[JO1] Tokyo Calender 231121

The current standpoint of JO1’s Kinjo Sukai whose activity areas continue to expand

As the presence of fall grows stronger, we are in the neighborhood of West Azabu, Minato-ku (Tokyo). There are lots of competent stores lined up and even at such place as the “N’onaka” in the 2nd street of Azabu, this person’s muscular presence of 180cm stands out. The interview took place in the time of the rehearsals for the performance at the Kyocera Dome in late November. When asked about his feelings of being able to have a solo concert in a Dome just 3 years after the debut, it made him smile broadly, saying “We, too, couldn’t imagine this.”.

His almond eyes give him a cool impression, yet his smile is friendly. “We have also worked hard, but that we can stand on the stage of a Dome is especially because of all JAM. We are rehearsing full of motivation so that none of the people who come to the Dome leave feeling lonely.”

The JO1 members are not my rivals, but like my siblings

He shared with us the highlights of the Dome performance without spoiling too much.
“One of JO1’s charms is how close we are with JAM. In the Dome, distance is born due to its nature, so we are going closer to them. Please look forward to how the performance turns out.”

Before the Dome performance, he has another huge event. It is the release of the movie “OUT” in which he stars. This is his first movie. “I worked together with the director Shinagawa Hiroshi previously on the WOWOW drama “Drop”. Back then I also felt that the Shinagawa team was kind. There was also a staff member who told me “Welcome back” and the cast was harmonious which made it easy to do.”

In “OUT” JO1’s Yonashiro Sho and Ohira Shosei also appear.
“I can still remember when the 3 of us went to the casting. We acted one scene in front of the director Shinagawa, the producers and such, but in the end Shinagawa-san showed a bright smile. I thought we did bad, so on the way home we encouraged each other “it wasn’t good” “we gonna work harder on acting”. We were on some high as the tension was loosing, so we just talked the whole time. So when it was decided that we star in the movie I was as happy as surprised.”

Kinjo-san shows diverse activities such as acting, dancing and appearing on variety shows, but he is the most confident about singing.
“I take pride in being able to sing every song well. It was like this since the audition before the debut, but I pursue a way of singing that makes one think they want to listen to it again even if it is for example just one phrase.”

We wants to appear along MISA-san who he admires

When we asked him about musicians who inspired him, he gave us two names.
“One is Tori Kelly, I think her singing skills are amazing. And another one is MISA-san. The more I took vocal training and the more I learnt about music, I understood that MISA-san is far the best in any means. My ultimate dream while continuing music is to perform with MISA-san."

When we asked about the changes JO1 has gone through in the 3 years since their debut, he answered the kind of the relationship the members have with each other has slightly changed.
“In the time between the audition and the debut, I thought of them as rivals. But since each one’s roles and positions were solidified, I don’t think of them as rivals anymore. Now they feel like family and someone else plays a cool role or is being recognised, I also feel happy. I get motivation from all the members and we have a relationship of mutual encouragement.”

Lastly, we talked about his impression about the area West Azabu which we had visited today.
“I’m from Osaka, so I’m not that knowledgeable about Tokyo. I have this vague image of rich people living in Minato-ku. But West Azabu has a downtown-like atmosphere, there are hidden restaurants like this one and I came to feel like I could surprisingly fit in well here. Right, JO1 sings the title song of the movie “OUT”, but the title of this song “HIDEOUT” has the meaning of a hidden place like a secret operation base. I connected the movie and the interview well, right? (laughs)”

So how about Kinjo-san making West Azabu his hideout and living there?
“Good idea! I would like to live there. But since all the members are operating together, we have to search for a property where everyone can move into…I guess you have to construct such a building in West Azabu (laughs)."

2023, as the pandemic has also calmed down, became a year of JO1 making new leaps forward. They held their first Asia tour consisting of Jakarta, Bangkok, Taipei and Shanghai, and their performance in Los Angeles also received positive reactions. Their growth in the 3 years since their debut is a miracle and no one knows where else this global boy group can go. The expectations are high that they are able to do something huge, someone no one has ever done before. Even constructing a building in West Azabu doesn’t have to be just a joke.

Profile
Born 2000, from Osaka. He applied for the survival auction “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN” in 2019 and managed to debut as a member of JO1. He is known for his overwhelming singing abilities. Because of his handsome looks, he seems like a cool person especially when meeting him for the first time, but according to himself he is “just the typical guy from Kansai”.

[JO1] smart WEB 230225

https://smartmag.jp/archives/24267/

[LUMINE EST Shinjuku] JO1 and Go to the FASHIONISTA! 3 HOT SHOPs which handsome men want to visit (Part 2)

The 11 member global boy group JO1 is riding high as they had their first appearance on NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 2022 and now they collaborate with LUMINE EAST Shinjuku in Tokyo, a department with a wide range of fashionable shops. In line with JO1’S greeting “Go to the TOP”, the concept of this collaboration is “Go to the FASHIONISTA” to enjoy this year’s spring fashion to the fullest. 5 noteworthy shops from LUMINE EAST Shinjuku will be featured here.

Following the first part, this part will introduce the three brands: “Lui’s”, whose theme is the wardrobe of a popular guy, “FREAK’S STORE MEN’S+ANDY FREAK’S STORE), which specializes in expressing the real American lifestyle, and “RAGE BLUE”, which offers daily standard clothes that reflect the current trends. You can find all the current trends at LUMINE EST Shinjuku!

An exquisite balance of “style” and “street”
Yonashiro Sho, Shiroiwa Ruki and Tsurubo Shion wearing Lui’s

[…]

Sho’s comment: My personal wardrobe also consists of items from Lui’s, so I’m really happy about this. The items today are somewhat formal, but I like that they are not too tight and you can wear them in a good way. I like the design of Lui’s clothing and they make a nice silhouette, too.

Ruki’s comment: This outfit includes a patterned shirt and loafer heels which I used to wear a lot as a student. The loafers have heels, so they make both the style look good and the silhouette of the pants beautiful. It feels new to have such items coming from a men’s brand.

Shion’s comment: Before wearing it I felt that the jacket looks strong, but after taking a closer look there is not just the front but the back as a flower embroidery and thus it has a good balance between strength and delicacy. I also like the silhouette of the pants, which fell nicely to cover my bulky figure!

Who is JO1’s fashionista according to Yonashiro Sho, Shiroiwa Ruki and Tsurubo Shion?

Sho: Sure enough, it’s Keigo. I have the image that he often looks at the photos of stylish foreign people and after all he knows a lot of the latest trends. His sense in choosing his clothes is also very charming and I think how great he looks when seeing him, but I also feel those clothes look good on him exactly because it’s Keigo. I think he really knows what looks good on him. This spring I would like to try denim sets. I want to wear something with a formal vibe, different from the one today.

Ruki: I have the impression that compared back to the time of our debut, everyone started to properly pay attention to their fashion. Back then, to be honest, there were only 2-3 members who were interested in fashion, but I think by wearing a lot of clothes like today, having more opportunities to appear in front of people, more of us became conscious of it. Among them, I talk the most about clothes and exchange information is Keigo, who always keeps up with the trends.

Shion: Keigo-kun is admired by the other members, but (for me) it’s Junki-kun. His clothes for practice are simple but good like this. As a fashion rule I only use a maximum of two colors because if I use a lot of different colors, it will get messy. But this is just a rule for me (laughs). Junki-kun also looks good in bulky clothes for practice, and the items he chooses are often to my liking.

[…]

“Casual” or “military”
Wearing each jacket in a modern way
Kinjo Sukai wearing FREAK’S STORE MEN’S+ANDY FREAK’S STORE and Kono Junki wearing RAGE BLUE

Sukai’s comment: It was a new discovery for me how adding yellow to a military-like tone can change the impression completely. It also brightens up the face and I want to try this technique with my own clothes. The calmly toned pants have actually a leopard print, which also gives a sense of mature playfulness to it.

Junki’s comment: My membere color is light blue, but a color that suits me is more orange. Also, I love denim, so I was happy to wear this coat and there was no way it wouldn’t look good on me (laughs). I want to take the whole outfit home with me! I think girls would look cute in this outfit, too.

Who is JO1’s fashionista according to Kinjo Sukai and Kono Junki?

Sukai: I’m influenced by the fashion of all the members, but among them I like the fashion off Syoya and Keigo-kun. Keigo-kun’s height and body form is close to my own one and I for example take reference on the silhouette of the pants he wears. Syoya is good at wearing knitted hats, belts, bags and other accessories. The other day, after drinking tea with Syoya in Shinjuku, we happened to go to LUMINE EST Shinjuku to look at clothes!

Junki: It’s Keigo. To begin with it’s because he has a body form that makes clothes look good. The green quilted coat that Keigo was wearing was cute and when I found a similar one I wondered whether I should buy it, but I decided not to because I felt it was indeed too similar… Back in the days, before moving to Tokyo, I went shopping with the members and we went to LUMINE EST Shinjuku. Back then I bought a bag, but I want to go again to check out their spring clothes.

[JO1] Fandom 230221 Ruki x Shosei x Sukai talk

Part. 02
Guests
Shosei Ohira
Sukai Kinjo

Kinjo, who takes up the burden of being the MC, proclaims the “very best episode”!

What do you two think of the MC, Shiroiwa-san?
Shosei & Sukai: He is perfect!
Shosei: He is amazing, for real. He is such a pro. He talks with us while keeping the time in mind and I think he is amazing for doing two things at the same time.
Ruki: No no, I’m not perfect. It’s because everyone is supporting me, Sukai often tells me before the broadcast “Leave it to me!”.
Sukai: But I haven’t tried to help yet (laughs).
Ruki: But each time you say it (laughs)! You say things such as “Today it will be fine if you just leave it to me” or “Ruki-kun, which Sukai do you want to go with today?”
Sukai: My talk role in the group is pretty much in the middle. There are times I fully devote myself to making jokes and other times when I just watch what is going on and direct the talk. Inside of me there are two talk roles and each time I wonder which one is the right one.
Ruki: Is a slightly crazy and eccentric Sukai good? Or a levelheaded Sukai? I always reply “Both are fine. Isn’t it better if you just enjoyed yourself?”, but… a third personality comes out (laughs).
Sukai: For real? (Laughs)
Ruki: A Sukai I haven’t imagined comes out (laughs). But this one comes out because you are really enjoying yourself, so I’m happy about it.

Is there something that made you feel “My talk skills have improved!” since the radio program started?
Shosei: No! I’m sorry, but it didn't happen (laughs). But I can really feel how much Ruki-kun has improved.
Ruki: No, I barely feel that myself.
Sukai: Hey, you are grinning anyway! (Laughs) It’s not my place to say it, but Ruki-kun has improved.
Shosei: He improved. He often does it, that guy.
Ruki: (laughs)
Sukai: Ruki-kun won’t come out unless he is entrusted with something.
Ruki: Eh, what? Are you the producer now? (Laughs) But you are right, I rarely do so myself.
Sukai: When we are doing variety as a group, I tease Ruki-kun and try to pull him out, but it’s pretty hard. Hence, maybe only in this radio, Ruki’s real side comes out?
Ruki: Because I’m also pretty much the MC of the radio. The truth is that while I like to joke and fool around, I might not be ready to show this here, too.
Sukai: It’s fine. Leave it to me!
Shosei: And he said it (laughs).
Ruki: Is it okay? Because today we also have an interview, you know?
Sukai: The episodes with me are always the best ones! (Laughs)

The MC pressure that he hadn’t noticed

So, what do you think of Ohira-san, Kinjo-san?
Sukai: When my talking gets stuck, I often turn to Shosei. Ruki-kun’s talk skills make me feel at ease, but Shosei comes up with something funny out of nowhere. He is like “Ah, something like that happened!”. The freshness is amazing. Also, he is really good at signaling he listens to you. Please expect a lot from him today!
Shosei: Please leave it to me!
Sukai: It was also like this during the previous broadcast, but this group of 3 people will make a storm of laughter happen. That’s why I think they are making a report of this episode!
Ruki: There is barely anyone who makes it hard for me like them. They raised the hurdle pretty high~
Sukai: Shall I tell you why? Because today’s main personality is Ruki-kun!
Ruki: No, it’s not just today. I’m the main personality every week (laughs).
Sukai: But the last time I came, Junki-kun was it.
Ruki: It was a special week. I was really surprised by that. It’s hard to express, but it was too easy for me! It felt so different. I always end up using my head too much for the radio, so there are times when I can’t sleep afterwards. But on that day I directly fell asleep after returning home (laughs). It was so different!? It might have been the most fun one. Sure enough, because it was so easy, I was able to relax.
Shosei: It is really something different. So, next time Sukai will be the MC?
Sukai: (whispering) Under no circumstances…
Ruki: Despite you saying things like “the best episodes (are with me)”?
Shosei: Suddenly your vigor vanished!
Sukai: I’m a bit of a restricted person… It’s better to let me run free.
Shosei: (breaks out laughing) Dangerous!

Broadcast report

Radio highlights
- Right before the broadcast, Kinjo carefully checked the script. He showed his reliable side since before the broadcast, following his words of “The episodes with me are the best!”. However, as soon as the broadcast started, the accident of him dropping the bottle cap took place (laughs).
- Shiroiwa looked calm before the broadcast as he was talking with the staff and took notes on the script. For the opening he introduced Ohira and Kinjo as “Today is my first episode this year, but the two in front of me are, well, pretty dangerous people came. I think these people came where while they are still in a vacation mood.” (Laughs)
- For the opening, Ohira greeted the audience with a simple whispered “tada~”. However, he was absolutely charming as he smiled and clapped cutely for the smash-camera, an app where you can enjoy the radio along with video footage.
- As a behind story from the “Kouhaku” press conference, Kinjo shared the tragically funny story that “I was so ready to answer questions from the reports and had a microphone, but I wasn’t asked a single question…”, which also caused the staff to laugh!
- During the interview, Kinjo said “I’ve been talking notes on small things or episodes with the members to talk about those on the radio.” On this day, big excitement was caused by Kinjo’s story of taking his mother on a date for new year and Ohira’s “I always have excellent luck” story.
- Ohira shared “Normally, I rarely hear about members' private stories, so being able to hear those on the radio feels fresh. A lot of information I didn’t expect or knew comes out in the talk, so I’m happy to get to know about those like this.”
- Shiroiwa shared “In the past I rarely listened to radio, but now I listen to the programs of comedians to learn more about it”. Also on this day he was the perfect MC and Ohira & Kinjo could safely go crazy (!?).
- The Twitter song battle, under the theme of “a song you can relate to”, was won by Ohira’s choice “One Love”. By the way, for the song battle it seems like they never know the choices of the other members before, they only get to know them during the broadcast. The three of them didn't seem to stop talking and enjoying themselves during the song, too. - When Ohira, who had gotten the title “excellent luck boy” talked about his recent events, mentioning “I have a lot of flowers at home”, many listeners sent mails in regard to “flower fortune” and “flower language”! Kinjo’s proposal of “Ohira Shosei’s All Night Nippon” gave birth to a new legendary quote.
- The topics of Kawashiri and Yonashiro “waiting for him to come” as they really want to visit Shiroiwa’s room, of Ohira saying he is “a flower idiot”, of Kinjo’s “#LiveSukai” and Shiroiwa's All Night talk… These well paced talks made both them and the staff laugh. It was truly the very best episode just like Kinjo had declared!

[JO1] Nippon Housou News Online 230126

https://news.1242.com/article/411978

JO1‘s Ohira Shosei - Upon seeing the room of the “not letting anyone into his room”-type Shiroiwa Ruki “It might get your hopes up, but Ruki-kun’s room is…”

On the night of the 11th January (Wednesday), the radio program “JO1’s All Night Nippon X” (every Wednesday from 24:00~24:58 on Nippon Housou) aired of which Shiroiwa Ruki from the 11 member global boy group, JO1, acts as the main personality. As the weekly changing personalities Ohira Shosei and Kinjo Sukai appeared in this episode. They talked about the reason why Shiroiwa is the type not to let anyone into his room, and stories of having fun at the other members’ places.

Ruki: Not too long ago when I came home from practice, right in front of my door Sho-kun and Ren-kun were standing.

Sukai: !?

Ruki: I was surprised to see them standing there! When I asked them “What are you doing here!?”, they said “Because today you will surely let us into your room!” and laughed, they seemed to have waited for quite some time.

Sukai: They waited for you to come out*?
TN: Sukai used the term “出待ち“ (demachi) which is the practise of waiting at the exit to wait for the performers/celebrity to exit and is generally forbidden in Japan. Just like 入り待ち＝waiting for the celebrity to arrive. Hence, we have those ticket numbers or assigned seats and not hours of queuing like in other countries.

Ruki: What surprised me was that they wanted to get into my room so much.

Sukai: But did they…?

Ruki: No (laughs)

Shosei: Wow! (Laughs)

Ruki: And then without any complaints they left. They said “It’s impossible” and “Got it” and just went to their rooms. No one of the members has entered my place so far… No, someone did! Shosei, you came over to play games, right?

Shosei: Ah yes, I did! We played Mario Kart!

Sukai: I think… I might be the only one who was told by Ruki-kun “Come over to my place”.

Ruki: Eh? When?

Sukai: When you came to my place, you said something like “All I need is a dining table now”, and I said “Please let me into your room next time”, you answered something like “Fine. Once I find a dining table, come over”.

Ruki:… Eh, I don’t remember this at all. But lately, my feelings have changed. I don’t mind letting you into my room.

Sukai: Ah, you said it!

Ruki: Why is it like I’m doing something really bad by not letting anyone in?

Shosei: No, from the other members’ point of view, being able to enter might be something extraordinary like a “flower on top of the mountain” (=something unattainable).

Ruki: A flower, you like them! (Laughs) You associate everything with “flowers”!

Shosei: Ahahaha (laughs).

Ruki: I wonder “Why do they want to enter so much?”. “Are they that curious?” That’s the simple reason. So if you say it so much, I don’t mind at all.

Shiroiwa, who is the type not to let others enter his place, recently changed his mind in light of the members requesting to go to his place.

Ohira, who had been to Shiroiwa’s place before, revealed “I might get your hopes up, but Ruki-kun’s place is really stylish”, to which Shiroiwa replied “Shosei’s room is nothing but flowers". The flower loving Ohira decorated his room with so many flowers that he could open a flower shop and furthermore, he decorated his walls with his own flower paintings. When Shiroiwa exposed his flower-filled room, Ohira laughingly commented in a self-deprecating way “I am a flower idiot… (laughs)”.

[JO1] Sports Hochi 221026

https://hochi.news/articles/20221026-OHT1T51152.html

“JOCHUM”, created in the JO1 x Sanrio new character development project has been unveiled

The 11 member boy group JO1 released the new characters, created in the “JO1 x Sanrio new character development project” on the 26th.

Under the theme of “creating JO1 alter ego characters” JO1 teamed up with Sanrio, who have created more than 450 characters including “Hello Kitty”, for this project and the group name of the character has been decided as “JOCHUM”. Kawashiri Ren explained “JOCHUM has the meaning of roommate or friend. They are Soulmates who are each fulfilling their dreams.”

In the past Sanrio has collaborated with YOSHIKI for “yoshikitty”, EXILE’s Sekiguchi Mandy for “Hello Mandy” and the singer Niihama Leon for “Leosuke”.

The leader Yonashiro Sho said with a smile “It was a really precious experience. I’m glad that these characters were realized, down to the smallest detail.” The member Ohira Shosei said: “First of all, I am filled with gratitude to the staff who supported us in this regard. They made truly amazing characters happen for which I am thankful.”

Regarding the outcome of the design, Kono Junki said “My character is the cutest after being finished. I can’t thank them enough for making my character look so different from my poorly drawn draft. It is so cute. I love it.” Mamehara Issei expressed his satisfaction (with the designs), saying: “I am hopeless when it comes to drawing, but Sanrio altered it and made something very cute come out. Having a scarf, cape and belt included makes me really happy.” Also Tsurubo Shion expressed his gratitude, saying “I am proud of it. Thanks to Sanrio, they made the character look quite cute.”

Kinjo Sukai, who is good at drawing, expressed “In my character there are both my own ideals and the feelings of it as a Sanrio character. Rather than it being a character, I see it as another version of myself. I enjoyed thinking over it every night.” Kimata Syoya described the hard work that went into the creation of the draft: “I thought about the character by looking back at my own life. I faced myself for this.”

The group’s motto “Go To The TOP” has the meaning of standing at the top of the world. And, they hope to make a leap forward to this as their characters. Kawanishi Takumi said: “People overseas also know the Sanrio characters. I want our characters to go global, too.” Sato Keigo said “I hope these characters will be as active in the future as (the popular character) Cinnamoroll.” To this, Shiroiwa Ruki added his wish: “I hope a lot of people will love them. Hopefully they will be not just adored by us, but also by the fans.”

◆ Characters that the members have designed
Kinjo Sukai (22) - PiHAi - A fox with a pokerface. Its habit is sticking its tongue out.
Kawashiri Ren (25) - RAIN - A magician fox. Brings everyone surprises and excitement.
Ohira Shosei (22) - moco - A quietly beautiful angel. Can read people’s minds.
Mamehara Issei (20) - MAMEchi - A heroic Shiba Inu. His personality is too straightforward.
Kono Junki (24) - micoon - A microphone whose charm point is the round face. It likes to sleep.
Kimata Syoya (22) - CHIMATA - A lively bunny. It loves sushi.
Yonashiro Sho (27) - YA-NU-KA-MI - A Shisa, the guardian deity of the house. It rarely leaves the house.
Shiroiwa Ruki (24) - RURU - An actual princely? poodle. Doesn’t let go of its pacifier while sleeping.
Tsurubo Shion (21) - CHULALA - A chihuahua that can communicate with the cosmos. Its body is bear-like.
Sato Keigo (24) - Bira - A forgetful and bizarre flower. Its hobby is fortune-telling.
Kawanishi Takumi (23) - POP-POH - A penguin with a chubby body. It loves ice cream.

[JO1] ELLE 221024

https://www.elle.com/jp/culture/music-art-book/g41638146/jo1-kcon-2022-japan-interview-22-1024/

A special interview with JO1 at “KCON JAPAN 2022”! Only in ELLE they tell about secret stories behind the new songs and the highlight of the performance of a new song.

We caught JO1 at the huge event taking place at Ariake Arena 14th ~16th October.

What is KCON?
The Korean culture event KCON started in 2012 and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. It has been held in the USA and all over the world to promote K-Pop and other forms of Korean culture.

Due to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic the offline events were canceled and KCON took place online for 2 years, but this year it finally returned to shows with a live audience. As the third installment this year, after LA and Saudi Arabia, it took place over three days, from 14th to 16th October, at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, being a great success. The three-day event attracted an audience of around 41,000 visitors and 8.7 million digital viewers, proving in figures that the content is popular worldwide.

JO1, who appeared on the 15th October, have participated every year since their debut in 2020. The ban on large-scale offline performances was lifted this year, and they were finally able to stand on stage alongside spectacular other artists in front of a packed audience.

ELLE held an exclusive interview with JO1 right before their performance, covering everything from the stories behind KCON to their 6th single “MIDNIGHT SUN”.

Performing SuperCali Korean Ver. and a new song

There will be many highlights at this year's KCON 2022 JAPAN, but what are the most important points of interest for you personally?
Keigo: Sure enough, it is the first performance of the B-side “Rose” of our new single here. It will surely be a performance that will drive the audience crazy so much to the point that they will turn into roses!

Who is the member that drives you especially crazy?
Keigo: No one but Kawanishi Takumi-kun! His facial expressions are amazing.
Takumi: Eh? Me? I just do a cool expression that was advised, that’s all (laughs). Like this.
The rest: (laughs)
Junki: You just recreated what the teacher did! (Laughs)

Furthermore, since you will perform the Korean version of “SuperCali”, isn’t it hard to sing such a speedy song in Korean?
Takumi: The words in the rap before the last chorus are even more than in the Japanese version and there is a lot in the verse and very face paced. Also, the pronunciation is difficult, so I struggled a lot. I practiced hard.
Keigo: There are two parts where I can shine, but when we recorded it in Korea, it was pointed out that my original pitch was off more than my Korean pronunciation. Because after all, the number of words is different, so it was difficult to get the pitch right… It struck me that they said this seemed worse than my Korean pronunciation.

A secret story of the MV filming of their big hit “SuperCali”

It became a hot topic that both the PV and MV of “SuperCali” got your biggest view count in history, but please tell us an episode from the filming of the MV.
Issei: Except for the dance scenes where everyone was present, I was only at the same location as Takumi-kun, so I didn’t see what the other members were filming, making me able to see their sets for the first time in the MV itself, something that felt really new to me. I thought “So they filmed it like that!”. It was fun to watch the MV as it has a storyline and made me think about various things.
Takumi: I felt that was amazing. There is a shot where the members rotate in a circle and get further away from each other in a photo-like still image. I wondered how that was filmed.
Keigo: I just stood there. The cameraman was going round and around on something like a crane.

“MIDNIGHT SUN” that you have just released the other day has 4 songs all together, but please tell us the key point of the part you are in charge of in your recommended song.
Ren: For “Phobia”, I studied the emotional atmosphere of the song in order to bring out the song’s very own world. I tried to create an atmosphere in my own way, making it sound like it was going to disappear, like with the amount of breath I was using, so I hope lots of people will be impressed when they hear that part.
Junki: The start of the song “16(Sixteen). From the very first note, I sang the song with the intention of conveying the song's atmosphere 100%.

Of the four songs in this album, which one made you think intuitively "I might like it!" when you first heard it?
Junki: I think it was "Phobia". It is fully balanced, still there are a lot of surprises in the song, and the sound represents an atmosphere that hasn't really existed in JO1 songs up until now. I like it a lot, it's fragile and powerful at the same time.
Ren: For me it is also “Phobia” and the leadtrack “SuperCali”. I tend to like songs that have an easy to understand concept, so especially in “SuperCali”’s case the concept is easy to understand and it well expresses the strange world.

Yonashiro-san, what is your favorite song and to which one of your parts do you have a special attachment to?
Junki: He kinda looks as if he is going to say something interesting! (laughs)
Ruki: Didn’t he get an unusual part this time?
Keigo: A SHO with a threatening aura, right?
Ruki: You know, that bridge part.
Sho: Ah… It’s actually “16(Sixteen)”.
Ruki: What? You are not gonna talk about “Phobia”?
Sho: Ah, right. I guess it’s “Phobia” (laughs).
Ren: I guess, you say! (laughs)
Sho: The bridge “I am here, I only see you~”. When I heard the demo before the recording, I thought “I want to sing this part”, so I remember being really happy (when my parts were decided). So I decided to give my all for this! But I went a bit over the top and got scolded (laughs).
Ren: Yes, you were (laughs).
Sho: I tried to make it sound a lot like the way the Korean person sang the demo, but I was too enthusiastic and overdid it, and I heard how Ren was laughing a lot about it in the back (laughs).
Ruki: I received a lot of memorable parts this time and a lot of people praised my rap in the second verse of “SuperCali”, but I chose the first verse of “Phobia”.
Junki: The part “Vanished feelings~”? It’s so good.
Ruki: Because I haven’t sung like that before, and it was the first time I used this new singing style. “Phobia” is something I have never done before and it felt new to me, too.

“Phobia” seems widely popular with the members.
Ruki: It's a good song, and indeed quite popular with the members. Also,I especially like my part in it. I like the way it's well structured from the very beginning, and I like its fragile atmosphere.

Speaking of KCON, their recent favorite Korean culture thing is?

Since KCON is an event that spreads Korean culture, we would like to know about your recommendations for places in Seoul or Korean food that you have recently discovered.
Syoya: I have a dish. Because I love Korean food! Lately I love the dish Sundae. I've always liked appetizers, and as you probably know (from the Elle Gourmet series)… It's quite a unique dish, and I hear that even many Koreans don't like it, but I'm addicted to it!
TN: Sundae is a Korean sausage.
Junki: You ordered it so often from the delivery.
Syoya: There was barely anyone who ate those with me, so if we ate at a restaurant, we would go to a place where there were various menus, and I would order the sundae and the other members would order something else. I asked Shion, "Do you want some sundae?" But he refused, saying, "I don't want it" (laughs). I think it’s very tasty good for your health!
Shosei: I chose Lotte World. I went with Sukai and Syoya and it was so much fun. There is also a shopping mall close by and the food we ate there was delicious. We had a great time.
Syoya: Back then we didn’t eat Korean cuisine but Italian one.
Did you ride the thrilling attractions there?
Shosei: No, we rather enjoyed the park itself.
Sukai: There was an insane one. That free fall one.
Syoya: Yes, that was the scariest!

You spent a long time in South Korea this summer for production, what are some of your favorite new Korean words you learnt there? Or any words that became popular within the group?
Sukai: Photos are called “사진 (sajinh)”, and I really liked the term “life photo” that came up as part of the “HELL?O TOUR” programme on YouTube in Korea, where we were instructed to “take photos like this”. In Korean, it's called ”인생 사진 (Insensa-jin)”, and every time we took a photo, I kept on saying “Insensa-jin! Insensa-jin!”.
Syoya: Ah yes, you did that ~
Sukai: But it seemed to have become absorbed by the members, and it's probably not an exaggeration to say that I popularized it after that.
Syoya: It is one. It's not popular (among us)!
Shion: During the "HELL?O TOUR", Ren-kun, me and Keigo-kun helped with the preparation of moon shells, and I really liked the word "골뱅이 (golpenyi)" which we used a lot at that time. I kept wanting to say it.
Shosei: There is a word I learnt from the dance instructor! I first heard there of the word “chinma” which is the short form of “진짜 마지막' (chinchmajima = really last one). I realized that, "Korean language also has abbreviations", which I would never have understood unless I had a local person teach me.
TN: As I don’t understand Korean, I went with the katakana transcription from the original article, unless I found by chance a better one.

What do they want to do in 2022?

Only 2 months are left for 2022, but please tell us something you want to do this year!
Takumi: I would like to eat lots of food/rice.
Ren: Ah, this is important! Because fall has come.
Junki: I also want to eat (lots of) food/rice.
Keigo: I will be “Japan’s number 1 Sato” !
Everyone: (laughs)

[JO1] Last MC at KIZUNA tour Fukuoka show 220923

based on this transcription: https://natalie.mu/music/news/494733

Before the last song the members made their greetings one after another.
Kawashiri put his feelings into words while wiping away his tears:
I think in one’s life there are a lot of happy and lucky moments, but there are surely also bitter times. In such times you often hear, “If you add one more stroke to ‘bitter’ it turns into ‘happiness’.”, but I always wondered “Where should I take that one stroke from?” Just like I said in the beginning, JAM have the power to turn nothing into something. When we have a hard time… JAM make us happy. We also want to become such an existence for everyone and I believe we should become like that, so please always stay at our side. I’m proud and happy that I was able to come to Fukuoka with such powerful members. But this is not the end, so until we meet again. I love you!”
TN: 辛い - bitter, painful, tough (& more meanings) 幸せ - happiness, luck, blessing (& more)

Shiroiwa Ruki reminisced about his past activities that once took him to Fukuoka but the audience was only 3,4 people:
Back then I wondered why I was even standing on stage, if I could even be of help in life and eventually I gave up my dream, but after all these years I see a completely different stage in Fukuoka. Thank you very much for opening a way of living for me, for meeting me, for liking me and for bringing me back to life. There is only one thing I felt today. I felt that even if I was born again I want to stand on stage for everyone again.
He strongly declared his gratitude for JAM.

[…]

Before the last song, Kinjo sincerely conveyed:
I want you to keep on voicing your dreams. Because a dream you keep for yourself is nothing but a mere dream. Before I became part of JO1 I thought so. But a dream you share with someone else becomes reality. I think that’s what today is about. I believe that if it’s JO1 and JAM, we can make everything come true. Hence, please keep on voicing your dreams. We will live up to those expectations, too. The bonds we felt here today, let’s continue to draw them into the sky together.
which earned him a wide applause from the audience.

[JO1] JA Kyosai campaign interview 220921

Note: The same interview was published by various news pages

Please tell us your thoughts on being appointed as the ambassadors of the “JA Kyosai Fall Traffic Safety campaign”.
Sho: JA Kyosai-san values the bonds between people, or in other words their “Kizuna” (bonds) and the concept of the tour that we as JO1 are currently holding is also “KIZUNA”, so we feel a strong bond with them.
Takumi: Traffic safety is not just important for us but for everyone going on with their daily lives, so I hope that through this campaign as many people as possible will think about road safety.

Please tell us an old memory or an incident related to road safety.
Ruki: I love driving a car so I often go for a drive but I drive extra carefully and with lots of caution on narrow roads or at night when it is hard to see others such as pedestrians.
Issei: I was once nearly run over by a car coming in my direction, and it made me think I should have been more careful.
Shosei: Me and Mame-chan go for night walks, but sure enough we are hard to see from the perspective of drivers and I thought we need to be creative by wearing reflective and bright (noticeable) materials, so that we can be seen.

As “JO1” what is a traffic safety message you want everyone to keep in mind?
Junki: I think everyone understands the necessity of traffic safety rules, but I also think that it is quite difficult to constantly stay conscious of traffic safety. Hence, I hope you will take this opportunity to strongly increase your traffic safety awareness.
Sukai: I think it is important to be mindful for everyone, people driving a car, people riding a bike and people walking.
Keigo: Traffic safety is something that is created by everyone together, so I hope that this campaign will be a good opportunity for all of us to pay more attention to the traffic rules.

Please give a message to everyone who watched the videos.
Sho: Everyone, 1-2…
Everyone: Go to the TOP, we are JO1!
Ren: We, as JO1, were appointed as ambassadors for the “JA Kyosai Fall Traffic Safety campaign”. JA Kyosai encourages road safety everywhere through traffic safety classes and traffic safety poster contests for elementary and junior high school students.
Shion: Through this campaign which starts on 21st September, we want everyone to think once again about traffic rules and safety.
Syoya: Starting today, we, as JO1, will learn more about traffic safety in a fun way in web limited videos, so please make sure to check them out!
Sho: This is all from the ambassadors for the “JA Kyosai Fall Traffic Safety campaign”…
Everyone: JO1!

The reason why the JA Kyosai federation appointed JO1 as campaign ambassadors:
The JA Kyosai federation values the bonds between people. All JO1 members have a strong bond with each other because they struggled through a hard audition together. Furthermore, we felt an affinity with them as they value their bond with their fans and hence we asked them to become the ambassadors. JO1 has a wide following, especially among teenagers and it is said that they have the No.1 spreading power on SNS. We think that if we convey our message by using the power of JO1’s words people of all ages, and not just young people, will think of traffic safety in a familiar and friendly way.

[JO1] Nippon Housou News Online 220713

https://news.1242.com/article/372960

JO1’s Kinjo Sukai “Today, well, I will talk about ‘U-kun’ and ‘Mi-chan’” - the latest news about his beloved pets

On the night of the 6th July (Wednesday), the radio program ‘JO1 All Night Nippon X’ (every Wednesday at 24~24:58 on Nippon Housou) aired in which Shiroiwa Ruki of the 11 member global boy group JO1 acts as the main personality. As the weekly changing personalities Ohira Shosei and Kinjo Sukai appeared in this episode. He reported the latest news of his pets, Hercules beetles, which are the world's largest beetles.

Kinjo had also appeared on the 8th June episode and back then he revealed that he keeps two Hercules beetles as pets. He gave them the names “U-kun” and “Mi-chan” and happily talked about how he carefully raises them.

Ruki: Sukai, have you anything interesting recently?

Sukai: Rather than something interesting, I think I have “a story everyone is interested in”.

Ruki: Well, okay (laughs)

Sukai: Today I would like to delve deeply into the talk about “U-kun” and “Mi-chan”.

Ruki: Please do so.

Sukai: My “U-kun” and “Mi-chan” are larvae of Hercules beetles, the world's largest beetles, and I am raising them now.

Ruki: I see.

Sukai: When I talked about them the last time (during the broadcast on 8th June), I had just started keeping them and they still felt like babies, but recently they have grown a lot. I said that before, too, but I diligently control the temperature because I want to raise them in a very good environment. They eat a lot of soil.

Shosei: oh!

Sukai: Their weight quite increased a lot, too, but the bigger the weight of the larva, the bigger it will be when it becomes a beetle.

Shosei: Yes yes.

Sukai: So, I am aiming for 200 grams! But, I know that’s absolutely impossible. Still, they have grown so much that it really surprised me.

Shosei: So amazing~!

Ruki: You keep two beetles, right?

Sukai: Right. A male and a female one.

Afterwards, Kinjo’s beetle talk continued and he passionately spoke about the troubles of breeding and his feelings for the two. By the way, “U-kun” and “Mi-chan” also live in Kinjo’s bedroom and he softly said “Somehow, I feel that I want to be with them and that I am raising children.”.

[JO1] PR Times 220616

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000027.000023089.html
TN: The same interview was published by various newsoutlets

Please tell us your thoughts after finishing the filming.
Sho: It was a new challenge or rather it was very fun for us to be able to have such a wonderful experience. Everyone, how do you feel about what you did?
Ren: There are points I really really want you to pay attention to… We filmed on the grass inside of the race course, everyone is standing in one single line as if the race is about to start and in the background footage of the anime ‘Gunjou no Fanfare’ is playing, so I want you to check this all out. Please watch it!
Everyone: Please watch it!

What do you think about filming at a horse racing course?
Shosei: As it was our first time shooting at a racing course and we came here for the first time, moreover we were allowed to stand on the grass this time, it was a highly valuable experience and we had fun.
Sho: It is so neat!
Junki: Normally you cannot go there. Really.
Ren: Only the selected few horses can run here, right?
Sho: That’s why, we are… the selected few horses (laughs).
Ruki: We were able to film inside the racing course, as well as at a lot of other places such as on the lawn or inside the buildings with the anime playing in the background, which was a fun filming while we did some amazing new things, so everyone please watch it!

Did your image of horse racing change because of the filming?
Syoya: I always had some interest in horse racing, but I never took a step towards it as I thought it was an adult’s domain, but after hearing various stories and experiencing horse racing first hand today, I would like to go and watch it in private once!
Everyone: ohh— nice!!
Takumi: There were moving stories and the bond between jockey and horse moved me, so I think next time I will also buy a horse racing betting ticket and cheer for them.
Syoya: Let’s go everyone together! Everyone together!

Please tell us about your favourite lyrics or choreography of ‘Move The Soul’.
Junki: My favourite lyrics are ‘I can make my history’ from the chorus. Also we as JO1 hope to become a group that makes history by impressing someone or remain in their hearts through our various activities. I love this song!
Ren: My favourite point of the choreography is that there is often an ‘arm turning movement’ in the chorus and other parts of the song, but personally… I thought it looked like holding the reins and when I actually saw real reins and how they look running today… I am absolutely convinced that it looked like the reins (laughs).
Sukai: Maybe there will be a jockey doing this choreography (laughs).

Who do you believe would be ‘the biggest risk taker’ of the members? Please answer by pointing at the person when given the sign.
Result:
Issei: 6 votes
Sukai: 1 vote
Keigo: 2 votes
Shosei: 1 vote
Ren: 1 vote

The reasons why they choose Mamehara:
Junki: I don’t see him as nervous outside of shootings, but I have the image of him that carries it out in one shot with all his might once the filming starts.
Sho: He takes the chance when he can!
Ren: He is a determined guy!
Issei: Thank you very much!

In the program the ‘racing uniforms’ that the jockeys use are introduced, but please tell us about your ‘racing uniforms’!
Keigo: Aren’t our costumes our racing uniforms after all? When we wear our costumes, we become cooler than normally and… but well, we are always cool (laughs).

Please give a message to the fans.
Issei: Today’s filming has been a lot of fun. I hope JAM will watch the collaboration commercial with JRA-san a lot.
Junki: The collaboration between us, JO1, and JRA-san and ‘Gunjou no Fanfare’ is also a very awesome anime… Right now, JO1 is on a roll, so please enjoy everything (laughs).
Ruki: Today I learnt that just as there is a bond between us and JAM, there is also a bond between a jockey and his horse. We will continue to entertain you, so please continue to support us.
Syoya: Please continue to support JRA-san, JO1 and ‘Gunjou no Fanfare’.
Ren: Today has been a lot of fun. JO1 will continue to run as fast as we can, so please stick to JO1.
Shion: You realised the virtues of JO1 and horse racing! Let’s work harder and harder.
Takumi: If you spot me at the horse racing course, please do not talk to me (laughs)! I am concentrating.
Shosei: Today was so much fun. I was so happy about visiting a racing course for the first time. Please make sure to watch ‘Gunjou no fanfare’ and the CM of us and JRA-san.
Keigo: panpakapanpanpanpanpanpanpaan (imitates the sound of a fanfare) … Move The Soul! Thank you very much. It was a lot of fun.
Sho: Seeing real racing horses has also made us curious. We will continue to work hard, so please continue to support us.
Sukai: This collaboration is between JRA-san and us, JO1, so let’s use it as an opportunity for JAM, us and JRA-san to rush to the world together. Let’s go—!

[JO1] Nikkei Entertainment 200304

JO1 member profile
The 11 members who passed the audition and gasped their debut, when these 11 individuals, who all have different strengths and experiences, become one, an unique JO1 energy is born.
Q&A
① What do you always buy in a conbini?
② How do people call you? How do you want to be called?
③ Is there someone you want to appear together in some program?
④ Which JO1 member would you like to date?

01 Mamehara Issei
The youngest member and center of the debut song
A high schooler who won the center spot of the debut song. He grabbed the hearts of the viewers with his simple appearance of riding a bike to school through the fields and his serious attitude to tackle his tasks. His true face is quite active. He is like a younger brother who comfortably and freely behaves among his elder brothers.
Profile | born 2002.5.30 (17 years old)
from Okayama / 173 cm / O type
① Recently, I like eclairs and often buy those. I often eat them in the morning.
② It’s ‘Mame’. I want to be called ‘Mame-chan’ by everyone.
③ Hm…
④ Junki-kun (direct answer). He is funny but actually thinks of a lot of things and while he respects my opinion he tells me when I am wrong.

02 Kawashiri Ren
The dancer leader who is like a father
His highly skilled and eye-catching dancing is a huge weapon of JO1. On the one hand as someone serious and dependable he is called ‘JO1’s father’, but he loves to have fun. Also there is the side of him loving ‘HARIBO’.
Profile | born 1997.3.2 (23 years old)
from Fukuoka / 173 cm / O type
① I buy the mango salad drink from Kagome’s ‘Yasai Seikatsu’ everyday. I started to drink it for my health, but I also love the taste.
② ‘Ren-kun’. Back in high school I was also called ‘Ren-chan’ and it is nostalgic and makes me happy.
③ The people with whom I worked during my time as dancer, I would like to appear along them as JO1 once more.
④ Takumi! (direct answer) Because all his actions are cute!

03 Kawanishi Takumi
A Cinderella boy with unparalleled visuals
Regardless of him being inexperienced in both singing and dancing, he always had a spot in the upper ranking thanks to his natural sense and ‘unparalleled visuals’. He seems cool but is actually mischievous. According to the members he got the ‘Chopper position’ if you compared them to ‘ONE PIECE’. He loves junk food.
Profile | born 1999.6.23 (20 years old)
from Hyogo / 170 cm / B type
① I buy sweet bread with chocolate in it every day.
② It is ‘Takumi’ or ‘Takumi-kun’. There is not anything in particular I want to be called.
③ Some comedians because I like comedy. I am a huge fan of Kamaitachi-san and I went to watch one of their shows.
④ Kono Junki-kun. It is fun when we are together and I think I would laugh the whole time. That’s great (laughs).

04 Ohira Shosei
The No.1 member who cannot be left alone
His tears, earnest hard work and soft smile that have been aired in the audition let him soar towards the 4th place in the final ranking. The members also see him as ‘cute’, ‘like a younger brother’, ‘a worrier’ and someone who ‘tells me it’s okay’ and they cannot leave him alone. His speciality is dancing.
Profile | born 2000.4.14 (19 years old)
from Kyoto / 176 cm / A type
① As I am in the middle of a diet, I just buy salad late at night. I lost 3 kilos in one month.
② ‘Shosei’ or ‘Shose’. Also, ‘Sean’.
③ I want to meet Pompom Purin. Even though I am on a diet I ended up buying Pompom Purin bread.
④ It would be Takumi-kun. He is kind but funny. Because he is just too cool, I want to look at his side profile while being next to him.

05 Tsurubo Shion
A purehearted ‘alien’ displaying diverse charms
He was criticised for his bad attitude at the very start of the audition making him the main character all of sudden. In reality he gets along well with everyone and is someone with a pure heart who is unexpectedly serious and even a little shy. However, his true self is wrapped up in a mystery even among the members as they call him ‘mysterious’ and ‘an alien’.
Profile | born 2000.12.11 (19 years old)
from Shiga / 178 cm / A type
① ‘Lifeguard’ from CHEERIO. I like it so much that I drank 3 cans a day in high school.
② Shion.
③ It is often said that I am resembling a certain celebrity, so I would like to meet this person once.
④ Kono Junki-kun. I like that he has no hidden side and that he tells you what he thinks. I am sure everyone will answer Junki-kun!

06 Shiroiwa Ruki
The ‘comedy prince’ with orthodox visuals
While everyone recognises his looks as ‘cool’, his reputation among the members is out-and-out ‘he is really funny’. This gap and the chivalry that glimpses through every word he says are his charm. Since he got experience as an idol, he received high appreciation for his fanservice.
Profile | 1997.11.19 (22 years old)
from Tokyo / 175 cm / O type
① 500ml of Coca Cola.
② ‘Ruki-kun’ or ‘Ruki’.
③ Right now, I want to appear along Kamaitachi-san the most.
④ Keigo and Mame-chan. Because Keigo would drag me, who prefers to stay indoors, out and he is influential (laughs). Mame is simply funny and seems not to know much about love yet, so I hope to be able to experience an pure feeling (laughs).

07 Sato Keigo
The fashion leader who is ahead of the trends
He has an outstanding style and often wears luxury brands. He even says ‘One day I want to handle JO1’s costumes’. However, in the group he is a teasing character. He is an airhead and some might even say ‘his words are the ones of a problem child’. If he gets the chance, he will try to touch the butts of the members.
Profile | 1998.7.29 (21 years old)
from Aichi | 181 cm / A type
① Fruits jelly or cut fruits. I like pineapples and tangerines.
② ‘Keigo’. I am told I look like a giraffe, so I want to be called ‘Gira’ because of the English word for it.
③ With Downtown-san! I want to be teased by them.
④ It’s that guy (Tsurubo Shion). His teasing is fun and his teasing side is girlish.

08 Kimata Syoya
Once you notice his ‘appeal’ there is no way out of his swamp anymore
Attended a famous dance school and went to a fashion vocational school because of his love for clothes. His true face is loving to be mischievous, but the members know him as someone ‘who stood talking once the camera is on him’. He humbly calls himself ‘the type of person who does not stand out’ but once you notice his charms, he got the deepest swamp to fall into.
Profile | 2000.4.5 (19 years old)
from Aichi | 171 cm | A type
① ‘Kireeto Lemon’ and salad chicken. I also buy a lot of snacks such as seasoned octopus with wasabi, soused fish or raw ham.
② ‘Syoya’
④ It is Junki-kun. He is older than me, but he is easy to talk to from the same standpoint. When I say something cheeky he makes sure to pick it and make it funny. In short, he spoils me and is patient.

09 Kono Junki
An absolutely positive mood maker
He is a mood maker who is recognised as the pivot of JO1’s vocals by both others and himself. During the shooting, he clapped his hands and bursted in a sports kind of mood saying ‘Let’s get hyped up!’. He got 1st place in ‘Which member do you want to have as your boyfriend?’ chosen by the members and he was also not displeased by this.
Profile | 1998.1.20 (22 years old)
from Nara | 174 cm | O type
① ‘Meiji probiotic yogurt R-1’ and ‘C1000 vitamin lemon’.
② As I want to feel close others, I hope to be called just by my first name.
③ I would like to appear on programs like ‘Shabekuri 007’ and be teased. I want to learn more about comedy.
④ Shion. His face is really my type. He is cute as well as kind without being flirtatious with his surroundings.

10 Kinjo Sukai
The highest growth rate in singing and dancing
On the first glance he looks fierce and cool. Yet the members see him as ‘a moody person and cute’. He was inexperienced in singing and dancing but he showcased a huge growth during the audition and the trainers also often mentioned that he ‘is very obedient and passionate’. His further growth is infinite.
Profile | 2000.5.6 (19 years old)
from Osaka | 178 cm | A type
① I end up buying Coca Cola. Also, dried mangoes. I like the time when I am chewing those (laughs).
② ‘Sukai’
③ Someone like (Akashiya) Sanma-san who I watched on TV since I was a child.
④ Junki-kun. But there are times when he is kind and indecisive… I prefer to be talked to more sternly. I guess my answer is ‘myself’ (laughs).

11 Yonashiro Sho
‘The mother’ who wraps up the members
The oldest member and leader and another pivot of the vocals. He is a mother-like existence who brings the many free spirits in the group together with his natural patience and caring side. He was inexperienced in dancing during the audition, but his pride is his muscles. He tends to wear costumes that show his biceps.
Profile | 1995.10.25 (24 years old)
from Okinawa | 180 cm | O type
① I always buy coffee. I prefer black coffee.
② Since I am the oldest one, it is ‘Sho-kun’. I would like to be called by my first name because in Okinawa you rarely call people by their last names.
④ Ah, it’s Ruki! (Direct answer) He is cool and honest and his professional consciousness and seriousness in regard to performances are strong. I think if I was a woman, I would be drawn to him.

TN: Both Syoya and Sho did not answer the third question.

Kawashiri Ren
Even if I am normally a small existence I want to be ‘a king’ on stage.

Kawashiri Ren’s career as a back dancer is brilliant. Thanks to his high level pro awareness of “I am aware that I am constantly seen by other people” he had since then and his outstanding dancing skills that are both powerful and elegant, as well as his charisma, he became the center of 101 people for the theme song of ‘PRODUCE 101 JAPAN’, ‘Tsukame ~ It’s Coming~’.

That day (11th December, the day the final ranking had been announced) had been the turning point in making me a pro or rather I prepared myself to enter a world where ‘I can’t do it’ is not accepted. Since I was in 5th or 6th year of elementary school I dreamed of becoming a dancer in the future and I moved from Fukuoka to Tokyo before turning 20 years old. But when I finally worked as a dancer, I saw that the artists in front of me seemed to have more fun and the feeling of wanting to stand in their place gradually grew bigger.

During the audition it was hard when the eliminated trainees left. Especially when Sano Fumiya-kun, with whom I was in a friendly rivalry, left… It was the hardest. In other words, there were people whose path to debut was erased this time. But, believing that outside of the 11 of us a lot of more lives changed by participating, might be what kept me going.

There was some cruelty in the amounts of votes being announced, but it also made me actually feel that I am supported. When you think that JO1 was born from the support of so many people, there is a sense of responsibility, but I see it as a further expectation of us. I believe it is more fun to think like this. I hope all 11 members will not forget this as we keep on being active.

Nonetheless, that I was in second place in the final voting had been really frustrating. After all, being first is something cool. I feel that all chosen members were aiming for the first place. But from now on the battleground changes and 11 members become one team and aim for the world. In order to achieve this, we work hard on becoming the top of Japan first.

I put my state of mind into my signature. Outside of the stage I am a really small existence, I still need a lot of training and I have to be always humble. Yet, once I step on stage I am a king, have absolute confidence and want to give happiness to the people watching me. I hope to value the transition between the stage and other places. The dot on the bottom right symbolises the small me offstage and the crown on the upper left is the king I am on stage.

[JO1] B-PASS 220527

Q1: A number you want to listen to while driving?
Shosei: JO1 “Touch!”
Ren: JO1 “Get Inside Me”
Takumi: JO1 “Touch!”
Syoya: Kobukuro “Sakura”
Sukai: aiko-san “Boyfriend”
Junki: EXILE ATSUSHI “Sakura no Kisetsu”
Keigo: Justin Bieber “Forever”
Ruki: One Direction “Live While We’re Young”
Shion: Saucy Dog “Tsuki no sumu kimi”. I want to listen to it at a sakura alley at night
Issei: TREASURE “JIKJIN”
Sho: JO1 “ZERO”

Q2: An event you liked or were good at at a (school) sport’s festival?
🍮: Ball-toss games
🦊: Cheering
🍓: Relay
🐰: Ball-toss games
✈️: Relay
🌱: Ball rolling race
🦒: Chicken fight
👑: Relay
👽: Ball rolling race
🐶: Chicken fight
🌺: Relay

Q3: A menu that made you happy when it was your bento?
🍮: Wiener, broccoli, rolled egg omelette
🦊: Chili Shrimps
🍓: Rolled egg omelette, kugini (sand lance simmered in soy sauce/mirin/etc)
🐰: Frozen karaage and gratin with a fortune
TN: There seems to be a Japanese brand of gratin that has fortunes in every package
✈️: Karaage-san
🌱: Potato salad
🦒: Gratin
👑: Rolled egg omelette
👽: Rolled egg omelette (salty)
🐶: Sweet rolled egg omelette
🌺: Gooya champuruu

Q4: Your favourite miso soup ingredient?
🍮: Tofu, Wakame
🦊: Wakame
🍓: Tofu, Wakame
🐰: Shrimp heads
✈️: Sweet potato, Wakame
🌱: Lettuce
🦒: Manila clam
👑: Japanese bunching onion
👽: Onions, firm tofu
🐶: Tofu
🌺: Manila clam, freshwater clam

Q5: Please tell us your trick to prevent/overcome the May blues?
🍮: Listen to JO1’s songs a lot!
🦊: May blues is nothing but a superstition.
🍓: Fully relaxing
🐰: Eating food!
✈️: Visiting various cafes, playing games
🌱: Not thinking about May
🦒: Liking JO1 more than before!
👑: Eat a lot. Rest a lot
👽: May blues, what’s that? First of all, do your best!
🐶: Going out with friends
🌺: Exercise

Q6: How do you often spend rainy days?
🍮: Cooking at home. Drawing
🦊: Playing games at home
🍓: I’m watching anime or movies at home.
🐰: Staying inside my home
✈️: Watching movies at home
🌱: I open the window and enjoy the rain
🦒: I don’t like rain, so I watch movies and such at home.
👑: I’m often at home.
👽: I get headaches, so I’m at home.
🐶: Playing games at home
🌺: I calm down by the sound of rain, so I study.

Q7: What is a fashion item you are curious about in this spring/summer season?
🍮: I want slippers
🦊: Sneaker
🍓: T-Shirt, accessories, hat
🐰: Light clothing
✈️: Shirts without sleeves
🌱: Jeans (wide)
🦒: Handmade fashion. Like T-Shirts sewn by hand
👑: Half pants, accessories
👽: Hats and half sleeves
🐶: Accessories, half pants
🌺: White T-Shirts

Q8: Is there something you collect or you find yourself collecting?
🍮: Skin care items. I even buy spares, so if I forget about them, they accumulate at home.
🦊: Sweets
🍓: Sneaker
🐰: Gacha stuff, knit hats, recent vinyl records
✈️: Supplements and nutritional foods
🌱: Mugs
🦒: Clothes, sneaker
👑: Sunglasses, Pokemon sticker
👽: Figures
🐶: Kamen Rider belts
🌺: I find the members assembling (at my place)

Q9: Are you the type who believes in fortune telling or jinxes?
🍮: I don’t believe in anything.
🦊: I don’t believe in those.
🍓: I don’t believe in those at all.
🐰: I do. But I don’t want to…
✈️: I do. I like psychic ones
🌱: I’m not really believing in those
🦒: I only believe in good things
👑: I’m not really believing in those
👽: I believe serious ones.
🐶: I don’t believe in those.
🌺: I don’t believe in those.

Q10: Which colour do you like lately?
🍮: I ended up buying things in pastel colours and a little brilliant colours.
🦊: Dreamily pretty purple
🍓: Yellow. Because I love it.
🐰: Blue
✈️: Grey
🌱: Blue
🦒: Yellow-green, blue
👑: White
👽: Aqua, black, green
🐶: Red
🌺: Green

Q11: What is the place you can calm down the best?
🍮: The air in my hometown. It is not a big city, so the stars are really clear.
🦊: Home
🍓: Bed. At home in general
🐰: Home
✈️: Bed, sofa
🌱: A place where I can feel nature
🦒: Cinema
👑: Theme parks
👽: The toilet
🐶: On my bed at home
🌺: Okinawa

JO1‘s anime situation
In connection with the anime tie-ups “Move The Soul” and “Prologue” featured on the album. What kind of anime have the members come in touch with?

Do you usually watch anime?
Keigo: I love “HUNTER X HUNTER”. There are a lot of characters I like, but I especially like the enemy characters. The backstory of the enemies has been properly drawn out, too, so I ended up liking them.
Sukai: I also like “HUNTER X HUNTER” the most. I like that the main character has also a very positive side, and not only are the enemy characters strong, but they also have uncommon abilities and each one of them got something charming.
Shosei: I really want to see the rest soon.
Keigo: Because I’m ready to spend all my savings! I want to read the rest in some way or another!
Shosei: I like “To Aru Kagaku no Railgun”. It is a not so recent anime, but the art is beautiful and the development of each episode is well done and it is exciting. The work is based in the city of Tachikawa in Tokyo and I would like to make a pilgrimage there.
Sho: It’s “Poppey” for me when it comes to anime! I often watched cartoons since I was a young boy and I loved “Powerpuff girls” and “Tom & Jerry”!
Ruki: Ah, I cried heavily when I watched “Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day”.
Sho: You cried when watching anime, Ruki?
Ruki: I cried from the start to the end.
Shosei: You (always) act so tough! (laughs)
Ruki: After reading “Anohana” my dislike for manga disappeared and I also read mangas such as “Attack on Titan” or “Tokyo Ghoul” and watched the anime. Right now, I’m looking forward to the “Attack on Titan” season next year.
Issei: I like “Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam”. My parents like Gundam and I started to like it due to their influence. In Gundam the story about the people is really interesting. In “Zeta Gundam” they transform into planes… (an unstoppable fast & passionate talk)
Shosei: He is so enthusiastic…
Sho: I wonder how many years it would take to finish the whole series starting today?
Issei: I think it will take some time. There are connected episodes and unconnected ones. Right now with “Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn” the foreshadowing from back then has been retrieved so… (endlessly continues)
Sho: O-okay, I got it! (laughs)

Hahaha we will continue slowly (laughs).
Takumi: In “Shaman King” the main character Asakura Yoh keeps on saying “Everything will work out” and I think I can learn from his mindset. It is cool to say “Everything will work out” no matter how strong your enemy is.
Shion: My choice is Rem from “Re:Zero” (Re:Zero: Starting Life in Another World). The aqua hair suits her so well. So much that I want to dye my hair in this colour, too. She is wholeheartedly kind and really cute. She confessed to the person she likes knowing he likes someone else, but back then I said “Why are you not choosing Rem?”. I think I speak for about 80% of the fans in this regard.
Ren: I like the moment when seemingly laidback characters get serious. For example, characters like (Nara) Shikamaru from “NARUTO”. I like how they bring out their hidden powers when their friends are in trouble.
Syoya: I like the scene in “Guilty Crown” when Daryl Yan is told “Please live” in the moment when he is let go but refuses to do so. I like such a passionate feeling, or when a character takes a stand to protect someone.
Junki: I like the story arc of “The lying Noland” before they go to the sky islands in “ONE PIECE”. Despite discovering a treasure island, it was launched in the sky and became a sky island, making the original place disappear, so everyone calls him a liar but lastly his descendants and Luffy discover it and prove it was not a lie.
Ren: Can I add something here? (laughs) When Luffy found the sky island and the treasure he says in his heart “Old man, the island is here”, but actually in “ONE PIECE” it is not the intention of the mangaka Oda Eiichirou to write Luffy’s inner voice. But this is the sole scene where he did so.
Takumi: For real? Now I want to read the manga. But I only read until Shirahoshi’s part.
Ren: I think in this case you are about two thirds from there?
Shion: You can still catch up!

[JO1] Digital TV Guide 220422

Ren x Ruki x Keigo x Shion talk

Are you the type who takes long baths? Or short ones?
Keigo: Crazy long ones. I usually soak in hot water for an hour. From time to time I even end up falling asleep as I’m the type who gets tired after relaxing.
Ren: I also bathe long. I also often mix and use treatments, so I’m not spending that much time in the hot water however.
Ruki: Me too. When I have time I fill up my bath in the morning or at night and sometimes I bathe twice a day.
Shion: I also take long ones.
Ruki: Really? But your ones seem short.
Shion: They are about 30 minutes long.
Ruki: For me that’s kinda short. I bathe for about 1 or 2 hours.
Shion: That’s nuts.
Ruki: I’m watching movies while bathing. I put in bath salts and the temperature is automatically set to 41 degrees. Because there is a function that keeps the set temperature.
Ren: I didn’t know that! Wow!! That’s something pretty nice!
Shion: If I don’t soak in hot water, I only need 5 minutes. Hence, 30 minutes are long for me.

Is the time you need in the bathroom long?
Keigo: I also need long there.
Ren: I also need quite a long time, I guess. Because my job is standing in front of other people, doing skin care ends up taking a long time somehow.

In the past, you mentioned that brushing your teeths takes a long time for you, Kawashiri-san.
Ren: I used to brush them while taking a bath, but nowadays I have an electric toothbrush, so I’m brushing them at the sink now.
Ruki: I think I’m not taking that long. I use a mist spray on my face, use a mask while blow drying my hair and after applying beauty lotions and cream I’m done. It takes only 10 minutes I think.
Shion: For me that’s kinda long. I only need about 2 minutes. I dry myself, use a skin lotion and after getting into my clothes I’m done.
Keigo: The reason why I am taking so long is because I’m using a lot of skin care products.I also use a lot of shampoo, conditioner and body soap and it’s so much that I probably don’t need to use beauty lotions anymore, but a little more can't be wrong, hence I end up taking a long time.

Are you someone who spends a quiet time in his room? Or do you (loudly) enjoy yourself?
Ren: I’m quietly enjoying myself in my room. I mainly play games. I play online against the members or people I don’t know.
Shion: I play YouTube videos on my TV while watching YouTube videos on my phone.
Ruki: What?
Shion: The YouTube videos on my TV are the BGM and I’m watching all kinds of videos on my phone.
Keigo: I’m the type who relaxes quietly. I’m a lot on my phone and just like Shion I often let music or random videos from YouTube play on my TV while I’m doing something.
Ruki: When I’m playing games or sing, I have fun and be loud, but when I’m watching videos or movies I spend my time quietly. Also sometimes I practise singing. so I play the instrumental version of my favorite songs on Youtube while singing.
Keigo: How about buying a Karaoke machine?. We have one at my parent’s house.
Ruki: I have thought about it already. But since my room is not soundproof, it is not a good idea.
Shion: I can hear a lot of singing.

Ren: In the morning I was also woken up by the sound of Keigo waking up.
Keigo: I wish Ren-kun would become more laid back.

Is your room clean? Or dirty?
Keigo: It could be better, but I guess it's clean.
Ren: I have a lot of things, but they are arranged neatly.
Keigo: hehehehe (laughs)
Ren: What’s that reaction? (laughs)
Keigo: I’m wondering what it actually looks like.
Ren: In this case, come over.
Keigo: I want to! Speaking of this, I haven’t been in the room of any of these three people yet. There are not many things in my own room. It does not feel lived-in.I like to store as much as I can, hence I stuff everything into my wardrobe. Also I don't like to leave a lot of rubbish, hence I’m throwing away things directly. I am bothered when things are in chaos, so even when it’s my own room, it will feel bad (laughs).

If you ranked the cleanness of your room, which rank among the members would you give yourself?
Keigo: I am first or second.
Ren: That’s right. I have this image of Keigo’s room. I would place myself in rather in the middle than at the top.
Ruki: I wish to put myself at the top of the ranking. I don’t have many things in my room. I don’t put up anything I don’t need. I don’t buy anything I don’t need, and if I don’t use things, I will get rid of them. The other day, when I was with Sukai, we called Shion saying “We are going to your room now”, but Shion refused saying “Don’t do it cause my room is so dirty. Right now it’s insane.”
Shion: It had been a monsterous back then (laughs) I cleaned up a week later. I’m the type of person who cleans everything all together. But it’s quite chaotic again.
Ruki: So fast ~ (laughs)

What is so chaotic in your room?
Shion: It’s mainly my clothes. I’m diligently cleaning away my food, but the pet bottles might also be laying around.
Keigo: Don’t you put your clothes on a hanger when you return home? So why is it chaotic? Are you just leaving them where they are after taking them off?
Shion: This. Hence, I’m last or second last in the ranking.
Keigo: And with whom are you competing for the last place? (laughs)
Shion: (looks around) Hm… Because everyone seems quite clean.
Ren: So it's not Syoya?
Syoya: (noticed it by chance) What?
Keigo: We are making a ranking who is the coolest.
Syoya: Is that so? ♪
Ruki: You deceived him well (laughs)

Ruki: Shion, who does not let himself be influenced by others, is manly and wonderful!
Shion: Ruki-kun is the one who usually laughs about me. Please expose each other’s “REAL” self!
Keigo: I don’t really have a hidden side, so I’m fine no matter what they are going to say. But I think there is nothing JAM don’t already know about me.
Ren: Keigo eats a lot of bananas. He eats 2 or 3 ones a day, right?
Keigo: I buy a pack of three bananas at the conbini and I eat them before practice, in the break and after practice. I heard that bananas are good when you practice.
Ren: Because they have good energy efficiency.
Keigo: What could there be for Ren-kun~ Hm… On the contrary, there isn’t anything? Please expose yourself (laughs)
Ren: There was something that irritated me a lot yesterday. I like it when the timing of things fits together, like for example I set the microwave for 40 secs, fold the laundry in the meantime and return just when the timer beeps. I like this feeling of efficiency. Hence, yesterday after my schedule ended, I ordered a food delivery for the time I returned home, and as soon I got home, the intercom rang and I received it with a good feeling “The perfect timing”. But the soup was completely spilled inside. This absolutely pulled my mood down.
Keigo: This is tough. Did you call the shop regarding this?
Ren: I didn’t, but I gave my first bad review (laughs)
Ruki: My exposing was the story of Shion’s room being dirty earlier (laughs)
Shion: (laughs) I admit this. My expose story is that some time ago, Ruki-kun, Sho-kun, Junki-kun, Syoya and Sukai had to a dance lesson starting in the morning and we had to do somnething like stretching exercises there, but after sitting for a long time, everyone started to lose focus. But when I looked at Ruki-kun’s expression at that moment, he seemed to have reached a state of nothingness after overcoming his limits and I thought “Oh my god, I saw the top of Ruki-kun.”
Ruki: (breaks out laughing) I wasn’t aware of it, but I guess it must have seemed like I had a spiritual awakening.

Please tell us the wonderful things you (LOVE) about each other and what you (HATE) which the other one needs to fix about himself.
Ren: When we went to South Korea for the single production, there was a time when I shared the hotel room with Keigo. I’m the type of person who needs quite some time to get ready before going out, but since Keigo also needs some time, we got up early and I felt that I was woken up by the sound of Keigo waking up, which helped me a lot. What I HATE is that from time to time he fell asleep while playing on the phone without taking a bath first.
Keigo: Ren-kun watches the members’ dancing and gives us a lot of advice, and I think he really cares about the group. This is what I LOVE about him. On the other hand, what I HATE is that he often thinks too much about the group. He looks at too many things and ends up taking those on himself, so I wish he would become more laid back.
Ruki: I have a lot of things that I LOVE about Shion. Like that he is not influenced by others, stays true to himself and that he has an amazing self confidence in that, or his mentality. I admire this manliness and I think this is something wonderful.
Shion: Thank you very much. Ruki-kun’s smile is handsome. When I tell a gag, it’s usually Ruki-kun who laughs about it.
Ruki: Our humor is similar, isn't it?
Shion: It really helps. There is actually nothing in particular I want him to fix about himself~
Ruki: I also got nothing to complain about you.

From the members to Shosei
Ren: Thank you for always making me laugh. I like how you can perfectly switch on and off
Takumi: You always tell me things that make no sense, but it feels very good. Thanks!
Syoya: Thank you for your constant beauty
Sukai: Thank you for stoically giving me various kinds of advice
Junki: Shose is always cute. I get motivated by seeing you challenging various things
Keigo: Thank you for giving your all in your studies of how to be a fool
Ruki: Thank you for always relying on me
Shion: Thank you for always laughing at me!
Issei: You always hang out with me. We are like classmates I’m grateful
Sho: Thank you for always keeping me smiling!

From Shosei to the members
to Ren: Thank you very much for always doing the treatment for us. I’m grateful
to Takumi: You are kind! But you mess with me a lot (laughs) You are cool and cute. You are my Aniki
TN: Aniki is slangish term for an older brother
to Syoya: You seem so happy when you eat. Thank you for always happily chatting with me
to Sukai: THE GUY. You always smell good. Thank you for always
to Junki: You are lively. I want to go to a lot of places with you— Thank you for always
to Keigo: Thank you for being too handsome
(This was written before I knew -tears-)
to Ruki: Thank you for always happily doing improv comedy with me
to Shion: You have a big heart and it’s fun to chat with you. Thank you for always.
to Issei: My cute little brother. But we are friends. I want to go to a lot of places with you. Thank you for always
to Sho: You are the reliable singing big brother, who will reply no matter what I ask him regarding singing. Thank you for always

From the members to Ren
Shosei: Thank you very much for always doing the treatment for us. I’m grateful
Takumi: Thank you for your hard work as a dance leader always. Please take a rest from time to time
Syoya: Thank you very much for always dancing
Sukai: Thank you for always teaching the dance to everyone
Junki: Thank you very much for making JO1’s performances the best, dance leader Ren-kun
Keigo: Thank you for laughing
Ruki: Thank you for leading the team
Shion: Thank you for taking care of me countless times. Pls continue to take care of me
TN: Shion uses formal language in the first sentence and internet slang in the second one
Issei: I’m truly always grateful for your treatment of our performances
Sho: Thank you for always teaching the dance to the members!

From Ren to the members
to Shosei: Thank you for always making me laugh. I like how you can perfectly switch on and off
to Takumi: I like Takumi who tackles everything seriously. Thank you for making me want to work hard too
to Syoya: Thank you for accompanying me at meals. Let’s go to eat Sushi again
to Sukai: Thank you for relying on me. A big brother is happy to be relied on
to Junki: Thank you for being honest. It’s amazing because it’s something difficult when you are an adult
to Keigo: Thank you for always making me laugh. Keigo, whose happiness is to make others happy, is truly wonderful
to Ruki: Thank you for always making me laugh. Let‘s have another concert evaluation meeting and improve the quality of the group together
to Shion: Thank you for always watching your surroundings. Shion, who is really serious and knows that doing so makes me happy, is wonderful
to Issei: Thank you for relying on me. Without caring for our ages you support me. and I support you. I’m trusting you
to Sho: Thank you for always taking care of me. Sho-kun is the one with whom I’m often doing something. Let’s work hard as the oldest ones

From the members to Takumi
Shosei: You are kind! But you mess with me a lot (laughs) You are cool and cute. You are my Aniki
Ren: I like Takumi who tackles everything seriously. Thank you for making me want to work hard too
Syoya: You are making me laugh. Thank you very much
Sukai: Thank you for kindly talking to me
Junki: My master, thank you for teaching me a lot each day
Keigo: Thanks for your face
Ruki: Thank you for showing me your sense
Shion: Thank you very much for laughing at me. Let’s continue to go wild
Issei: Your sharp retorts are very funny. I’m grateful
Sho: Thank you for always being lively!

From Takumi to the members
to Shosei: You always tell me things that make no sense, but it feels very good. Thanks!
to Ren: Thank you for your hard work as a dance leader always. Please take a rest from time to time
to Syoya: You always give me energy! Thank you. Continue to be “No, Limit”
to Sukai: I like listening to SKY’s funny stories. Thank you for always
to Junki: Thank you very much for always speaking. A little less would be nice
to Keigo: Thank you very much for making each day fun and interesting. Please continue to take care of me
to Ruki: I calm down when I’m with Ru-kun. Thank you very much. You are cool, kind and amazing (^o^)
to Shion: Everything about you is funny!! It is thanks to “you” that I can smile. Thank you
to Issei: Being with Mame motivates me and calms me down. Thanks for always~✨
to Sho: In any case thank you for always, Sho-kun. Thanks for everything…

From the members to Ruki
Shosei: Thank you for always happily doing improv comedy with me
Ren: Thank you for always making me laugh. Let‘s have another concert evaluation meeting and improve the quality of the group together
Takumi: I calm down when I’m with Ru-kun. Thank you very much. You are cool, kind and amazing (^o^)
Syoya: Thank you for the surreal comedy
Sukai: You liven up the group. Thanks a lot
Junki: Actually seeing you working hard motivates me, for real
Keigo: Thanks for being unexpectedly stupid
Shion: Thanks for always laughing at me. Please continue to watch my stuff
Issei: I’m grateful that you always listen to me talking
Sho: Thank you for always spoiling me!

From Ruki to the members to Shosei: Thank you for always relying on me
to Ren: Thank you for leading the team
to Takumi: Thank you for showing me your sense
to Syoya: Thank you for showing your face enjoying a meal
to Sukai: Thank you for showing me your manliness
to Junki: Thank you
to Keigo: Thank you for making things funny
to Shion: Thank you for inheriting the pink
to Issei: Thank you for encouraging me
to Sho: Thank you for unifying us

The members explained all the songs from the album!

Walk It Like I Talk It (Takumi)
Even for JO1 it is a cool and impactful song with a dance that has a HIP HOP feeling. It is a song we have rarely had so far, so it feels fresh.

Dreamer (Keigo)
It is the title track of our first drama “Short Program”. It is a cheering song with lyrics that gives you the courage to take one step after another towards your dream.

LOVE & HATE (Junki)
It is a song that lets you feel JO1’s sexy aura. Since it is also JO1’s third year, we hope to bring out a sexy and mature aura with this song.

Move The Soul (Syoya)
It is a song with a dashing sense and that has explosiveness. It feels like white and blue? Please pay attention to it because of the fresh vocals, which are like exhaling.

Prologue (Ruki)
It’s a song that my friend praised as “a good song”. It is a tie up song, so I hope it will serve as an introduction of JO1 to people who don’t know us yet.

Design (Keigo)
It is a sexy song with a sexy performance. There is the idea that we will preserve our design in this era.

Bokura no Kisetsu (Ruki)
Our first winter song. It is a song I often listen to even after the winter has passed and full of emotional attachments. Personally I like it a lot.

STAY (Sho)
It is a song I sang together with Junki at the concert. I think it’s the JO1 song which fits the best to summer, so I want you to play it while going on a drive in summer.

Kimi no mama (Syoya)
I love this song. I like it the most in J-POP. It is a song that can make you cry. There are also strings in the song and I also like this atmosphere. A song I want to perform live.

Born To Be Wild (Junki)
The song we performed first at the live shows. We made this song in South Korea, so there are a lot of memories (connected to it). I hope to be able to perform it in many other places in the future.

Never Ending Story (Issei)
I quite like this song. I like how the lyrics and music evoke associations. The lyrics are quite sad, but this is what makes the song intense.

With Us (Ren)
So far we expressed our state of confronting our troubles and hardships, but this song is one that can reaffirm the connection between us and everyone else.

Touch! (Shosei)
It has a song with a similar cuteness as “Yancha Boy Yancha Girl”, so I think it will liven up the mood at live shows.

ZERO (Shion)
I might be a rapper but I like calm songs, so I like it so much that it is my number one or two of the album. I often listen to it while sleeping.

Algorithm (Ren)
It is a powerful and masculine song. I think that the fans also wanted to see this side of us. We also enjoy it and the performance is also noteworthy.

Ryuuseiu meteor shower (Sukai)
I’m singing “the downpouring stars this moment shines”, which I’m singing with the feeling of wanting to be with JAM at that moment of the night.

REAL (Takumi)
The title track of the 4th single. It is a song that expresses Let’s realise everything you wanted to on stage which you have dreamed of before becoming JO1.

[JO1] Real Sound 220222

https://realsound.jp/2022/02/post-972526_2.html

JO1 Kinjo Sukai - a sincere singing voice that is essential to the group’s leaping progress & a brilliance that is more than just a “spice”

JO1’s Kinjo Sukai has resumed his activities with the group after taking a hiatus since October 2021 due being diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. His return was on 14th February. This might be the biggest Valentine’s Day present for JAM (as JO1’s fans are called). A video announcing his return was published and he showed a healthy self. It is beyond delightful to see all 11 members together again, “within a reasonable frame” of course.

Kinjo is 21 years old and from the prefecture of Osaka. When he participated in “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN” he had been inexperienced in singing and dancing and was assigned to the lowest class, F in the first class evaluation. However, he continuously worked hard and rapidly made progress. I also remember the remarkably loud cheering for him when I was covering the National Producers (as the viewers were called) at the recording site. He is “a hard worker” who showed his various charms such as his cool visuals, his outstanding style, his memorable voice, his hungry attitude and his caring side to his friends during the audition, and in turn managed to gain one of the debut seats in the end.

Just like his catchphrase “saredo poker face” (even so keeping the poker face), he seems like the cool type on the first glance. However, inside of him boils the blood of someone from Kansai and when the talks of all members unfold, it is not rare that he shows mischief and livens up the place. Also, he is a passionate person with a hidden fighting spirit and his serious personality peeks through here and there. Also in the announcement video of his return, his sincere words of “I’m truly sorry for letting you wait so long, but from the bottom of my heart I really really wanted to meet JAM.” “From now on, all 11 of us have started anew and we are going to work hard to make our way to JAM. By all means please continue to support all 11 members of JO1.” were impressive. Also when he appeared on “Odoru! Sanma Goten!!”, which was broadcasted on 13th July 2021, he carefully listened to Akashiya Sanma’s talk and made proper responses. Looking at various interviews, his talking has a good balance of answering frankly and precisely which conveys his integrity.

This sincere personality is essential for the group to make further progress. Furthermore, Kinjo‘s singing is also indispensable for JO1 after all. With no experience he joined “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”, but he steadily achieved success in the vocal position. His development never stopped since he became a part of JO1 and now he displays a strong presence as part of the “vocal line” along with the main vocals Kono Junki and Yonashiro Sho. He also made a solo appearance in the “ATELIER” series that was uploaded in March last year, performing a Korean version of JO1’s song “GO”. In his gentle and soft singing, in which a slightly sexy bass sounds, you can feel a different virtue compared to both Kono and Yonashiro. In a previous interview he called his own role “ a spice like black pepper”, but you end up feeling his brilliance is more than just a “spice”.

Kinjo is still 21 years old. His future is infinite and his characteristic hard working side will allow him to grow even further. I wish for him to be active as an artist for a long time while taking good care of his own pace.

[JO1] Yomiuri Pop Style Blog 210825

http://blog.yomiuri.co.jp/.s/popstyle/2021/08/post-019b.html

Your biggest weakness
Sho: I’m the one who gets tired the most easily in JO1, so I want to improve. I want more endurance.
Junki: My room is messy (* on the cover Kawanishi said that right?)
Sho: It’s not that messy.
Junki: Because when I hear that everyone comes, I tidy up.
Ruki: You have the laundry at a weird place
Junki: Don’t look so closely!
Ruki: In my case, it’s bugs. Those are absolutely impossible. I don’t even want to get over that however. Some time ago, when I came back home, there was a big winged ant-like one and just by it being there I couldn't get into my room for about 15 minutes. So scary. Shion: Ghosts. Haunted houses are also scary.
Sukai: I’m not good with heat. I want to overcome this. But I’m a nightowl. I'm nocturnal, so I'm more powerful at night. Thus, it’s crazy right now.
Syoya: That I’m shy of strangers.
Shosei: A weakness is that I can’t eat Wasabi.
Takumi: Something that has a reason. Something logical. I'm not good with those.
Keigo: The ability to focus. I lost it already lol
Issei: That I’m lazy.
Syoya: Kawashiri-kun what do you think?
Ren: Being stubborn.
Syoya: Today’s stubbornness.
Ren: You said that like Today’s puppy
TN: Today’s puppy is a segment of Mezamashi where puppies are introduced.

The thing you dislike the most
Issei: Japanese class!
Ren: When my schedule gets messed up.
Keigo: This world! lol… (if it’s) something that can go away? Pimples.
Ren: You are right! Why do they even exist
Keigo: That’s, in the case of mosquitos they suck blood to live. But for pimples there isn’t any reason!
Takumi: I think Natto. I can’t eat it. The smell..
Shosei: Feelings that feel exhausting. There are a lot of those.
Syoya: People who whisper. And powered medicine

[JO1] Junon 220820

Discovering a new side of the members
Junki: A new side I discovered of the members recently is that Keigo is surprisingly good at cooking.
Syoya: He brought his self made bento to a shooting site.
Keigo: That’s right. I’m surprisingly domestic (laughs)
Syoya: He let me eat it.
Sho: What dish was it?
Syoya: Something like chicken breast with garlic
Keigo: I just roasted chicken breast.
Junki: I think people who can cook talk like this.
Ren: You can make it by intuition.
Keigo: I think I’m good at grilling meat. Also Karaage.
Sho: That's something you make for everyone, right?
Ren: If I made something for 11 people, it would be pork kimchi fried rice.
Shosei: Eh, I want to eat this!
Sho: But the kitchen is small, so it would be hard. Also the cleaning.
Keigo: I will do it when we have a big kitchen (laughs)

At the end of the challenge there was a new self
Sho: Since this year started, team activities, and at the same time, also the individual challenges like variety shows have increased, so I think everyone is discovering their own new potentials.
Junki: I think a new me isn’t something to be discovered.
Ruki: What are you saying? (Laughs)
Junki: If you don’t challenge something and take action, you can’t discover something new. In the creation of the new song, everyone worked hard to express a new self.
Takumi: That is discovering (laughs).
Junki: So it's not so much a discovery as it is the end of the path that has been followed.
Ren: So you mean?
Junki: I really worked hard (laughs)

The coolest JO1 ever!
Takumi: The lead track “REAL” of the new single, is full of the feeling of when you are in a long dark tunnel and imagine a dream, once it becomes real you don’t want to be alone but you want to see this scenery with everyone together.
Issei: The melody is cool and I think the most mature JO1 ever is shown.
Sho: The point is the “Hug Dance”. The characteric is that there are a lot of parts when the members dance in pairs and it might be a highlight that hasn’t been in our songs before. The intro starts from the pair performance of Takumi and Mame, but it’s strong and cool.
Issei: In the beginning it’s just the two of us, so I’m really nervous.
Shosei: We enter later, so I feel a bit at ease (laughs)
Takumi: We dance in harmony and charm.
Ren: After that it’s the pair of me and Shion.
Shion: It’s a dance that involves walking.
Sho: Through the song, the members show performances in various formations, so please look forward to it!

Our future forecast
Sho: JO1’s first live show has been decided for winter! I’m looking forward to being able to meet JAM. I hope to show a new JO1 then.
Junki: You will discover a new JO1.
Sho: We also work hard to be active world wide.
Syoya: Abujimayo. (Take care of yourself)

Who is the No.1 strange character?
Junki: The strangest character in JO1 might be Shosei.
Sho: Shosei confuses the intonation from time to time.
Issei: In this case Sho-kun is also strange.
Sukai: He tries to get away with everything by “because in Okinawa”. He is naturally strange (laughs).
Junki: At that one event, we had something like a packing showdown, but when the winner was determined at the end, Sho-kun said “draw” which surprised me.
Ren: His kindness (laughs)
Keigo: Shosei seems to think of himself as a protagonist of an anime.
Takumi: I was about to say it!
Shosei: Don’t say it! (Laughs)
Ruki: Previously, “Because I practised Mario Kart” he came into the battle with full confidence, but I placed 6th and Shosei 8th.
Shion: You did Mario Kart for the first time, right?
Ruki: Moreover it seemed like he thought he can win by practising for 30 minutes (laughs)
Sho: So strange~
Shosei: You got me~ (laughs)
Ren: Syoya and Shion are also strange characters.
Sukai: The congratulated in a not so normal way on Takumi’s birthday.
Syoya: The Happy Birthday To You EDM version.
Sho: It’s Happy Birthday pii poo (and with that a passionate reenactment!)
Syoya & Shion: Happy Birthday Day Takumi-kuun! Happy Birthday to you you you you you you! Abujimayo (everyone breaks out laughing!).
Sho: Abujimayo is Korean for “take care of yourself”.
Ruki: It’s genius (laughs)