Japanese boy band timelesz has issued a public apology after one of its members, Shuto Inomata (猪俣周杜), 25, was arrested on September 19 on suspicion of assault. The group addressed the arrest through a statement posted on its official fan club site on September 20.
According to a report by Sponichi Annex, the group’s statement described the remaining members as being “at a total loss for words” over the shock of the news. A separate report from Sankei Shimbun on September 19 stated that Inomata’s agency had suspended his activities and offered a deep apology over the incident, though further details of the case have not been made public.
Some uncertainty remains around the circumstances of the alleged assault. According to a report by NNN, there are questions over whether there had been any prior trouble between Inomata and the woman he is alleged to have injured, though this has not been officially confirmed. No information about potential charges, a trial date, or the specific events leading to the arrest has been released.
Who is timelesz?
Timelesz is a Japanese boy band under the talent agency formerly known as Johnny’s, now operating as Starto Entertainment. The group was originally formed in 2011 as Sexy Zone before rebranding as timelesz in 2023, following a nationwide audition process called the “timelesz project” that brought in new members to expand the lineup. Shuto Inomata joined the group through that audition, becoming one of its newer members alongside the group’s original members.
As of now, there has been no update on when or whether Inomata will resume activities with the group. The agency has not indicated a timeline for the conclusion of the investigation.
Author’s Comment
Oh, honey. A boy band member gets arrested and the whole agency machine kicks into its favorite move: the deep bow, the vague statement, the sudden "activities suspended" with zero details. I’ve seen this dance a hundred times and it never gets less awkward. Here’s the thing though — we genuinely don’t know what happened yet, so let’s not build a whole narrative out of one arrest report and a suspiciously coy headline. Japanese fans online are already split between "innocent until proven guilty" and "the agency knew something," which, frankly, is the most Japanese fandom reaction possible. I’ll be watching for the actual facts before I say another word — and so should you.
