hirano has been to Paris Fashion Week as a Louis Vuitton ambassador. The multi-front approach — fashion, music, entertainment — leaves a good impression in France.
I work in Korea's entertainment industry. Frankly, a WME deal means nothing if it's just on paper. Look how many years it took BTS to hit Billboard No. 1. The question is whether Number_i has the stamina for a long game.
J-pop fan from Malaysia! K-pop dominates Southeast Asia, but Japanese music has a loyal following too. If Number_i tours here, I'm definitely going! WME should be able to set up an Asian tour.
UK music journalist. If WME's London office gets behind them, European festival appearances become realistic. Glastonbury, Primavera Sound... looking forward to the next steps.
Vietnamese American here. Got into Asian artists through 88rising, so Number_i was on my radar. But honestly, their Coachella performance had a gap compared to K-pop-level shows. Want to see how they grow after the WME deal.
From Germany. I've been watching J-pop's global push since BABYMETAL got me hooked on Japanese music. Number_i's sound is totally different, but securing WME as an 'entry point' was smart.
Korean Canadian here. From the perspective of someone who's watched K-pop's rise, the WME deal is just the 'beginning.' What matters is building a local fanbase organically. Social media strategy, consistent content, growing fan communities... there's a mountain of work ahead.
Anime fan from Mexico. Japanese music spreads globally through anime, but idol group expansion has been rare. With WME, Number_i might reach beyond the anime-fan demographic.
Aussie fan here. WME has a Sydney office, so can we expect Oceania promotions too? So few Japanese artists come to Australia, this would be amazing.
From China. Number_i pops up occasionally on Chinese social media. But if an Asian tour happens through WME, Chinese fans would grow. Sho Hirano's visuals would appeal to Chinese audiences.
From Nigeria. Just as Afrobeats earned global recognition, J-pop can find its own path to the world. Genre barriers keep falling in the streaming era.
Based in Russia. Japanese pop culture is popular here, but mostly through anime and manga. It's rare for a music group to gain fans directly. I'm watching Number_i's moves closely.