Male Idol Leaves Group Following Underage Smoking And Dating Scandal Related Hiatus
Riku Koshiba, a member of SMILE-UP‘s (formerly Johnny & Associates) boy group, AmBitious, has left the group.
On January 27, it was announced that Riku Koshiba would depart from the agency and that the group would continue as eight. The 21-year-old idol joined the industry as a child actor before being announced as part of AmBitious in 2021.
Riku Koshiba is leaving on January 31.
— SMILE-UP
In mid-2023, videos and photos showing someone rumored to be the idol smoking leaked online. Based on the person’s haircut, they assumed that the video was taken while Koshiba was underaged.
AmBitious小柴陸 匂わせストーリーが流出
相手は元NMB48南波陽向との情報
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小柴と南波が映るインスタライブが流出
時期は不明だが机にタバコ､灰皿らしきもの
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未成年喫煙の画像が流出(当時18歳)
2021年9月のもので同時期の髪型と一致
↓
ジャニーズ事務所が小柴の
芸能活動の無期限活動自粛を発表 pic.twitter.com/te3LdB0l9X— ──────────── (@k_maru_dau_baby) June 16, 2023
After fact-checking with the idol, the company announced he would be placed on an indefinite hiatus. Alleged proof of the idol dating was also posted online, adding to the netizen outrage.
Koshiba also shared a withdrawal video where he thanked everyone for their support and apologized, though it was not said that his previous scandals caused his departure.
K-Netizens reacted with surprise over the idol’s departure, remarking on how seriously Japan must take underaged smoking.
- He’s leaving the team because he smokes? Wow.
- Woah. Japan is super sensitive about minors smoking, huh?
- Japan does not tolerate minors smoking. They get kicked out immediately. Super sensitive.
- Wow…I heard that Japan is extremely strict with regulating minors’ smoking. I guess it’s true.
However, Koshiba may have plans to release content in the future, as his newly created Instagram bio lists his title as “video creator.”
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