Junnosuke Watanabe has published a series of new statements on Japanese music news site Natalie, outlining what he calls a “declaration of defeat” for WACK’s current era and confirming that the agency’s existing roster of groups will disband or leave the company by the end of 2026.
In a prologue column posted on December 1st, Watanabe shared the full text of a message titled “Junnosuke Watanabe’s Declaration of Defeat”, where he retracts his long-used slogan “Give up on giving up”, and says he is “giving up on the battlefield that WACK has been fighting on”. Writing from London, he describes reaching the limits of the approach that carried WACK from early BiS through BiSH, adding that living overseas has made him realise how inward-looking his thinking had become.
WACK “Chapter One” to end in 2026 as core groups disband or depart
Later the same day, Natalie published the first part of a remote interview built around Watanabe’s monologue, in which he confirms that WACK “Chapter One” will end within 2026. He attributes the decision to his own strategic failure rather than the performers, saying WACK’s “giant-killing” identity has lost its effectiveness as the idol landscape has shifted from the X (formally Twitter)-driven era to an industry shaped by Instagram, TikTok, and the global standard set by K-pop. “It’s all my strategic loss, my negligence”, he says.
In the interview, Watanabe sets out the most consequential change in WACK’s direction, confirming that the agency’s core acts — GANG PARADE, KiSS KiSS, ExWHYZ, ASP, and BiTE A SHOCK — will disband within 2026. He adds that MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN will continue, but will no longer be under his management, describing it as a joint project between Tower Records and WACK produced by Kuro-chan (Yasuda Dai Circus). Watanabe describes the decision as a clean break, saying the groups carrying the “Junnosuke Watanabe stamp” will disappear after 2026.
Despite the scale of the reset, Watanabe insists WACK is not ending. In a second page of the December 1st interview, he outlines early preparations for what he calls “Chapter Two”, saying six members drawn from current line-ups are training separately in dance, vocals, and English, alongside other lesson students and eight trainees who passed a previously undisclosed audition held this year. He also rejects the idea that WACK is simply aiming to copy K-pop, arguing that chasing the “normal line” is meaningless without an appeal that surpasses it.
Rethinking the idol business model and looking overseas
Watanabe also criticises parts of the business model he says will not translate globally, including the standard Japanese practice of driving sales through fans purchasing multiple copies of the same CD. He says he no longer wants to rely on that method, and wants to rethink how WACK presents artists to new audiences.
On December 2nd, Natalie published a final instalment expanding on the impact of Watanabe’s life in London, where he is studying at Goldsmiths, University of London. He describes Japan as a “lukewarm bath” sustained by the country’s unusually large domestic market, and contrasts it with the realities of the UK’s indie sector. He also speaks candidly about his own late start overseas, including not having held a passport until age 35, and his ongoing struggle with English despite studying daily.
Looking ahead, Watanabe describes a more explicit international ambition for WACK’s next phase, naming goals including a future arena-scale show in London, BBC Radio airplay, and increased overseas collaborations. He says he intends to establish a company base in the UK once his visa situation allows it, and describes his current position as an “outspoken shareholder” while costs mount.
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The Natalie series also confirms a training camp audition planned for March 2026, which Watanabe says may be the last of its kind. He states that members from groups set to disband can take part if they wish to remain with WACK, and adds that former WACK members will be offered “seeded” participation slots, with permission required for anyone currently active under another agency. He separately reiterates the existence of WACK’s “special skill audition,” which is evaluated via newly filmed footage and does not feed into the training camp.
Watanabe stepped down as WACK’s representative in July 2024 after relocating to the UK, but has remained involved as the company’s owner. His latest Natalie statements are the clearest indication yet that WACK is preparing to close out its current era while rebuilding around a new overseas-facing strategy.
WACK have already announced the 2026 label-wide tour “Where the End Begins by WACK”, with dates running from January to February, alongside the “WACK One-Skill Audition” in collaboration with Watanabe. In the context of the “Chapter One” timeline laid out on Natalie, the tour now sits as part of WACK’s closing stretch with its current group structure ahead of the planned 2026 disbandments and departures. The same period also encompasses ExWHYZ’s previously announced UK dates in early 2026, casting those shows as the group’s first and possibly last solo overseas activity under the WACK banner.
