Hey! Say! JUMP Yuto Nakajima suddenly announces his graduation from the group

It has been revealed that Yuto Nakajima of the popular group Hey! Say! JUMP will be leaving the group on August 28th. The announcement was made on the official website of his agency STARTO ENTERTAINMENT on the same day. He will not be leaving the agency, but will instead focus on his acting career.

The official website explains, " Hey! Say! JUMP will be celebrating their 18th anniversary since their debut this November, and as they continued to discuss activities leading up to their 20th anniversary, Nakajima expressed his desire to become independent and pursue individual activities.Everyone came to the conclusion that they should respect this wish, and so our company has also decided to respect his wishes."

Regarding Nakajima's future, the group continued, "For now, he plans to focus on his acting career. Furthermore, we are planning to open a personal fan club in October 2025, and we will make further announcements once preparations are complete. Also, as Nakajima is graduating as of today, Hey! Say! JUMP will be appearing as a group of seven at a-nation 2025 on August 31st."

◇Comment from Yuto Nakajima(original text)

To all the fans who always support us

I, Yuto Nakajima, will be graduating from Hey! Say! JUMP as of today. I apologize for the sudden announcement.

It's been 18 years since our debut, and even longer if we include the time before our debut, and thanks to the members who have been with us on this long journey, and the fans who have always supported us, we've been able to see so many sights we've never seen before. None of these experiences are replaceable, and I could never have experienced them alone. I'm truly grateful to the members and fans.

Up until now, I have relied on the fortunate environment of being in a group and the kindness of the other members. When I thought about what I could do as a person and who I am, I realized that I have a strong desire for acting. This desire has become even more firm, and I have decided that from now on I want to stand on my own two feet and focus on acting as my main focus.

Thankfully, the other members understood my feelings and gave me their support, which led me to make this announcement. As the group united towards our important 20th anniversary, I felt so sorry that I had to rely on the kindness of the other members until the very end.

I would like to apologize once again to my fans for this sudden announcement, which was due to my selfish thoughts. Rather than leaving something behind with half-hearted feelings, I have decided to graduate now.

As a result, I will be absent from "a-nation 2025" on the 31st. I sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to it and to all those involved.

To all my fans, thank you so much for always being there for me, accepting me, watching over me warmly, and supporting me. Despite all that, I am deeply saddened to have to make this decision. Your support, kindness, and love are always a source of strength for me, and they give me courage and confidence, knowing that even someone as small as me can become someone's hope and dreams, however small my contribution may be. I cannot express my gratitude enough. I will never forget this love, and will continue to cherish it, working sincerely on each and every job I do, and working harder than ever before.

I would also like to express my sincere apologies to all those involved for the concern and inconvenience caused. I am truly grateful for your continued efforts to make my dream come true. I hope you will continue to give me your guidance and encouragement.

First of all, I would like to focus on my acting career, and while challenging myself with all the possibilities on this new stage, I would like to provide entertainment that my fans can enjoy.

We hope you will continue to support Hey! Say! JUMP and Yuto Nakajima.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Yuto Nakajima