Sho Sakurai (櫻井 翔, Sakurai Shō) (born January 25, 1982) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, news anchor, host and former radio host. He is a member of the boy bandArashi.
Sakurai began his career in the entertainment industry when he joined the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates in 1995 at the age of 13. About seven years after his debut as a singer with Arashi in 1999, he became a newscaster in 2006, appearing in the news program News Zero every Monday. In 2008, he was appointed the official newscaster for the news coverage of the Olympic Games in Beijing on NTV.[1] For his work as an actor, singer and newscaster, Sakurai became one of the recipients of GQ Japan's Men of the Year award in 2009.[2][3] His father is Shun Sakurai, former vice-minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.[4]
Sakurai attended Keio Yochisha Elementary School, an affiliated elementary school of Keio University.[5] From age three to ten, he did many extracurricular activities, including kendo, swimming, football, oil painting, calligraphy, and scouting.[11] He began music lessons in early childhood, starting with the electric organ at age three and switching to piano in fourth grade.[12] From fourth grade to sixth grade, he played trombone for his school's brass band.[12] He also played trumpet and attended cram school.[12][13] He joined a local football club after developing a strong interest in football during the J.League boom in 1993. He wanted to play for a professional team and at one point considered studying abroad in Brazil to become a professional footballer.[14] He played football until his second year of junior high school.[15]
Despite already having an established career with Arashi by the time he graduated from high school, Sakurai went on to attend Keio University, graduating with a Bachelor of Economics degree in March 2004.[16] In fact, he was a pioneer among all Johnny's, being the first to graduate from University, inspiring others to pursue higher education.[17][18][19]
Career
In 1995, when Sakurai was thirteen years old, he sent an application to the talent agency, Johnny & Associates, and started activities as a Johnny's Jr.[11]
On April 10, 2024, Sakurai posted, via Starto Entertainment's website, his opening a website of his own, as a means of contact point for job requests and inquiries.[20][21] He commented on the news program "News Zero", in which he appears as Monday night support newscaster since 2006, that he did it as a part of the expansion of activities, as well as of his agent contract with the agency.[22]
On May 9, 2024, he served as navigator for Morinaga's press conference for their health and beauty item Passienol. Sakurai not only led the talk session, but also provided commentary on his use of the product.[23][24]
Music career
For music-related releases and activities as a member of Arashi, see Arashi.
Sakurai is the designated rapper of Arashi and, although he had written rap lyrics (known to fans as Sakurap) for some of the group's earlier releases under the pen name "Show", his first major contribution was for the A-side song "Kotoba Yori Taisetsu na Mono". While not the first artist from Johnny's to take on rapping, his breakthrough made it easier for his juniors to rap as well, despite being idols.[25] According to Taichi Kokubun of Tokio, ex-KAT-TUN member Koki Tanaka (田中 聖, Tanaka Kōki) began to rap because of him.[26]
He became the first member in Arashi to hold a solo concert called The Show in 2006.[27] Sakurai was also a part of a special group with his Kisarazu Cat's Eye World Series co-stars that same year. Specially formed to promote the movie, they released the movie's theme song "Seaside Bye-Bye" (シーサイドばいばい, "Shisaido Baibai") as a single on October 25, 2006.[28][29]
Sakurai co-wrote the lyrics of six songs on the August 2010 Arashi album Boku no Miteiru Fūkei. These songs are "Movin' On," "Mada Ue o", "Taboo" (Sho Sakurai solo), "Let Me Down," "Sora Takaku", and "Summer Splash!".[30]
In February 2022, KAT-TUN announced the release of their digital single "Crystal Moment", as the theme song for NTV's coverage of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the rap lyrics were written by Sakurai.[31] One year later, Sakurai was announced by KAT-TUN'S Ueda as a co-writer for two songs he would be singing in his solo concert in January 2024.[32]
Acting career
Drama
Unlike the other members, who made their major acting debut on stage, Sakurai made his debut on television in Arashi's volleyball-centered short dramaV no Arashi (Vの嵐) in 1999. With bandmate Kazunari Ninomiya, he co-starred in the manga-based comedy drama Yamada Tarō Monogatari in 2007.[33] Sakurai had a small guest appearance on the final episode of the drama My Girl in 2009, which was bandmate Masaki Aiba's first starring role in a serial drama.[34] That year, he also had a brief appearance on bandmate Satoshi Ohno's comedy drama series Uta no oniisan, as himself.[35] On January 9, 2010, Sakurai co-starred with the other members of Arashi in the human suspense drama special Saigo no Yakusoku.
In 2001, he took part in his first drama series called Tengoku ni Ichiban Chikai Otoko 2 (天国に一番近い男 – 教師編, The Man Closest to Heaven 2) with Masahiro Matsuoka as his teacher. His role as a student with two conflicting characters won him Best Newcomer in the 5th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix Awards.[36][37]
In 2003, Sakurai was given his first lead role in the drama Yoiko no Mikata (よい子の味方, Ally of Good Children). He portrayed Taiyō Suzuki (鈴木太陽, Suzuki Taiyō), a man who strives to prove himself capable of being a nursery school teacher. After Yoiko no Mikata, Sakurai took up many drama specials and mini-dramas until 2005. He even acted in a NHK late-night drama series called Tokio, in which each episode lasted for fifteen minutes each.
Although there was no release of dramas, movies or stageplays from Sakurai in 2008 due to his involvement with the Olympic Games in Beijing and Arashi's concert tours, 2009 saw his first lead role in a drama series since Yoiko no Mikata in 2003.
In 2009, in the drama The Quiz Show 2 with You Yokoyama, he portrayed an amnesichost of a live TV quiz program.[38] He portrayed Yukio Tomizawa (富澤友紀夫, Tomizawa Yukio), a 28-year-old life insurance salesman who is caught up in a building hijack.[39][40] Sakurai appeared in the docudrama special Kobe Shimbun no Nanokakan (神戸新聞の7日間, 7 Days of the Kobe Newspaper) on January 16, 2010. He portrayed Tomohiko Mitsuyama (三津山朋彦, Mitsuyama Tomohiko), a real photo reporter who worked for the Kobe Shimbun and helped keep the newspaper running without interruption despite the damage inflicted from the Kobe earthquake.[41]
On January 17, 2010, TBS aired the first episode of Sakurai and Maki Horikita's comedy drama Tokujo Kabachi!! (特上カバチ!!, lit. Extraordinary Quibbling).[42]
On August 18, 2011, it was announced that Sakurai would be starring in a Fuji TV drama in the Fall season. The drama Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de (謎解きはディナーのあとで, lit. Mystery Solving After Dinner) is based on a bestselling novel published in 2010 by author Higashigawa Tokuya. Sakurai co-starred with actress Keiko Kitagawa. The drama aired starting in October. On January 26, 2012, it was announced that Fuji TV would produce a drama special for Nazotoki... to be aired on March 27.[43] Sakurai played the lead role of Kageyama again, while Kitagawa reprised her role of Reiko Hosho. The drama special was filmed at Okinawa. A second special[44] and a movie[45] were released in August 2013
On January 25, 2012, TBS announced a three-night drama special Blackboard – Teachers Waging The Battles of Their Times, which aired in early April. Sakurai starred on the first night as a junior high school teacher who lost his right arm by war and struggled the change of moral after the war. His co-star was Yuko Oshima of AKB48.
In January 2023, Sakurai appears in his 5th drama with NTV, after Yoiko no Mikata (2003), The Quiz Show 2 (2009), Saki ni Umareta Dake no Boku (2017) and Nemesis (2021). Dai byōin senkyo is about a hospital suddenly occupied by an armed group wearing demon masks. Sakurai plays a detective, currently on leave of absence, who confronts the criminals, in the action-packed suspense drama.[46][47][48][49]
Film
In 2002, Sakurai made his motion picture debut in Arashi's first movie together, Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy (ピカ☆ンチ Life is HardだけどHappy, Pikanchi Life is Hard But Happy). He portrayed Chu, a yankee who dropped out of high school after an incident involving his teacher and the girl he had a crush on. In 2004, he reprised his role for the sequel of Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy, Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakara Happy (ピカ☆☆ンチ Life is HardだからHappy, Pikanchi Life is Hard Therefore Happy). In 2007, all the members of Arashi co-starred in their third movie together, Kiiroi Namida (黄色い涙, Yellow Tears), with Sakurai playing the role of an aspiring writer. In 2014, in a third installment of the Pikanchi movies, called Pikanchi Life Is Hard Tabun Happy (ピカ☆ンチ Life is HardたぶんHappy, Pikanchi Life is Hard Maybe Happy), Sakurai reprises his role, now as an adult Chu, who has settled down and started a family.[50]
In 2002, in the drama Kisarazu Cat's Eye, he took on the role of Bambi, a college student who becomes part of a burglar ring at the beckoning of his cancer-stricken friend Bussan (played by Junichi Okada) to make his final days worthwhile. The drama would eventually span into two movie sequels entitled Kisarazu Cat's Eye: Nihon Series and Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series in 2003 and 2006 respectively.[51]
While training for a rowing competition with the rest of Arashi on their variety show Mago Mago Arashi in 2005, Sakurai filmed his first starring movie role in the manga-based live-action film Honey and Clover.[52] He portrayed the mellow Yūta Takemoto (竹本 祐太, Takemoto Yūta).
By the end of 2007, it was announced that he would star as Gan-chan in the Takashi Miike movie Yatterman, which was not released in theaters until the beginning of 2009.[53]
It was announced on June 8, 2010, that Sakurai would co-star with Aoi Miyazaki in the novel-based movie Kamisama no Karute (神様のカルテ, God's Medical Records), released in theaters in 2011.[54][55] It would be the first time Sakurai portrayed a doctor.[56] A sequel for the movie, Kamisama no Karute 2 (神様のカルテ2, God's Medical Records 2) hit theaters in 2014. In the first movie, Dr. Ichito Kurihara (Sakurai) was struggling with work life in a countryside hospital on the alert 365 days a year. In the sequel, his struggles between family life and work life are accentuated when Ichito's friend from college, also a physician, Tatsuya Shindo (portrayed by Tatsuya Fujiwara), comes to Ichito's hospital from Tokyo.[57]
On June 4, 2012, the movie version of the popular drama Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de (謎解きはディナーのあとで, lit. Mystery Solving After Dinner) was announced. Sakurai once again portrayed the sharp-tongued mysteries-solving butler Kageyama, co-starring with Kitagawa Keiko. The plot of the movie is a murder case that happens on a luxurious cruise ship. Besides set filming, the production team also filmed overseas in Singapore where they boarded the luxurious cruise ship SuperStar Virgo for onsite filming. The movie completed filming by end of July 2012 and is scheduled for release on August 3, 2013, in Japan. The International Gala Premiere was held in Singapore on July 27, 2013, at Marina Bay Sands, where about 2,000 fans from Singapore, Thailand and other countries in the region were treated to face-to-face interactions with the main cast of Sakurai and his fellow cast members, Keiko Kitagawa and Shinai Kippei. Director Masato Hijikata also graced the occasion. Selected fans got to watch the movie premiere with the cast and director in the Sands Theatre, and were treated to a 20-minute Q&A session with the actors and director after the movie screening. The Singapore premiere of the movie was scheduled for August 22, 2013, with a special Fans' Screening by Golden Village cinemas on August 14, 2013.
Other ventures
Radio
From October 5, 2002, to March 30, 2008, Sakurai hosted his own radio show called Sho Beat on FM Fuji.[58]
Sakurai hosts, starting in January 2021, a new variety program, substituting Arashi's signature program Arashi ni Shiyagare, ended in December 2020.[78]
Shō channeru Otona no shakai kakengaku SP - MC (May 12, 2024;June 22, 2024)[88][89]
Jinsei de 1-ban nagakatta hi - MC (October 2024)[90]
Newscasts, documentary and informative series
In 2006, he became a newscaster for the NTV news program News Zero with newscaster Nobutaka Murao [ja] and actress Mao Kobayashi. He continues co-hosting Monday's edition, with main newscaster Yumiko Udo (2018-2024)[91] and Takahiko Fujii (2024- )[92]
On June 7, 2009, Sakurai was one of the main newscasters for a special program titled Touch! Eco 2009, which focused on environmental issues.[93]
Sakurai has participated in 12 editions of the News Zero election coverage specials. In 2007, he was chosen to participate in Zero x Senkyo 2007 (Zero×選挙2007, Zero x Election 2007), a special program which focused on the 2007 House of Councillors elections. Sakurai became the first pop idol to host such a program.[94] On August 30, 2009, he was appointed the navigator for the second part of Zero x Senkyo 2009 (Zero×選挙2009, Zero x Election 2009), which covered Japan's 2009 general elections.[95] On July 11, 2010, he took on the role of a navigator for the second half of Zero x Senkyo 2010 (Zero×選挙2010, Zero x Election 2010), which focused on the 2010 House of Councillors elections.[96] In 2012, he was part of the special, covering live from Tokyo Dome.[97] On 2013 he hosted the second part of the special, with a focus on voter turnout.[98] The Zero x Senkyo in 2014 was Sakurai's 6th appearance in the NTV election coverage programs, being navigator for the second part once again.[99] Sakurai, 34 at the time, continued with the 2016 edition (his seventh appearance), now as co-host for the special program. This year's program covered the first time young adults from age 18-19 were given the right to vote. As promoter of the youth vote since 2006, Sakurai commented: "After 70 years... it will be a historic night for the younger generation".[100] He continued as co-host for the 2017 (hosting the "My Voice" corner), 2019, 2021 and 2022 elections.[101][102][103][104] On October 15, 2024, his participation for the 2024 elections was confirmed, making it the 12th time as navigator and/or co-host.[105]
In July 2010, Sakurai traveled to Romania, Germany, and Russia to do a special report on world poverty for NTV's 24-Hour Television, which was broadcast on August 29, 2010. He interviewed former Soviet Union General Secretary and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev about nuclear disarmament and poverty.[106]
Sakurai was chosen by Nippon Television Network (NTV) of Japan as the main MC of their royal wedding special, "British Royal Family Prince William and Princess Kate". The special was aired on April 29, 2011, featuring video footage from the British Broadcasting Channel that covered the joyous occasion for the British royal family.
Sakurai appeared in 復興テレビ_みんなのチカラ3.11 (Fukko TV: Minna no Chikara 3.11) aired on NTV on March 11, 2012, a special program to remember the one-year anniversary of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that hit North-eastern Japan in 2011, reporting from Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima, as part of the news reporting section shared by News Zero, News Every and Shinsō hōdō bankisha!.[107]
On August 4, 2015, Sakurai and Akira Ikegami hosted the first episode of an NTV series called Sakurai Shō & Ikegami Akira Kyōkasho de manabenai (櫻井翔&池上彰 教科書で学べない, Sho Sakurai & Akira Ikegami Can't Learn with Textbooks)(ja). This first installment dealt with a look at the war 70 years after Japan's surrender, and the Japanese peoples understanding of it.[108] A second episode aired on March 1, 2016. This one dealt with a historical look of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake 5 years after, primarily, and other disasters around the world such as eruptions, landslides, floods and typhoons, and how to deal with them and prepare in order to save lives.[109] A new episode aired two years later, February 6, 2018. On this one, Sakurai and Ikegami talked about "Unexpected Japan", dealing with politics and its relationship to the Olympic Games, North Korea and the imperial family.[110][111] A fourth installment of the series aired on May 4, 2020, where they talked about the "ultra difficult problems" facing Japan, like the coronavirus and all that happened around the pandemic, such as the closing of schools, delays in services and postponement of big events, like the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.[112][113] On May 31, 2021, a 5th installment of the program aired. With the theme "clear and present danger", Ikegami and Sakurai, together with guests, talked about the ongoing investigation on coronavirus, its sequelae and the fight against it and new viruses. It also included a talk about new AI technology and the risk of it being misused and abused, like in drones, which could be used as weapons, and the so-called "Deepfake", in which false images are used to replace someone else in order to commit crimes, like fraud.[114][115][116]
On December 10, 2022, an NHK documentary called Design Museum Japan, hosted by Sakurai, takes a look at "design treasures" from regions all over Japan.[121][122][123] Sakurai hosted again the special in December 2023.[124]
On December 9, 2024, Sakurai was announced as messenger of a new project regarding the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the ending of World War II. The project called "We must not let the present become a prewar era" (『いまを、戦前にさせない』) will start in January 2025 on the Nippon Television network.
Sakurai was the special newscaster for the 2010 Winter Olympics news coverage on NTV with Shizuka Arakawa as the main newscaster.[128] On May 13, 2012, NTV announced the appointment of Sakurai as the main caster for their coverage of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, from July 27 to August 12, 2012. It is Sakurai's third consecutive Olympic main caster appointment for NTV after 2008 Beijing and 2010 Vancouver. He was chosen, alongside his Arashi co-member Masaki Aiba, to host the NHK special program coverage for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, celebrated from July 23, 2021.[129] With the appointment as the NTV caster for the Paris Olympics in 2024, Sakurai will have presented the event for the 9th time.[130] As part of the hosting duties for NTV, Sakurai and guests Shinya Ueda and Sanma Akashiya share facts and memories about Japanese athletes in the Olympics, in the Paris Olympic special program Shin jijitsu! Orinpikku-mei bamen saikyō-kin medal award, airing July 22, 2024.[131]
He has been covering rugby events, for both the local teams and for the Rugby World Cup and the Japan National Team, "Brave Blossoms".[132] The NTV programs in which he has appeared covering rugby, including the sports section in News Zero, has had Arashi's song Brave, for which he wrote the rap, as background music. "I wrote it while thinking about all the players who will be fighting hard, like when they're in a scrum", he said about it.[133] He appeared in the "100 days to go" event before the start of the Rugby World Cup 2019.[134] Sakurai was named host of the NTV program "One Rugby", a monthly special (September 6, 2019 – March 24, 2022; May 21, 2022, July 4, 2022) that analyzed the matches for both the local games and for the World Cup.[135][136][137] Sakurai was appointed "Japan Rugby Ambassador 2023" for the Japan Rugby team for the France Rugby World Cup.[138] The new position was established by the Japan Rugby Football Union to raise awareness of the Japan Rugby National Team and build momentum for the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.[139]
Sakurai appears as main personality in NTV's 24-Hr TV for 6th time, 5 with Arashi (2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2019) (24時間テレビ)[157] and 1 by himself (2017)[158]
Personal exhibition
"Sho Sakurai: Words for the Future", is Sakurai's first exhibition centered in his words, both as part of Arashi and as an individual, thought of since 2018, to convey his feelings and words expressed in different ways, like in the reinterpretation of his "Sakurap" and words shared in various media (like narrated excepts from the 2019 Newsweek Japan special feature "Sho Sakurai and the Memory of War"). It will be held from April 14 to May 5, 2023, at the Roppongi Museum in Tokyo.[159][160][161][162] A revised edition of the exhibition, called "Playful", started in Play! Museum, in Tachikawa, Tokyo, with venues around the country, starting on January 18, 2024, until April 14, 2024.[163][164]
Personal life
On September 28, 2021, Sakurai announced his marriage through a letter he released in their fan club website.[165]
Sakurai announced the birth of their first child on February 15, 2023, through official site. Date of birth and child's gender were not revealed.[166][167]
