🌊 Ohno Satoshi, the quiet leader of Japan's most iconic idol group, has announced he will leave STARTO ENTERTAINMENT on May 31, 2026: the same day Arashi plays their final concert. After 32 years in the industry he entered as a teenager, Ohno made one promise: "I want to run through this as five, until the very end."

Ohno Satoshi Announces Departure from STARTO on Arashi's Final Day

On the evening of February 28, 2026, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT officially announced that Ohno Satoshi (45), the leader of Arashi, will leave the agency on May 31, 2026.

That date is no coincidence. It is the same day Arashi perform their last concert, the finale of their nationwide dome tour "ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2026 'We are ARASHI'" at Tokyo Dome. For Ohno, the end of Arashi and the end of his 32-year tenure at the agency arrive together.

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT stated that it "respects the decision of Ohno Satoshi as he embarks on a new path" and expressed "heartfelt gratitude for his many achievements over the years."

Ohno's Message to Fans

Ohno published a personal statement through the agency's official website and fan club site:

I have an announcement for everyone. I, Ohno Satoshi, have decided to leave the agency upon the conclusion of Arashi's activities on May 31 of this year. I entered this world at 14 years old, and for approximately 32 years, I have been taken care of by the agency, all staff, and everyone involved. Thank you so much.

And above all, to the fans who have supported us: everything we have accomplished is thanks to you. I am filled with nothing but gratitude. Thank you, truly.

After Arashi's activities end, I hope to do things at my own pace, in my own way. But first, until May 31 of this year, I want to run through this as five. I would be happy if you could watch over us until the very end.

Ohno Satoshi

The Third to Leave, and Five Separate Paths

Ohno's announcement makes him the third Arashi member to individually depart from the agency.

Ninomiya Kazunari (42) was the first to leave, departing from SMILE-UP. (the former Johnny & Associates) in October 2023. He established his own management company, "Office Nino," the following month and has continued a solo career spanning variety shows, acting, and his YouTube channel.

Matsumoto Jun (42) followed at the end of May 2024, leaving STARTO ENTERTAINMENT and announcing his own company, "MJC Inc.," on June 1. He has since worked as a director, producer, and actor.

Meanwhile, all five members established "ARASHI Inc." in April 2024 to manage group-related affairs. Even after their individual departures, Ninomiya and Matsumoto maintained agent contracts with STARTO for Arashi-related activities, though these are expected to conclude alongside the group's dissolution.

Sakurai Sho (44) and Aiba Masaki (43) remain with STARTO ENTERTAINMENT.

The Leader Who Never Acted Like One

Born on November 26, 1980, in Tokyo, Ohno Satoshi joined the former Johnny & Associates in October 1994. Arashi's formation was announced on September 15, 1999, at a press event held on a cruise ship in Hawaii; the group's CD debut, the single "A・RA・SHI," followed on November 3.

For over 25 years Ohno served as the group's leader, though his leadership style was anything but conventional. Fans called him the "un-leader-like leader," and the laid-back, dreamy manner was exactly the point. On stage he became someone else: a strong vocalist and a notably fluid dancer. As an actor he starred in dramas including "Maō," "Kaibutsu-kun," and "Sekai Ichi Muzukashii Koi." He also exhibited as a visual artist, and his solo show "FREESTYLE" drew large crowds.

At the January 2019 press conference where Arashi announced their hiatus, Ohno spoke candidly: "I couldn't irresponsibly say I wanted to rest alone. At first, I thought the only option was to quit the agency." He added: "I want to leave this world once, and see scenery I've never seen before."

After the group paused on December 31, 2020, Ohno moved to Miyakojima in Okinawa and lived out of public view. He reappeared on May 6, 2025, joining his four bandmates in a fan club video to announce the last tour and the end of the group.

The Last Tour: 15 Nights Across Five Domes

Arashi's farewell tour, "ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2026 'We are ARASHI,'" opens on March 13 at the Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) in Hokkaido and runs 15 performances across five dome venues:

Dates Venue
March 13–15 Daiwa House Premist Dome, Sapporo
April 1–2 Tokyo Dome
April 6–8 Vantelin Dome Nagoya
April 24–26 Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka
May 15–17 Kyocera Dome Osaka
May 31 Tokyo Dome (Final Performance)

Tickets went only to fan club members through a lottery, restricted to those who joined on or before June 2, 2025. Facial recognition was introduced to block resale. With an estimated 3 to 3.39 million fan club members and around 700,000 seats projected across the tour, effective odds were forecast at 10:1 to 20:1 or worse.

A digital single, "Five," is scheduled for March 4. It arrives roughly five years and four months after "Party Starters," the group's longest gap between singles, and is their first release since regrouping.

One Line: "Run Through This as Five"

The announcement came roughly two weeks before opening night. Industry sources read the timing as deliberate: Ohno wanted to walk into the final tour with nothing left unsaid.

As for what comes after, his statement offered one line: "I hope to do things at my own pace, in my own way." Unlike Ninomiya and Matsumoto, who both set up management companies, Ohno was widely expected to take a different route entirely.

What remained was three months, and a promise: 26 and a half years of gratitude, delivered from a stage.

Read the complete 5-part Arashi retrospective series:

Has a beloved group or artist in your country ever announced a breakup or departure that felt like the end of an era? How did fans handle it, with tears, celebration, or something in between? Share your story in the comments.

Update: what happened next (as of July 2026)

  • The tour closed at Tokyo Dome on May 31, 2026. Across 15 shows it drew roughly 490,000 people, short of the 700,000 projected at the time of writing. The final concert ran about three and a half hours and 33 songs.
  • The finale was streamed live on the FAMILY CLUB online platform, with replay access through June 15.
  • Ohno left STARTO ENTERTAINMENT that same day and, per reports, has no plans to sign with another agency. Ninomiya and Matsumoto ended their Arashi agent contracts; Sakurai and Aiba stayed with STARTO.
  • "Five" was released as the group's latest single rather than a final one, and a CD plus Blu-ray/DVD edition followed on May 31 through the Famikura Store.
  • A live Blu-ray and DVD of the final concert is scheduled for release on November 3, 2026.

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