NEWS: The Life Story Behind Japan's Long-Running Group

NEWS are the survivors. In a music business where groups come and go, where members leave and where fame fades quickly, NEWS have been going for more than twenty years, and they are still going today. They began as nine boys, they became six, then four, then three, and each time they lost a member, people said the group would end. Each time, the members who remained said no, and they kept going. Today, NEWS are three men, Keiichiro Koyama, Takahisa Masuda, and Shigeaki Kato, and they are still making music, still performing, and still proving that a group does not have to be big to be strong. Their story is the story of endurance, of friendship, and of a group that refused to end, no matter how many times it changed.

The group was formed in September 2003, as a Johnny’s Jr. group, and it made its debut in November of that year with the single “NEWS Nippon”. Its original nine members were Keiichiro Koyama, Takahisa Masuda, Shigeaki Kato, Yuya Tegoshi, Ryo Nishikido, Tomohisa Yamashita, Hironori Kusano, Hiroki Uchi, and Takahiro Moriuchi. The name NEWS was said to stand for the four directions, North, East, West, and South, a name that suggested that the group would reach in every direction, to every corner of Japan and beyond. It was a big promise, and it was a promise that the group has kept, in its own way, for more than twenty years.

Their story is a long one, and it is a story full of changes. Members left, some by choice and some by force, and the group shrank from nine to three. But the three who remain are still NEWS, and they are still singing, and their fans are still listening. It is a story about a group that could have ended many times, and that did not end, because the people in it believed in the music, believed in each other, and believed that the story was worth continuing. That is why it is worth telling, and why so many people in Japan still love NEWS, more than twenty years after they began.

Nine Boys, Four Directions, and a Debut in 2003

NEWS was formed in September 2003, when nine young trainees at Johnny & Associates were brought together to form a new group. They were teenagers, they were talented, and they were very different from each other. Keiichiro Koyama was the eldest, a calm, steady young man who would become the leader. Takahisa Masuda was a bright, cheerful singer with a beautiful voice. Shigeaki Kato was the quiet, thoughtful one, a writer as well as a singer. Yuya Tegoshi was the youngest, with a powerful voice and a bright, energetic personality. Ryo Nishikido was the cool, handsome one, known for his acting. Tomohisa Yamashita was the star, a popular actor and singer with a huge following. Hironori Kusano and Hiroki Uchi were talented young performers, and Takahiro Moriuchi was a singer with a powerful voice who would later become famous in a very different kind of music.

The name NEWS was a clever one. It was said to stand for North, East, West, and South, the four directions, and it suggested that the group would reach everywhere, to every part of Japan and beyond. It was also, of course, the English word for news, and it suggested that the group would be new, fresh, and always changing. Both meanings fit the group, because NEWS have always been reaching in every direction, and they have always been changing, from nine members to three, from bright pop to deeper, more mature music, and from boys to men.

Their debut came quickly. In November 2003, they released the single “NEWS Nippon”, which was the theme song for the Volleyball World Cup, a major sporting event in Japan. It was a bright, energetic song, and it made the group known, but it did not make them stars overnight. Their first major single, “Kibou ~~Yell~~”, released in May 2004, was a bigger success, and it became one of their most loved songs. “Kibou” means “hope”, and the song was about cheering someone on, about believing in them, and about the power of hope. It was a perfect song for a young group, and it became a favourite at school events and at sports days, where it is still sung today.

The early years were a time of learning and growth. The nine boys had to learn how to be a group, how to work together, and how to handle fame at a young age. They were supported by their families, by their agency, and by each other, and they grew up together, in rehearsal rooms, on stages, and on television. That shared youth is the foundation of everything they did afterwards, and it is a bond that, even after members left, remained in the memories of the fans and in the music that the group made.

Kibou Yell, Weeeek, and the Rise to Fame

The years after their debut were the golden years for NEWS, and they were filled with hits, awards, and sold-out concerts. Their singles topped the charts, one after another, and their concerts filled large venues. “Kibou ~~Yell~~” was followed by “Akaku Moyuru Taiyou”, “Cherish”, “Sayaendou”, “Happy Birthday”, “Weeeek”, “Taiyou no Namida”, and “Koi no ABO”, each one a hit in its own right. “Weeeek”, released in 2008, was a bright, joyful song that became one of their most famous hits, and it is still one of the songs that fans think of first when they think of NEWS. Their music was bright, hopeful, and full of energy, and it was sung by fans of all ages.

Their albums during this period showed their growth as artists. Touch, released in 2005, Pacific, released in 2007, and Color, released in 2008, were all successes, and they included songs that became favourites at their concerts. Their music was a mix of pop, ballads, and dance tracks, and it was performed with a skill and an energy that few other groups could match. Their concerts became famous for their brightness, their energy, and their ability to make a huge arena feel like a party. Fans who went to their shows said that they had never seen a group perform with so much joy, and that NEWS were not only singers. They were a celebration, and they made everyone in the room feel like a part of it.

Their television work was also important. They appeared on variety shows, on music programmes, and on dramas, and each member began to build a career outside the group. Tomohisa Yamashita became a popular actor, starring in dramas that were watched by millions. Ryo Nishikido became a popular actor as well, known for his cool, handsome roles. Yuya Tegoshi became known for his powerful voice and for his work in the duo Tegomass, with Masuda. Koyama became a newscaster, Kato became a novelist, and Masuda became a singer and a television host. The group was growing, and each member was growing with it, and the future seemed bright.

By the late 2000s, NEWS were one of the biggest groups in Japan, and their success seemed certain. They had the songs, they had the fans, and they had the energy that no one else could match. They were the group that had begun as nine boys and that had become a national favourite, and their story seemed as if it would go on forever. But the group would soon face losses that would change it forever, and that would test the strength of the members who remained.

Members Leave, and the Group Becomes Smaller

NEWS have lost more members than almost any other group in Japanese pop music, and each loss was a blow. Takahiro Moriuchi left in 2003, before the group had even properly begun, to follow his own path in music. He later became Taka, the singer of the rock band ONE OK ROCK, one of the most famous rock bands in Japan, and his success is a reminder that a member who leaves a group can still go on to great things. Hironori Kusano and Hiroki Uchi left in the mid-2000s, after suspensions, and their departures were sad moments for the group and for the fans.

In October 2011, two of the most popular members left at the same time: Tomohisa Yamashita and Ryo Nishikido. Yamashita left to pursue a solo career, and Nishikido left to focus on his work with another group, Kanjani Eight, of which he was also a member. Their departures were a shock to the fans, and they were a major moment in the group’s history, because Yamashita was the star of the group, and Nishikido was one of its most popular members. The four who remained, Koyama, Masuda, Kato, and Tegoshi, carried on, and they did it well, but the group was changed forever. The nine who had begun together were now four, and the fans could feel that something had been lost.

In June 2020, Yuya Tegoshi left the group, and NEWS became three. Tegoshi was the youngest member, with a powerful voice and a bright, energetic personality, and his departure was another blow. He left to pursue his own path, and the three who remained, Koyama, Masuda, and Kato, were left to carry the name on their own. It was a difficult time, and it was a time when many fans wondered whether the group could survive as three, and whether the name NEWS still meant anything with only three members left.

The three who remained decided that it did mean something, and they kept going. They released more music, they performed more concerts, and they showed that a group of three could still be NEWS, even though it was a very different group from the nine who had debuted in 2003. Their courage is the reason NEWS still exists today, and it is a part of their story that deserves to be remembered with respect. They did not give up. They kept the music alive, for themselves and for their fans, and they did it with a quiet strength that is easy to overlook, but that is very real.

Chankapana and the Song That Brought Them Back

One of the most important songs in NEWS’ story is “Chankapana”, released in 2012, after Yamashita and Nishikido had left. The song was a bright, joyful, slightly strange pop song, with a catchy chorus and a dance that fans loved. It became a huge hit, and it is still one of the most loved songs in the group’s history. “Chankapana” is important because it came at a time when the group was at its lowest, when it had lost two of its biggest stars, and when many people thought it would fade away. Instead, the group released a song that was full of joy, full of energy, and full of life, and it proved that NEWS were still here, still singing, and still able to make people happy.

The song’s success was a turning point for the group. It showed that NEWS did not need to be nine, or six, or even four, to be great. They could be four, and they could still make a hit, and they could still fill a concert hall. The song became a favourite at their live shows, and it is still one of the songs that fans sing along to the loudest. It is a song about celebration, about being together, and about the joy of music, and it is a song that captures the spirit of NEWS at its best: bright, joyful, and full of hope, even when times are hard.

Their other hits as four and as three were many. “Top”, “EMMA”, “LPS”, “U R not alone”, and many others were songs that topped the charts and became favourites. Their albums as a smaller group, including NEWS, released in 2013, White, released in 2015, and EPCOTIA, released in 2019, were all successes, and they showed a group that was growing, maturing, and finding new sounds. Their music became deeper, more thoughtful, and more personal, and their fans loved them for it, because it showed that the group was not only about bright pop. It was also about the feelings of three men who had been through a great deal together, and who were still singing about hope, about love, and about the future.

“Chankapana” remains the song that defines the group’s resilience. It is a song that says: we are still here, we are still singing, and we are still happy to be together. That message is the heart of NEWS’ story, and it is a message that their fans have carried with them for more than twenty years. A group that can lose members, can change, and can still sing a joyful song is a group that has something special, and NEWS have that something special, in every song they sing.

Three Men, One Name, and the Years That Followed

Today, NEWS are three men: Keiichiro Koyama, Takahisa Masuda, and Shigeaki Kato. They are very different from each other, but they share a history, a friendship, and a love of the group that has brought them together for more than twenty years. Koyama is the leader, a calm, steady man who is also a newscaster, bringing news to the Japanese public every day. Masuda is the singer, with a beautiful voice and a warm, cheerful personality, known for his work in television and in music. Kato is the writer, a novelist as well as a singer, known for his books, including Pink and Gray, which became a film, and for his thoughtful, intelligent manner. Together, they are a trio, and they make music as a trio, with a sound that is smaller, closer, and more personal than the sound of the nine.

Their work as three has included new singles and albums, and their concerts have become more intimate, with a focus on the three voices and on the connection between the members and their fans. Their fans love the trio, because they can see the bond between the three men, a bond that has survived loss, change, and time. The three had been through a great deal together, and their music carries the weight of that history. When they sing, they sing not only as performers, but as survivors, as three men who have kept a promise to their fans, and to each other, to keep the music going.

The years as three have also been a time of individual growth. Koyama has continued his work as a newscaster, bringing a serious and intelligent side to the group’s public image. Masuda has continued his work as a singer and as a television host, bringing warmth and humour to everything he does. Kato has continued his work as a novelist, writing books that have been praised for their depth and their honesty, and that have won him a reputation as one of Japan’s most interesting young writers. Each one has grown, and the group has grown with them, in a smaller, quieter way than before, but in a way that is still meaningful.

Their story as three is a story of endurance, and it is a story that deserves to be told, because it shows that a group can lose members, can change, and can still go on, if the members who remain believe in the music and in each other. That belief has carried NEWS for more than twenty years, and it carries them today, as they continue to make music, to perform, and to prove that three men can still be NEWS, and that the name still means something, even with only three letters of its history left on stage.

The Writer, the Newscaster, and the Singer

One of the most interesting things about NEWS today is how different the three members are, and how those differences make the group stronger. Shigeaki Kato is a novelist, and his writing has won him respect far beyond the world of pop music. His first novel, Pink and Gray, published in 2012, was a success, and it was made into a film. His later books have also been praised, and he has become known as a writer who happens to be a singer, rather than a singer who happens to write. His intelligence and his thoughtfulness bring a depth to the group that few other pop groups have.

Keiichiro Koyama is a newscaster, and his work on the news programme news every. has made him a familiar face to millions of Japanese viewers who may not follow pop music at all. He brings the news, he talks about serious issues, and he does it with a calm, steady manner that has won him trust. His work as a newscaster gives NEWS a different kind of respect, because it shows that the group is not only about music. It is about people who care about the world, and who want to share that care with others.

Takahisa Masuda is the singer, with a beautiful voice and a warm, cheerful personality. He is known for his work in the duo Tegomass, with the former member Tegoshi, and for his solo work as a singer and as a television host. His voice is one of the best in the group, and his warmth is a part of what makes NEWS feel close and friendly. Together, the writer, the newscaster, and the singer make a trio that is unlike any other group in Japan. They are not only singers. They are a writer, a journalist, and a performer, and their different lives make their music richer and more interesting.

Their differences are a source of strength, because they mean that the group can do many things, and can reach many kinds of people. A fan who loves Kato’s books, a viewer who trusts Koyama’s news, and a listener who loves Masuda’s voice can all find something in NEWS, and that is a rare thing for a pop group. It is a sign that the group has grown up, and that it has become something more than a boy band. It has become a group of three men, each with his own life, who come together to make music, and who make that music better because of who they are.

The Group That Refused to End

NEWS’ place in Japanese music is not only about their hits. It is about the way they refused to end, again and again, when every other group would have ended. They began as nine, they became six, then four, then three, and each time, the members who remained said no, we are still NEWS, and we are still going to sing. That refusal is the heart of their story, and it is a powerful lesson, not only for musicians but for anyone whose life has changed in a way they did not expect. A group can change, and it can still be a group. A dream can change, and it can still be a dream. A name can lose members, and it can still mean something, if the people who carry it believe in it.

Their legacy is also a lesson about hope. Their early hit, “Kibou ~~Yell~~”, was a song about hope, about cheering someone on, and about believing in them. That song is still the heart of their story, because hope is what has carried them through twenty years of change. They hoped, they kept going, and they are still here. That is a message that many people need to hear, especially when life is hard, and when it feels as if everything is changing. Hope is not a naive thing. It is a brave thing, and NEWS have been brave for more than twenty years.

They also leave a lesson about friendship. The three men who remain have been together for more than twenty years, and they have been through loss, change, and time together. Their friendship has survived, and it is stronger now than it was when they were boys, because it has been tested. A friendship that survives loss is a friendship that is real, and NEWS’ friendship is real. Their fans can see it, in every concert, in every interview, and in every song they sing together. That friendship is the real legacy of NEWS, and it is a legacy that will last as long as the music lasts.

When people look back on the music of Japan in the 2000s and beyond, they will remember NEWS as the group that began as nine boys, that became three men, and that never gave up. They will remember “Kibou ~~Yell~~”, “Weeeek”, and “Chankapana”, and they will remember a group that refused to end, that kept singing, and that kept hoping. That is their mark, and it will not fade.

My Take:

When I think about NEWS, I think about a single word: endurance. I think about a group that began as nine boys in 2003, that lost members one by one, that became six, then four, then three, and that is still here, still singing, more than twenty years later. I think that is one of the most remarkable stories in Japanese music, because it is a story about refusing to give up, even when giving up would have been easy, and even when everyone expected the group to end. The three men who remain, Koyama, Masuda, and Kato, could have ended the group many times. They did not. They kept going, and I respect them for that more than I can say. Endurance is not a loud quality. It is a quiet one, and it is easy to overlook. But it is the quality that makes a life, and a group, last, and NEWS have it in a way that few other groups do.

What I admire most about them is that they did not pretend the losses did not happen. They did not hide the fact that members had left, or that the group had changed. They faced it openly, they sang about it in their music, and they carried on, honestly, as a smaller group. I think that honesty is the reason their fans stayed with them. A fan can tell when a group is pretending, and a fan can tell when a group is being honest. NEWS were honest, and their fans loved them for it. They did not try to be nine when they were three. They were three, and they sang as three, and they made music that was true to who they were. That is a powerful lesson, not only for musicians but for anyone whose life has changed. You do not have to pretend to be who you were. You can be who you are now, honestly, and the people who love you will stay with you.

I also think about the song “Chankapana”, and about why it matters so much. It came at a time when the group was at its lowest, when it had lost two of its biggest stars, and when many people thought it would fade away. Instead, the group released a song that was full of joy, full of energy, and full of life. I think that is a brave thing to do. When you are sad, it is easy to make sad music. It is much harder to make joyful music, and to mean it. NEWS made joyful music, and they meant it, and that joy was a gift to their fans, who needed it as much as the group did. “Chankapana” is not only a hit song. It is a statement: we are still here, we are still happy to be together, and we are still going to sing. That statement is the heart of their story, and it is a statement that I think about whenever I feel like giving up. If a group that has lost so much can still sing a joyful song, then I can keep going, too.

The three members today are another part of their story that I think about a great deal, because they are so different, and because their differences make the group stronger. Kato is a novelist, Koyama is a newscaster, and Masuda is a singer, and together they are a trio that is unlike any other group in Japan. I think that is a beautiful thing, because it shows that a pop group does not have to be only about pop music. It can be about writing, about news, about life, and about the many different things that three men care about. Their different lives make their music richer, because they bring different experiences to every song. A song written by a novelist, sung by a singer, and led by a newscaster is a song that carries more of the world in it than a song written by three singers alone. I love that richness, and I think it is one of the reasons NEWS’ later music is so interesting.

I also think about the early song “Kibou ~~Yell~~”, and about how it has become the theme of the group’s whole life. “Kibou” means “hope”, and the song is about cheering someone on, about believing in them, and about the power of hope. I think that is a perfect summary of NEWS, because hope is what has carried them through twenty years of change. They hoped, they kept going, and they are still here. That is a message that many people need to hear, especially when life is hard, and when it feels as if everything is changing. Hope is not a naive thing. It is a brave thing, and NEWS have been brave for more than twenty years. When I hear “Kibou ~~Yell~~”, I do not only hear a pop song. I hear a promise, that hope is real, that it matters, and that it can carry a person, or a group, through the hardest times.

There is another lesson in their story, and it is about friendship. The three men who remain have been together for more than twenty years, and they have been through loss, change, and time together. Their friendship has survived, and it is stronger now than it was when they were boys, because it has been tested. A friendship that survives loss is a friendship that is real, and NEWS’ friendship is real. I think about my own friendships, and about how they have changed over time, and I think that NEWS’ story gives me hope about them. Friendships do not have to stay the same to survive. They can change, they can lose people, and they can still go on, if the people in them believe in each other and in the bond they share. That is a lesson worth learning, and it is a lesson that NEWS live every day.

I want to say something, too, about the fans, and about what it means to follow a group for more than twenty years. The fans of NEWS have been with the group since 2003, through every loss, every change, and every new beginning. They have watched boys become men, they have watched the group shrink from nine to three, and they have stayed, because they love the music, the people, and the feeling. That loyalty is a beautiful thing, and it is a sign that NEWS were never only about the number of members. They were about the music, the hope, and the friendship, and those things survived, even when the group changed. I think that loyalty deserves to be honoured, and I think the three members honour it every time they step on stage and sing for the fans who stayed.

If I could speak to a young person who is part of a group, whether it is a band, a team, or a circle of friends, I would tell them about NEWS. I would say: your group will change. People will leave, and new people may come, and the group you started with may not be the group you end with. That is all right. What matters is not the number of people. What matters is the music, the friendship, and the hope that brought you together in the first place. Keep those things, and keep going, even when it is hard, even when people say you should stop. NEWS kept going, from nine to three, for more than twenty years, and they are still going today. That is what I take from their story, and it is a lesson I will not forget. A group that refuses to end is a group that believes in itself, and belief, like hope, is a brave and beautiful thing. I also think about the young people who will discover NEWS in the years to come, people who were not born when the group debuted in 2003, who will hear “Chankapana” or “Kibou ~~Yell~~” for the first time and wonder who sang it. They will find a group that began as nine boys and became three men, and they will find songs that are full of hope, joy, and resilience. I think those young listeners are lucky, because they get to discover a group that is already complete, a story that is already told, and songs that have already proved they can last. They do not have to wait for the next single, or worry about the next departure. They can simply enjoy the music, the laughter, and the hope, and they can carry it forward into their own lives. That is how a great group lives on, not in concerts, but in new listeners who find it, love it, and pass it on.

There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about the word “news” in their name. News is what is new, what is happening now, and what people need to know. NEWS have been new for more than twenty years, and they are still new today, because they keep making new music, keep trying new sounds, and keep finding new ways to be themselves. That is a remarkable thing, and it is a thing that few groups can claim. Most groups become old, and they repeat themselves, and they fade away. NEWS did not fade away. They kept being new, even as they grew older, even as they lost members, and even as the world changed around them. That is the spirit of their name, and it is a spirit that I hope they keep for many more years, because the world needs groups that are always new, always hopeful, and always ready for the next chapter. I also think about the future of NEWS, and about what the three men will do next. They will keep making music, keep performing, and keep writing, and they will do it with the same hope that has carried them for more than twenty years. I do not know what their next song will be, or what their next concert will look like, but I know that it will be honest, it will be hopeful, and it will be sung with the voices of three men who have been through a great deal together and who are still here. That is enough, and it is more than enough, because a group that is still here, after everything, is a group that has already won. The future is uncertain, but hope is certain, and NEWS have hope, in every song, in every concert, and in every day they spend together as a group.

There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about the word “hope” itself. Hope is a small word, but it is a powerful one, and it is the word that defines NEWS, from “Kibou ~~Yell~~” to today. Hope is what makes a person keep going when the road is hard, what makes a group keep singing when members leave, and what makes a fan keep believing when the group changes. Hope is not a naive thing. It is a brave thing, and it is a thing that NEWS have had for more than twenty years. When I hear their songs, I hear hope, and I feel hopeful, and I think that is the greatest gift a group can give. Hope does not end when a song ends. It stays, in the silence after the song, and it waits for the next song to begin, and for the next day to come. I also think about the word “news” itself, and about how NEWS have lived up to it for more than twenty years. News is what is new, what is happening now, and what people need to know. NEWS have been new for more than twenty years, because they keep making new music, keep trying new sounds, and keep finding new ways to be themselves. That is a remarkable thing, and it is a thing that few groups can claim. Most groups become old, and they repeat themselves, and they fade away. NEWS did not fade away. They kept being new, even as they grew older, even as they lost members, and even as the world changed around them. That is the spirit of their name, and it is a spirit that I hope they keep for many more years. I also think about the concerts that NEWS will play in the years to come, and about the fans who will be there, singing along to “Chankapana” and “Kibou ~~Yell~~” with the same joy they felt twenty years ago. Those concerts will be a celebration of a group that has lasted, and of fans who have lasted with them, and they will be a reminder that music can bring people together across generations. A parent who loved NEWS as a teenager, a young person who loves them now, and a grandparent who watched them on television will all be in the same room, singing the same songs, and feeling the same hope. That is a beautiful image, and it is one that few groups can claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the current members of NEWS?

The current three members are Keiichiro Koyama, Takahisa Masuda, and Shigeaki Kato. They have been together as a trio since 2020.

When did NEWS debut?

NEWS debuted in November 2003 with the single “NEWS Nippon”, followed by their first major single “Kibou ~~Yell~~” in May 2004.

What does the name NEWS stand for?

The name is said to stand for the four directions, North, East, West, and South, suggesting the group would reach in every direction. It is also the English word for news.

What is NEWS’ most famous song?

Their most famous songs include “Kibou ~~Yell~~”, “Weeeek”, “Koi no ABO”, and “Chankapana”, released in 2012, which became a huge hit after two popular members had left.

Why did Tomohisa Yamashita leave NEWS?

Yamashita left in October 2011 to pursue a solo career. Ryo Nishikido left at the same time to focus on his work with Kanjani Eight.

Why did Yuya Tegoshi leave NEWS?

Tegoshi left in June 2020 to follow his own path. After his departure, NEWS continued as a trio of Koyama, Masuda, and Kato.

What is Shigeaki Kato known for besides singing?

Kato is a successful novelist. His first novel, Pink and Gray, was published in 2012 and made into a film, and he has written several other praised books.