A Japanese management agency said on Oct 1 it has terminated the exclusive contract of a member of pop idol group timelesz who was arrested in September for alleged assault and subsequently released.

Shuto Inomata, 25, was arrested on Sept 19, a day after allegedly hitting a woman in her 30s in the face multiple times in a car parked in front of a convenience store in Tokyo’s Koto Ward. Since his release on Sept 25, he has been questioned by police on a voluntary basis.

Starto Entertainment said that it had found “a serious violation of the exclusive contract and determined that this constitutes grounds for termination”.

Inomata joined the group in 2025 through an audition programme that was aired on the Netflix streaming service for new members of the group.

The audition programme gained public attention and controversy particularly for opening the doors for new recruits who were not part of Starto or any other entertainment agency.

The group will continue its activities with the remaining seven members, according to the agency. KYODO NEWS