Following the initial run on July 16 and 17, at Kyocera Dome Osaka, Johnnys’ Jr. held the event “ALL Johnnys’ Jr. 2023 Wasshoi CAMP! in Dome” at Tokyo Dome. As the event’s name suggests, all 200 of Johnny & Associates’ trainees, whose ages ranged from 6 to 28, took the stage. Since October 2000, there hasn’t been a Jr. event in either the Tokyo or the Osaka domes. The Jrs. sang both original songs and songs by their senpai acts throughout the performance, which was directed by Kazuya Kamenashi of KAT-TUN.
Since the event’s announcement that “ALL Johnnys’ Jr. 2023 Wasshoi CAMP! in Dome” would feature debut announcements for well-known Johnnys’ Jr. groups like Bishonen, HiHi Jets, and Ae! group, rumors have abounded. Yoshihiko Inohara, President of Johnnys’ Island, did make a comment that has drawn attention on social media even if this was not the case.
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“A CD debut is a Johnny’s tradition, but it shouldn’t be viewed as the only objective or the point at which a career begins. A Jr. should develop personally in order to make as many people happy as possible, according to Inohara. “The concept of debut may also change with the times,” he continued, “and I talk to staff everyday about what that might look like.”
Although his remark has caused a lot of unwarranted worry about the idea that Johnny & Associates have given up on CD debuts entirely, this is not necessarily the case. The business is fully aware of how the way people listen to music has evolved over time. They are also aware of how streaming, which is already the primary method of getting music all over the world, is catching on in Japan. Despite making their debut last year, Travis Japan has not yet put out a CD in part because of this. Travis Japan’s CD-free debut is a step toward Johnny & Associates meeting the requirements of the universal standard for music consumption.
Inohara hasn’t given a specific deadline for the potential of additional debuts outside of what has evolved into the norm anticipated of Johnny’s performances over the years. Depending on the act in issue, it might occur this year, next year, a decade from now, or never because it is a response to general market trends.
