STARTO Suspends Timelesz Member Shuto Inomata After Arrest
Disciplinary measures are deferred until prosecutors act, so the agency has paused Inomata's activities without deciding his future, leaving the group's programs and commercials to be handled case by case in the meantime.
Reporting from 1 source: KAI-YOU.
STARTO ENTERTAINMENT announced on September 19 that timelesz member Shuto Inomata was arrested the same day on suspicion of assaulting a woman he knows in Koto Ward, Tokyo, on the night of September 18. The company apologized to the victim, fans, and related parties, and said Inomata is suspended for the time being. He denies the charges, and was sent to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on September 20.
Shuto Inomata was sent from the Metropolitan Police Department to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on September 20, a day after STARTO ENTERTAINMENT announced his arrest and suspension. Police are investigating what led to the argument with the woman, who sought help at a nearby convenience store, prompting a 110 emergency call.
Broadcasters and advertisers have already adjusted. Nippon TV's timelesz Familia aired September 20 with changed content and no Inomata footage. Fuji TV's Timeless Man and TV Asahi's Nika Game are considering how to respond, and commercial videos featuring timelesz and Inomata are no longer available for viewing. STARTO said formal disciplinary measures will be decided after authorities finalize their action.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.