A beloved boy group member has announced that he will officially be leaving his group after 18 years.
Yabu Kota is a Japanese idol, an actor, and a founding member of the Japanese boy group Hey! Say! JUMP. He made his idol debut in 2001 as a member of the disbanded boy group Ya-Ya-yah.
On August 28, Yabu personally announced that he will be leaving Hey! Say JUMP in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He thanked fans for their support, revealing that he had been hesitant to post anything about his departure. The tweet has been viewed over 6 million times and flooded with comments from fans who are devastated by the news.
いつも応援ありがとうございます！
応援してくれてるファンの方以外の皆さんも見て下さってるこの場で何かを発信することはすごく迷いましたが
とにかく目の前のことを誠心誠意頑張ります！そしてまだまだ実現したいことが山ほどあります！
これからも応援よろしくお願いします。
— 薮宏太 (@kota_yabu_hsj) August 28, 2025
Thank you as always for your support! In a place like this, where not only fans but also many others are watching, I was really torn about making a statement. But for now, all I can do is face what’s in front of me sincerely and do my best. There are still so many things I want to make happen! Please continue to support me from here on.
— Yabu Kota
After all, they’re still reeling from another member’s sudden departure. Just 24 hours before Yabu announced his graduation, Nakajima Yuto announced that he would be leaving the group to focus on his acting career. During conversations about their group’s 20th anniversary, Nakajima expressed his desire to move on, and his members fully supported his decision.
Unlike Nakajima, Yabu hasn’t revealed details about his future plans yet.
Popular Idol Announces Leaving Group — Shocks As It Is Effective Immediately
