Junior, formally Johnny's Jr. (ジャニーズ Jr.) is a part of STARTO ENTERTAINMENT that focuses only on talent who have not yet officially debuted either with a unit or as a solo act. Juniors are mostly younger than 30, with the exception of Sano Mizuki.
Juniors consists of young trainees which is comprised of budding talents in their early teenage years. They undergo training, honing their skills in both singing and dancing. As they approach a certain stage of their growth, they transition into work with nore responsibilities—be it within a group, duo, trio, or even venturing into the spotlight as solo performers. This transition marks the culmination of their dedicated preparation and the commencement of their entrancing careers.
Some of the Juniors audition were also aired on several TV Shows such as 8ji daJ!, Ya-Ya-yah! and School Kakumei.
Notable Juniors[]
Kanto Juniors[]
- HiHi Jets
- Hashimoto Ryo
- Inoue Mizuki
- Igari Soya
- Takahashi Yuto
- Sakuma Ryuto
- Bishounen
- Fujii Naoki
- Iwasaki Taisho
- Nasu Yuto
- Sato Ryuga
- Ukisho Hidaka
- Kanasashi Issei
- 7 MEN Samurai (7 MEN 侍)
- Nakamura Reia
- Sugeta Rinne
- Yabana Rei
- Motodaka Katsuki
- Konno Taiki
- Sasaki Taiko
- Go! Go! Kids
- Shounen Ninja (少年忍者)
- Jr.SP
- Hayashi Ren
- Matsuo Tatsuru
- Wada Yuki
- Nakamura Kodai
- Yasui Kentaro
- Morohoshi Shoki
- Hagiya Keigo
- Nagatsuma Reo
- Abe Aran
- Sanada Yuma
- Morita Myuto
- Yamamoto Ryota
- Eda Tsuyoshi
- Matsumoto Kouta
- Hara Yoshitaka,
- Fukuda Yuya
- Koshioka Yuki
- Tatsumi Yudai
- Matsuzaki Yusuke
- Inaba Hikaru
- Akiyama Taiga
- Fukushi Nobuki
- Tomioka Kento
Kansai Junior[]
Usually shortened as Kansai Jr or Kanjuu.
The first group to debut from Kansai Jr. are Kanjani8. Though the members from KinKi Kids are also from Kansai area, they weren't called as Kansai Jr. in their Junior days.
- Lil' Kansai: Shimasaki Toa, Okazaki Kotaro, Nishimura Takuya, Onishi Fuga, Ruku Toma
- BoysBe
- AmBitious
Special Group[]
- San Ninja
Older Juniors[]
Within the agency they're still categorized under Junior, but in the entertainment world they're not referred as Junior anymore. They don't act as supporters for their seniors anymore and are no longer trained to debut as idols. They have been a Jr. for a long time and are now quite steady with their works, mostly dramas, musical and stage plays.
- Sano Mizuki (佐野 瑞樹)
- Kazama Shunsuke
- Hasegawa Jun
- Toshin Yoshikazu
- Yara Tomoyuki
- Uchi Hiroki (ex. NEWS and Kanjani8 member)
Status not clear[]
This groups/ people have debuted but in Johnny's official website they're still listed under Johnny's Jr.
Ex. Johnny's Jr. Group[]
- A.B.C. Jr.
- B.A.D. BOYS
- B.B.A.
- B.B.D.
- B.B.F.
- B.I.G.
- B.I.G. West
- BIG FOUR
- BOYS
- Butoukan
- Classmate J: Konno Taiki, Iwasahi Taisho, Wada Yuki, Fujii Naoki, Matsui Minato, Sasaki Taiko
- Tensai Genius: Motodaka Katsuki, Ryota Muraki, Sugeta Rinne
- Four Tops
- Heike-ha
- Hey! Say! 7
- HisH
- I.N.G. Shinkoukei
- J-Eleven
- J.J.Express
- Johnny's International
- K.K.Kity
- Kinki Jr.
- Kis-My-Ft
- Kity
- Kitty Jr
- KYOTO Ohara Mura
- M.A.O.
- MAIN
- MASK
- Mijime
- mint
- Mis Snow Man
- Muay Thai Mukai Brothers
- Musical Academy WEST
- Sexy Boyz
- Sexy 松 (Show)
- Shitsu 3 Kyoudai
- small but BIG
- OSSaN
- T.O.P.-J
- Tap Kids
- Three Tops
- TOKYO
- Top Kids
- TOP3
- TOPS
- V.WEST
- Ya-Ya-yah
- Snow Prince Gasshoudan
- B.I.Shadow: Nakajima Kento, Kikuchi Fuma, Matsumura Hokuto, Kouchi Yuugo
- They武道: Yamamoto Ryota, Eda Tsuyoshi, Hayashi Shota
Debuted[]
- SUPER EIGHT debuted in 2004
- KAT-TUN debuted in 2006
- Hey! Say! JUMP debuted in 2007
- Kis-My-Ft2 debuted in 2011
- timelesz: debuted in 2011
- A.B.C-Z: debuted in 2012
- Nakayama Yuma: debuted in 2014 (solo)
- WEST.: debuted in 2014
- King & Prince: debut in 2018
- SixTONES: debuted in 2020
- Snow Man: debuted in 2020
- Naniwa Danshi: debuted in 2021
- Travis Japan: debuted in 2022
- Ae! group: debut on 2024
Already left the agency[]
- From Ya-Ya-yah:
- - Ando Yasuhiro
- - Yoshida Yuuki
- - Hoshino Masaki
- - Akama Naoya
- - Ayukawa Taiyo
- - Yamashita Shoon
- From Kis-My-Ft2 :
- - Iida Kyohei
- From J.J. Express:
- - Matsumoto Kohei
- From BOYS:
- - Nakata Daichi
- From Veteran:
- - Itou Masashi
- From Johnny's Jr.:
- - Jimmy Mackey
- - Yamashita Reon
- - Uekusa Yuta
- - Vasayegh Hikaru
- - Kuramoto Kaoru
- From Love-tune:
- - Yasui Kentaro
- - Morohoshi Shoki
- - Hagiya Keigo
- - Nagatsuma Reo
- - Abe Aran
- - Sanada Yuma
- - Morita Myuto
History[]
But have not yet released a debut single or album. Back at the time before Shonentai debuted, this group of people were called as Johnny's Shonentai. Later they were than called as Johnny's Junior.
At some point, despite being a Jr, because of his popularity Takizawa Hideaki became the leader of Johnny's Jr despite being a Jr. After he debuted,Yamashita Tomohisa stepped in to become the leader. Then the next leader was Yabu Kota, who was in the group, Ya-Ya-yah but with his debut on September 2007, the Johnny's Jr Leader was then Nakayama Yuma. Who has debuted as Nakayama Yuma w/B.I.Shadow and NYC, yet still takes part in Johnny's Jr. activities.
At first there was only Johnny's Jr. as the main base which located itself in Tokyo. But as more and more juniors from the Kansai region joined the agency, they were seperated into Kanto Jr. and Kansai Jr..
Despite KinKi Kids being the first group to debut with members from the Kansai Region in 1997, they weren't classified as Kansai Jr. The first to debut from Kansai Jr. was Kanjani8 in 2004. They keep their Kansai image and work in both Kanto and Kansai region.
Work[]
As juniors, they take on important responsibilities of backing dancers and performance supporters for the members of Johnny's Jimusho who have already made their debuts. In addition, they perform in stage plays, musicals, TV shows, and concerts while showcasing their own outstanding talents. They also appear in many covers of newspapers, and radio broadcasts. Additionally, some of them also appear in dramas and movies.
Johnny’s Jr. Channel (Youtube)[]
Johnny’s Jr. joined Youtube on 31 January 2018. Started on 5 March until 18 March 2018, which is used to release teasers and introductions of each groups that involved for Johnny’s Jr. Channel.
Current Groups[]
- Bi Shounen
- HiHi Jets
- Ae! Group
- 7 MEN (replaced SixTONES- first video:16 August 2019)
- Shounen Ninja (replaced Snow Man- first video:25 December 2019)|
- Lil Kansai
Debuted[]
The groups that debut, created new Channel Artist under their name
- SixTONES (first video: 8 August 2019)- 100,000 subscribers in 1 day
- Snow Man (first video: 18 December 2019)
- Johnny's WEST (first video: 10 August 2022)
- Travis Japan (first video: 28 December 2022)
Jr. TV Shows[]
- SHOW-NEN J (1997.10.07-1998.09.29)
- 8ji daJ! (1998.04.15-1999.09.22)
- ai rabu B.I.G. (1998.10.04-1999.03.29)
- The Shounen Club (since 2000.04.09)
- Hadaka no Shounen (2001.04.07-2009.09.26)
- YOU tachi! (2006.10.08-2007.09.30)
- Ya-Ya-yah! (2003.01.05-2007.10.27)
- Hyakushiki (together with Inohara Yoshihiko)
- Toshiwasure! Johnny’s Touzai Uta Gassen (aired on 2010.12.31)
- Yan Yan JUMP (together with Hey! Say! JUMP)
- Johnnys' Jr. land (since 2011.10.02)
Other TV Shows[]
- Kanjani8 no Janiben (Kansai Johnny's Jr., weekly, for the section: Junibe/ Junideka/ Junimaga)
- School Kakumei! (Kochi Yugo together with Yaotome Hikaru, Yamada Ryosuke & Chinen Yuuri, during the live stage Johnny's Jr. also included, weekly)
- Ahoyanen! Sukiyanen! (San Ninja, weekly)
- Kansai Jouhou Netto ten! (Nakama Junta, weekly)
- R no Housoku (Konno Takayuki & Morohoshi Shoki together with Yamaguchi Tatsuya, weekly)
- Tesuto no Hanamichi (Nakada Hiroki & Hanazawa Akatsuki together with Joshima Shigeru, weekly)
- Waratte Iitomo! (noon boyz, since 2011.10.03, Monday-Friday)
- Hapi Kuru! (Kansai Johnny's Jr., since 2011.11.17, Monday-Friday)
Concerts[]
- Kansai Johnny's Jr. @ Osaka Shochiku Summer concert 2008 (2008.08.19-28)
- A.B.C-Z Kis-My-Ft2 First Concert (2008.10.11-13, 11.08-09)
- Minna Crea ni Kite Kurie! (2010.05.11-19): by A.B.C-Z
- All Kansai Johnny's Jr. Summer Concert 2010 in Osaka Jo Hall (2010.07.28-29)
- TATSUYA UEDA with FiVe (2010.08.04-10.03)
- Nenmatsu Young Touzai Uta Gassen! Touzai Jr. Senbatsudaishugo 2010! ~A.B.C-Z＋Johnny’s Jr. Senbatsu VS Nakayama Yuma + Kansai Johnny’s Jr. Senbatsu~ (2010.11.26-27)
- Uchi Hiroki with Question? LIVE 2010 (2010.12.14-15, 17-19)
- Kansai Johnny's Jr. X'mas Concert 2010 (2010.12.04-25):
- 4-5th, 10-12th, 17-19th, 21-22nd, 24th: by 7WEST
- 7-9th, 13-16th, 20th, 23th, 25th: by B.B.V. (B.A.D. + BOYS + Veteran)
- Kis-My-Ft2 CONCERT TOUR 2010～2011 (2010.12.28-29, 2011.01.06-07, 02.11-12)
- Kansai Johnny's Jr. Happy New Year Concert 2011 (2011.01.02-03)
- FiVe Live Asia 2011 in Osaka (2011.02.03)
- Kansai Johnny's Jr. with Nakayama Yuma 2011 Spring (2011.03.05-05.05)
- FiVe Live Asia Tour 2011 (2011.03.02, 04.04, 04.11, 05.27)
- FiVe LIVE 2011 (2011.09.15, 09.26, 10.11, 10.24, 10.31, 11.13)
- 帝劇 Johnnys Imperial Theatre Special 「Kis-My-Ft2 with ジャニーズJr.」 (2011.09.27-29)
- Kansai Johnny's Jr. X'mas Concert 2011 (2011.12.3-25)
- 7WEST : 3-4th, 10-11th, 17-19th, 24-25th
- B.A.D. + Hamada Takahiro with Veteran : 5-8th, 13-15th, 20-22th
- Kansai Johnny's Jr. Spring Break Super Haru Concert 2012 (2012.03.24-04.05)
Trivia[]
- Sano Mizuki, born in 1973, is the oldest Johnny's Jr. member. He works more on Musicals and Stage Plays.
- Ikuta Toma won the 'best supporting actor' title in 2007. Since than he has acted in many dramas, wich made him more known as an actor. In 2010 he acted in 3 movies and a drama. Because of this since 2010 he is not categorized under Johnny's Jr. on the agency's official web-site any more. He now has his own page.
