Taichi Kokubun
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Taichi Kokubun 国分 太一 | |
|---|---|
 Kokubun in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | September 2, 1974 |
| Origin | Higashikurume, Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupations | |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1988–2025 (indefinite hiatus) |
| Labels | |
Taichi Kokubun (国分 太一, Kokubun Taichi; born September 2, 1974) is a Japanese keyboardist and actor.[1][2] He plays keyboard for Tokio, a musical group of Starto Entertainment formerly known as Johnny & Associates.
Taichi Kokubun was born in Higashikurume, Tokyo.
Career
As an artist
Before debuting with Tokio, Kokubun, like other Tokio members, was a backup-dancer for Johnny's Entertainment boy bands, including Hikaru Genji.[3] In 1990 he became the keyboardist of Tokio, but it was not until 1994 that the band debuted.[3]
In 2004, Kokubun took a break from Tokio to form a temporary group with KinKi Kids member Tsuyoshi Domoto.[3] Together they released the theme song to Fantastipo, a movie in which they starred.
As an actor
Kokubun began his acting career with a role in Abunai Shōnen III, a 1989 Japanese drama. Since 1993, he has played parts in drama shows and movies such as Fantistipo and Shaberedomo Shaberedomo.
He has hosted Gachinko! with other Tokio members.[2] Currently Kokubun hosts Kaitai Shin Show and Shonen Club Premium on NHK, Tetsuwan Dash and Guruguru Ninety-Nine on NTV, R30 and Sekai Kurabete Mitara on TBS, Mentore G on Fuji TV, and Aura no Izumi on TV Asahi.[4]
In April 2009, Kokubun became a sportscaster for the Fuji TV show Sports!.[5]
Hiatus
On June 20, 2025, on a press conference offered by Nippon Television president Hiroyuki Fukuda, it was announced that Kokubun would step down from his hosting duties on Tetsuwan Dash due to "multiple compliance-related incidents in the past" not crime related, without explaining the details, because of privacy protection. Kokubun himself accepted the decision taken by the broadcaster, and apologized for the trouble caused. It was also informed that he would take an indefinite leave of absence.[6][7][8][9] Compliance officers of the broadcaster have revealed that the case is about sexual harassment. Other broadcasters are considering removing Kokubun from their programs. Some sponsors, such as Japanet Holdings, have started removing ads on which he appears.[10] As a result, TV Tokyo cancelled the planned June 22nd broadcast of Danshi Godan and was dropped from the 2025 edition of the TV Tokyo Music Festival.[11] Mainichi Broadcasting System also followed suit by cancelling the planned June 21st broadcast of Tokio Terrace.[12] TBS announced on June 24th that it has dropped him from Sekai Kurabete Mitara. Since the show's episodes are recorded in advance, Kokubun would be edited out from the batch of episodes that TBS had scheduled to air at that time.[13]
On November 26, 2025, Kokubun held a press conference where he apologized to everyone affected over the issue that ended his participation as a Tokio member, as well as the suspension of his activities. He also informed about his lawyer filing a petition for human rights relief with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations in October over the response that Nippon Television had, resulting in Kokubun's decision to step down from "The Tetsuwan Dash".[14][15]
