19.01.27 ARASHI Suspension of Group Activities Press Conference Full (IV)

※ All Members Q&A (III)

Q: You all have a great deal of achievement, while there are voices saying “Thanks for your hard work”, on the other hand, I think there are also saying “is it not irresponsible?”. In response to such thinking, I think there is also possibility that Ohno-san would bear the brunt of this decision and be regarded as the bad guy according to the explanation in this announcement. As for the other members, when this decision was made, was it not the situation that since Ohno-san said this so you made this decision, but rather you actually also wanted to take this break? I would like to ask these two questions.

S: As for the saying related to whether it is irresponsible, from our sincerity, we set a period of two years of time to express our thoughts of appreciation. This is our sincerity. In order to convey our sincerity, we shall convey through lots of our words from now on, we shall have lots of performances, with that attitude and action, I think that you would judge whether it is irresponsible or not.

N: I myself did not have the thinking of taking a break. I also feel 0% that this is because of Leader. Of course since we are human being, there is no such thing as “absolutely” or “unlimited” … rather it would be weird if we have such things. I am very grateful that I can do my work joyfully, so I have not thought about this present situation and such period of time, but we are that when we all want to do something we shall do it, when we do not want to do something we shall not do it, when one member does not want to do something, we shall have thorough discussion on why it is so, and then we come to a conclusion we all agree, so if we make a decision in this way and this makes Leader to be regarded as a bad guy, I think that this is our lack of ability.

Q: When this announcement ends and the contents are conveyed to the fans, I think there would be many people who would feel confused. What do you think about these fans and what would you like to say to them?

O: I deeply apologise for the sudden announcement, indeed it would take time to understand our decision, we also spent two years on many discussions. I think that our fans would have various feelings towards this, I would like to feel these feelings and work to my best to think about how to give pleasure to our fans in these two years, without wasting even one day, I would like to express many gratitude, this is the thing I think about the most.

M: I apologise that we really shocked our fans. While we have the announcement today, as Leader just said, until 2020, from tomorrow onwards, we would like to spend our everyday positively, first of all from our variety programmes, when we perform in music programmes, it would be great if our fans would feel relieved a bit after confirming the aura of we five, I also hope to convey our thoughts through this.

S: There are many dreams who cannot come true if I were not ARASHI, there are heaps of sceneries that I cannot see if I were not ARASHI. While we five shall be running in the coming two years, if would be great if our fans would run with us together in order to see the sceneries together.

A: I apologise that we really shocked our fans. While we have decided this timeline, we shall work to our utmost in the coming two years in order to try our best to give pleasure to people who are going to watch our work.

N: I am really sorry for having caused chaos, confusion, and having made our fans worried. However, as everyone said, there are nearly two years until end 2020, in order for our fans to have fun with us together, I would like to face these two years without being too positive. Even we be positive, I think there are fans who think it difficult to deal with, so during these two years, I hope to see the faces of our fans, to face our fans, and work in an ARASHI manner, in a joyful manner, so that our fans would like “indeed ARASHI is good”.

Q: How did Ohno-san gather the members for this discussion in June 2017?

O: At that time there was hardly an opportunity for us five to gather, so when we had a work together in Osaka, the day before that day, I told them that “after work, please gather at my hotel room, I have something I want to talk to you”. After work, everyone came to my room, at that time, to be honest, it was difficult to start the talk as we have always been. But after all the atmosphere just naturally came to shape. Of course the other four members might be thinking “What do you want to talk about?”, and I also thought “When is the good time to talk about it?”, then I talked about it in my own timing. “There is something that I want to tell you”, I said.

Q: What was the deciding phase?

O: I said “The reason that I gather you all here is that I want to talk about my thoughts”. Starting with that, I talked about my various thoughts.

Q: How did the conversation develop?

N: I didn’t recall it clearly but as for the timing of working in Osaka in June 2017, when thinking back, let me speak in a personal point of view, it was 16 June 2017. At that time I thought that “Everyone gathers to celebrate my birthday”. Because 17 June is my birthday. And it was about the midnight too so I thought “As expected, Leader choose a good time”. And then Leader talked about the suspension instead, that’s why I keep saying “I am shocked”.

All: (Giggle).

S: That must be so, because you thought that we were to celebrate your birthday.

N: Right, right, I thought that what he was to say is “Happy Birthday!”, so when he was not, I said “Oh?”, “Eh~?”.

M: After that, we celebrated your birthday (giggle).

N: Right, right, after that, at the end I said “OK I got what you mean, anyhow, let’s celebrate now”, and we toasted (giggle).

O: And I whispered “Nino, sorry. Happy Birthday”.

N: (Giggle). It was so memorable.

Q: After Ohno-san taking good rest, would we see you five again be giving rise to storm in the world?

M: Should this be answered by Aiba-kun instead? (Giggle)

A: When we debut, I said “We would like to give rise to storm in this world” and we have been working for 20 years starting with that phase, but I don’t think we have actually given rise to storm yet. So when Leader is in the same direction as ours, we shall give rise to storm together, right?

O: Let’s give rise to storm then.

A: Yes (giggle). When we are in the same direction. When that day comes.

Q: So it is fine to regard the group suspension this time as the “tranquility before storm”, right?

N: You really have thought hard on this phase, Sunday Japon-san. Exactly as you said. Thank you.

Q: What does Ohno-san mean to the other four members?

M: Really he is not just “Leader”, he could only be described as “member”, “ARASHI”, he is not family or friend but more than that, right?

A: Had he not been a member of ARASHI, we could not have these 20 years.

M: Yup. I think so.

Q: What about Sakurai-san?

S: I completely share all they said. I listened to what they said while feeling “Exactly as they said”.

N: I think that he is a very tender person … He didn’t get angry at all … Though he might say “I’m going to die”. (Giggle)

S: He is a good person (Giggle).

N: Really I haven’t seen him getting angry, but when members have tough moments or sorrowful moments, he tenderly stays close with us together. In the midst he was like “a person with the nickname ‘Leader’”, but because he is always smiling, I have an impression that he is a person who has never been passionate or fluctuated. He is a tender person.

Q: I heard that on your debut day last year, you took care of the managers and gave them rest, and you five went for dining yourselves. I think that the suspension was decided by that time. So what were your thoughts towards the managers who were taking rest at that time, and where did you talk about when the suspension was decided, could you tell us some episodes about this?

S: We talked about body check.

N: We talked about health.

A: We did.

S: We talked about whether we went to body check or not.

M: We frequently talk about health recently.

O: We talk about our body frequently.

A: And after that we called our managers!

M: Right. We did.

N: Because it was exactly the 20th year.

A: Right, right.

M: We talked to them with the speaker on.

Q: What did you talk to the managers over the phone?

M: We said “It the our 20th anniversary day”. We called them to say “Thanks for your effort”, “Thank you”.

Q: Did you talk about the suspension to them?

M: Because it was before the concert, we talked about the concert.

S: Really it was so-called the birthday party. We talked about “Let’s make an ARASHI birthday party”.

A: Matsumoto-kun took photos of us.

M: I took a lot.

A: It was joyful.

Q: Why do you announce the suspension today which is two years before the time? Is it because you are considering your fans?

S: As we have said just then, we would like to spend our time expressing our gratitude to our fans, and, we would like to explain this decision in various occasions, at the same time, days before, we have announced our 20th anniversary concert tour, it is about time for the ticket balloting, so we hope that our fans would apply for the ticket balloting after knowing and understanding this decision.

Source:
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1818329
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1818338
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1818370

Full Conference
(I) https://t.co/CGqErzVRt3
(II) http://bit.ly/2VkmgW6
(III) http://bit.ly/2E28BNC
(IV) http://bit.ly/2YqKuzT
(V) http://bit.ly/2Q1TUPu

19.01.27 ARASHI Suspension of Group Activities Press Conference Full (V)

※ All Members Q&A (IV)

Q: Would each of you please once again talk about your current feeling after announcing the group suspension two years later?

O: Though it remained as my imagination about how it would become before the announcement, though I still don’t have any concrete feeling, I talk about this comment myself, I have a stronger feeling that I have to completely fulfill my resolution made myself in these two years.

A: Really … I have been feeling restless and not calm these few years, well … right. I would like to work to my utmost in this time period so that I shall not regret.

M: I think that it cannot be said whether the announcement is made early or late, it has to be announced someday. I myself don’t have a feeling whether it is announced early or late, to be honest. Though so, we convey our thoughts and feelings to you with our utmost sincerity, and from now, we five shall run and run through to the end together. This is what I think about now.

S: Considering the feelings of our fans, and the feelings of the many staff who have been taking care of us, half of my feeling is that it would have been great if this day had not come, however, because we have already made this decision in June last year, I also thought “Ah, we finally convey it”, it is such a complex feeling.

N: Eh~, there is really no change. I would like to work in these two years as we have been, with no change. However, when we made this announcement, indeed more than us, the people who support us would need time to organise their minds and make preparation, rather than announcing the suspension suddenly in 2020 and making these years just like a sequel like “this is so” or “that is so”, I hope to share the moment of “now”, the very very moment of “now” with our fans, so we made the announcement at this moment of time. Therefore, please do share these two years of time with us together.

Q: During the suspension, would Ohno-san be in the same vector with other members? Because I think fans would be worried that, if just in case Ohno-san is not in the same direction with other members, what would ARASHI become?

O: I see. Really I … when I take my rest, though we have not decided in details what we are going to do, during the rest, I and also the four members … well because we are still Johnny’s … well this is just my personal thought. Indeed … how to say. I would like to keep my visual and physicality.

All: (Giggle).

M: So that you could come back any time (giggle).

A: Please do (giggle).

O: Indeed so. Indeed you would get old if you disappear from TV suddenly, right? That would be really scary, so I am thinking I should take a rest while concerning about my visual and physicality more than the other four members do.

M: Can you take a rest with such concern!? (Giggle)

N: I feel that you can’t take a rest a tall (giggle).

O: No, but indeed I want to. In case. When we five resume our group activity only I become someone like “What happened to that guy”, I don’t like this, so I would take my rest with full care of myself. Yes.

Q: So it doesn’t mean that you don’t have passion towards your work, right?

O: No, I take rest not because I don’t have passion towards my work. Really I have nothing but gratitude to the work I have been offered thus far, this decision is that I myself would like to stop and think for once.

Q: I would like to ask the same question, if Ohno-san is not in the same vector with the other members, what would the other members do?

M: But because we are members who have been working together all along, speaking on the contrary, it is not so easy to tell Leader we want to continue, because it also needs a resolution as strong as that of Leader who conveyed his thoughts to us this time, to go on the discussion, it could not be just a discussion driven by emotion. Though I don’t know how the discussion would go on if we four were firm on our feelings, but in case so, and Leader said “No, I don’t think now is the time”, I don’t know if that would result in the decision we made at that time. Honestly, I cannot see … But I think it would be great if one day we five would resume our group activity, though for the moment I cannot affirm what would happen in the future …

Q: Ohno-san has been painting and fishing, I think that you have been doing things you like quite freely.

N: No no no no, please wait (giggle). Well well, is it so? (Giggle)

S: It is that he has various talents!

N: Please write in such context!

All: (Giggle).

Q: Excuse me. Still I think that you have your world and your time to do things you like, and you want what you could not do freely until now and live an ordinary life. When at first you wanted to quit and then you were convinced not to quit but to take a rest, please tell us how your mind changed.

O: I see. Indeed occasionally paint and go fishing (giggle). Honestly, when I am working on this work, when my upcoming works are always decided, when I take a rest, I always have a sense of responsibility in my mind … for instance, even when I go fishing, I always think about my work tomorrow and various other things. So I think if I need to live a free life for once, though not disappear, I need to take a rest. I would like to live a free life for once. Therefore, for instance, if I can take a rest, of course at first, I would live my life leisurely (giggle). When I search for what I want to do, I may paint freely without worrying about anything in a way that is free from the ties for once which is different from what I have been living. I am interested in what I would think and what I would do at that time. And, at first, I thought that it was a big decision to me, when I thought about ending my work, I thought that something as good as “I would like to quit for about three years” would not happen … so I myself thought that I couldn’t but quit from Johnny’s Agency. When I discussed it with members and the staff of the agency, they told me that there is no need for me to quit, they said “Taking a rest is also OK, right?”, and I said “Ah, so I can also take a rest in such form?”. So I spoiled myself with that wordings … So we came to a decision on that, at the end.

Q: You just said that after Ohno-san expressed your thought, you talked to each member individually, did the other four members gather to talk about this issue, in what way you were convinced and not convinced?

S: Do you mean we four all gathered? Without Ohno? No … we did not. Though we each have talked to each other. For instance, I have talked to Nino, Matsumoto, Aiba … individually. Probably so is the opposite vector, probably there was not even once that “only” we four talked about this without Ohno.

M: Yup. If we want to talk we would talk with five people together. Because there is nothing that can only be talked about with only four people. I myself didn’t talk to other members individually.

N: U~m. The most important reason is that it is meaningless talking about it just with four people, indeed … how to say. We five have been working together all along these years, if it is about ARASHI, the point is that we would talk about it together with five people. I think we five uphold the stance that “Because this is about ARASHI, we five would talk about this together”.

S: Really in that period of time, we met very frequently. I think this is the same for other members too, I am so nervous when ARASHI comes to my home. Right? Does Matsumoto-kun get my feeling?

M: I am nervous too. I got nervous staring from what drinks I should prepare …

S: What chairs I should prepare …

N: We met so so often … gradually the volume of our toasting became smaller (giggle). At first we really made a huge toasting.

S: with that period of time of discussion, I think that our bonding became the deepest ever.

Q: At last, every member please conclude the announcement one by one.

A: I am really so much grateful for having met these four members. Really our fans have shown me various sceneries. I am deeply grateful to them. In the upcoming two years, I shall enjoy to my utmost, and shall work to my utmost, everyone please take care of ARASHI to the very end.

M: First of all, thank you to all of you who come to this media conference at the night of Sunday and in such short period of time upon our announcement. I hope that what we have conveyed in our own words directly have properly been delivered to our fans. And, dear fans, we have made this decision after having various discussions. Among our discussion, what I think the most strongly is that we five love ARASHI. With our love to ARASHI, we five shall go on together in the future, while there are two years left, I hope that our fans would follow us to the very end. Please also take care of us in the future.

O: I deeply apologise that we have shocked many people with such sudden announcement. This is really a result after our mutual discussion and discussion with the agency for many times. Really there are about two years left, we shall run through to the end in these two years as ARASHI while thinking about what we ARASHI can do, what I myself can do. Therefore, please take care of us to the very end.

S: Once again, in such a busy day, in such late night, and I think there are reporters who are not able to enter the venue and are in another room, really thank you for staying with us in such late night. Indeed I have a strong feeling that ARASHI is not ARASHI is not these five people, at the same time, I uphold a thought that only we five cannot create ARASHI. Now, around us, there are unbelievable number of fans and related parties and staff who are supporting ARASHI. There are around two years from now. Because ARASHI will run through the time, I hope that we would hold the same dream and see the same scenery together. I hope that we would run together. There are around two years from now. Please continue supporting ARASHI. Thank you for your time today.

N: What I thought is exactly what other members have just said, they said all I thought about. I think the same as they do. However, with that in my mind all the time, I hope that we five would create our memories with our fans as we have been, in our style, in ARASHI style, so that what we have done in these 20 years won’t become a lie. Of course, though this decision was made starting from Leader, we four would take rest from group activity too. From now on we shall diligently and steadfastly face each single piece of work to our utmost with our style as if we would take rest after two years, I hope that we would enjoy these two years together. Please continue taking care of us in the future.

[Fin]

Source:
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1818329
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1818338
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1818370

Full Conference
(I) https://t.co/CGqErzVRt3
(II) http://bit.ly/2VkmgW6
(III) http://bit.ly/2E28BNC
(IV) http://bit.ly/2YqKuzT
(V) http://bit.ly/2Q1TUPu