After 28 years of activity, the popular group SMAP is to break up at the end of this year. They have played a unique role in the Japanese entertainment industry, becoming national icons along the way.

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed! eteran Japanese pop group ...

SINGAPORE The recent announcement of the breakup of SMAP, Japan's most enduring boy band and a beloved cultural icon, is highlighting the declining state of J-pop. The industry has been hurt by the ...

Long-running Japanese boy group SMAP shocked many with their sudden announcement in August: the group will be calling it quits on December 31 after 25 years together. Many believed that they would put ...

Hugely popular Japanese boy band SMAP will break up at the end of the year, their management said Sunday, saddening their army of fans across Asia and marking the end of an era. The five members of ...

This is the 10th in a series on influential figures in the Heisei Era, which began in 1989 and will end when Emperor Akihito abdicates on April 30. In Heisei, Japan was roiled by economic excess and ...

TOKYO -- Three former members of SMAP, the venerable and beloved Japanese pop group that disbanded late last year, will leave powerhouse talent agency Johnny & Associates in what could prove a wise ...

After a quarter-century run, the Japanese boy band SMAP has decided to call it quits on Dec. 31, its management agency said in a press release Sunday, shocking die-hard fans in Asia and around the ...