Damning allegations have been made against him.
A veteran star put a stop to all entertainment industry activities on June 20 amid his ongoing controversy.
Kokubun Taichi is a member of TOKIO, a Japanese boy group that debuted in 1994. After 31 years together, the group announced their disbandment in a joint statement from members Joshima Shigeru, Matsuoka Masahiro, and Kokubun Taichi on June 25, 2025. TOKIO chose to disband due to the damage Taichi’s conduct has caused the group as a whole.
Legendary Boy Group Announces Their Disbandment, One Member Blamed
Multiple victims have accused Taichi of misconduct that ranges from sexual harassment to abuse of power. According to a report by Japanese media outlet Nippon TV, Taichi has been involved in “multiple acts that violated compliance standards,” and he has agreed to leave Nippon TV shows, such as The! Tetsuwan! DASH!!.
At a press conference, Nippon TV president Fukuda Hiroyuki personally confirmed the reports but refused to give details due to “privacy reasons.” Other industry professionals haven’t been as tight-lipped.
There were multiple violations. One was power harassment towards staff — he reportedly used aggressive, commanding tones with junior crew, especially when in a bad mood. The other was sexual harassment involving women, particularly via inappropriate photo exchanges. It’s not a criminal case, but the number of people affected makes this serious.
— TV production insider
One crew member claimed that the star is “polite to his peers and seniors, but he could be cold and bossy to people beneath him.” “If he wasn’t feeling it,” they said, “you’d know immediately — people tiptoed around him.” Amid the scandal, Taichi’s show The CRAFTSMEN and his radio program Taichi’s Radio Box stopped airing.
“This all stems from my lack of awareness, naivety, and arrogance over the years,” Taichi said in his public apology. “I’m deeply sorry. I’ve decided to suspend all activities indefinitely to reflect on my actions and take responsibility.”
