STARTO ENTERTAINMENT Secures Major Win Against Arashi Impersonators on X, Pursues Damages

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT Inc. has provided an update on the legal action it has been pursuing since last year against impersonation accounts of its artists, Arashi, and its members on X (formerly Twitter). Numerous operators have been identified both domestically and internationally, and they are being required to apologize, delete their accounts, and take steps toward compensation for damages.

Since last year, the company, in cooperation with its legal counsel, has analyzed communications from impersonation accounts of "Arashi" and Arashi members on X. It has pursued legal measures, such as requests for sender information disclosure, with domestic telecommunication companies. Furthermore, against the U.S. X Corp., STARTO ENTERTAINMENT obtained orders for sender information disclosure from the U.S. Federal District Court (Northern District of California) regarding a total of 73 impersonation accounts. As a result, a considerable number of operators of impersonation accounts run from within Japan have been identified.

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT severely condemned these actions as "not only potentially fraudulent acts that could cause financial damage to fans but also acts that severely infringe upon the personality rights of our contracted talents." The identified account operators have reportedly been made to commit to taking necessary actions to recover damages caused by the impersonation and to delete their accounts. Indeed, some accounts, such as an impersonation account of member Jun Matsumoto, have posted apologies, although concerns have been raised about the identical content of these apology statements.

Following these legal measures, many users on X expressed surprise and relief. Particularly concerning impersonation accounts with tens of thousands of followers, numerous comments like "I'm surprised they had so many followers" and "Why couldn't people tell it wasn't real?" were heard. Some malicious tactics included attempts to defraud credit card information by posing as live streams, highlighting the potential for fans to unintentionally fall victim to scams.

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT positions the outcome of this legal action as a "significant step forward" and indicated its policy to continue strict and appropriate legal action, not limited to impersonation accounts, against fraudulent accounts that repeat illegal acts against Arashi members and fans. Fans have widely praised this assertive stance as "strong" and "unforgiving" and expressed hopes for similar measures against impersonation accounts of other affiliated talents such as Kanjani8 and Travis Japan, as well as prompt action against defamation of talents.

The context

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT Inc. is a newly established talent agency that took over the management of many popular idol groups and solo artists previously under Johnny & Associates. The transition followed a major controversy surrounding the late founder Johnny Kitagawa's past abuses. Arashi is one of Japan's most beloved and iconic boy bands, though currently on hiatus, they remain immensely popular and influential. Impersonation accounts, especially on social media platforms like X, have been a persistent problem for Japanese celebrities and their agencies. These accounts often mimic official profiles, sometimes with tens of thousands of followers, and can be used for various illicit activities, including financial scams (e.g., fake merchandise sales, concert tickets, cryptocurrency schemes) or spreading misinformation. This decisive legal action by STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, involving both domestic and international legal channels, signifies a strong and unprecedented move by a Japanese talent agency to protect its artists and fans from online fraud and identity theft. It sets a precedent for how talent agencies may combat similar issues in the future and reflects a broader industry effort to enhance online security and fan protection.