{{short description|Japanese keyboardist and actor (born 1974)}} {{Expand Japanese|topic=bio|国分太一|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- For individuals; see Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians --> | name = Taichi Kokubun | image = Taichi Kokubun.jpg | alt = | caption = Kokubun in 2018 | image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | native_name = {{Nihongo2|国分 太一}} | native_name_lang = jpn | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|09|02}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} | origin = [[Higashikurume, Tokyo]], [[Japan]] | instrument = {{flatlist| * [[Electronic keyboard]] * [[piano]]}} | genre = [[Rock music|Rock]] | occupation = {{flatlist| * [[Keyboardist]] * [[actor]]}} | years_active = 1988–2025 (indefinite hiatus) | label = {{flatlist| * [[Sony Music Entertainment]] * [[Universal Music Japan]] * [[Storm Labels]]}} | associated_acts = [[Tokio (band)|Tokio]] | website = }}
{{nihongo|'''Taichi Kokubun'''|国分 太一|Kokubun Taichi|born September 2, 1974}} is a [[Japanese people|Japanese]] [[keyboardist]] and [[actor]].<ref name="jonnysnet">{{cite web |url=http://www.johnnys-net.jp/j/artists/tokio/prof/prof.html |title=Johnny's Net Tokio Profiles |accessdate=2009-12-21 |language=Japanese |archive-date=2009-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926181743/http://www.johnnys-net.jp/j/artists/tokio/prof/prof.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="imdb">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1155603/ |title=Taichi Kokubun on IMDB| accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref> He plays keyboard for [[Tokio (band)|Tokio]], a musical group of [[Starto Entertainment]] formerly known as [[Johnny & Associates]].
==Early life== Taichi Kokubun was born in [[Higashikurume, Tokyo]].
==Career==
=== As an artist === Before debuting with [[Tokio (band)|Tokio]], Kokubun, like other Tokio members, was a backup-dancer for [[Johnny's Entertainment]] boy bands, including [[Hikaru Genji (band)|Hikaru Genji]].<ref name="jamebio">{{cite web| url=http://www.jame-world.com/us/database-artists-overview-403-tokio.html| title=TOKIO - artists - JaME U.S.A.| accessdate=2009-09-29| archive-date=2009-08-22| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822045302/http://www.jame-world.com/us/database-artists-overview-403-tokio.html| url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1990 he became the keyboardist of Tokio, but it was not until 1994 that the band debuted.<ref name="jamebio" />
In 2004, Kokubun took a break from Tokio to form a temporary group with [[KinKi Kids]] member [[Tsuyoshi Domoto]].<ref name="jamebio" /> Together they released the theme song to ''[[Fantastipo]]'', a movie in which they starred.
===As an actor=== Kokubun began his acting career with a role in ''Abunai Shōnen III'', a 1989 Japanese drama. Since 1993, he has played parts in drama shows and movies such as ''Fantistipo'' and ''Shaberedomo Shaberedomo''.
He has hosted ''Gachinko!'' with other [[Tokio (band)|Tokio]] members.<ref name="imdb" /> Currently Kokubun hosts ''Kaitai Shin Show'' and ''Shonen Club Premium'' on [[NHK]], ''Tetsuwan Dash'' and ''Guruguru Ninety-Nine'' on [[Nippon Television|NTV]], ''R30'' and ''Sekai Kurabete Mitara'' on [[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]], ''Mentore G'' on [[Fuji TV]], and ''Aura no Izumi'' on [[TV Asahi]].<ref name="tokg07">{{cite news |title=Kokubun completes conquest of major networks |url=http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2742 |publisher=TokyoGraph |accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref>
In April 2009, Kokubun became a [[sportscaster]] for the [[Fuji TV]] show ''Sports!''.<ref name="tokg09">{{cite news |title=Taichi Kokubun becomes a sportscaster |url=http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-4542 |publisher=TokyoGraph |accessdate=2009-12-21}}</ref>
===Hiatus=== On June 20, 2025, on a press conference offered by [[Nippon Television]] president Hiroyuki Fukuda, it was announced that Kokubun would step down from his hosting duties on ''{{ill|Tetsuwan Dash|ja|ザ!鉄腕!DASH!!}}'' due to "multiple compliance-related incidents in the past" not crime related, without explaining the details, because of privacy protection. Kokubun himself accepted the decision taken by the broadcaster, and apologized for the trouble caused. It was also informed that he would take an indefinite leave of absence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2025 |title=日テレ社長、国分太一の報告受けた際の心境「ただただショック。残念」 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2391715/full/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250620054009/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2391715/full/ |archive-date=20 June 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025 |website=Oricon |language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2025 |title=国分太一 （株）TOKIOが解雇も 全番組降板申し入れ コンプラ違反で日テレが20日会見 |url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250620/spp/sp0/006/075000c |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250620062511/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20250620/spp/sp0/006/075000c |archive-date=20 June 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025 |website=Mainichi |language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2025 |title=TOKIO国分太一、無期限活動休止 謝罪コメントも発表「自分を見つめ直させていただきます」【全文掲載】 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2391666/full/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250620071326/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2391666/full/ |archive-date=20 June 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025 |website=Oricon |language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2025 |title=国分太一さん、日テレ番組を降板 コンプライアンス上の問題行為 |url=https://www.kochinews.co.jp/article/detail/874934 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250620093125/https://www.kochinews.co.jp/article/detail/874934 |archive-date=20 June 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025 |website=Kochi News |language=Japanese}}</ref> Compliance officers of the broadcaster have revealed that the case is about sexual harassment. Other broadcasters are considering removing Kokubun from their programs. Some sponsors, such as Japanet Holdings, have started removing ads on which he appears.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2025 |title=国分太一さんのコンプライアンス違反はセクハラか 無期限活動休止、出演CMも差し止め |url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20250620-3UYIMJICWFK3NKUR4Q4XJSHQJY/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250620213906/https://www.sankei.com/article/20250620-3UYIMJICWFK3NKUR4Q4XJSHQJY/ |archive-date=20 June 2025 |access-date=20 June 2025 |website=Sankei |language=Japanese}}</ref> As a result, [[TV Tokyo]] cancelled the planned June 22nd broadcast of ''{{ill|Danshi Godan|ja|男子ごはん}}'' and was dropped from the 2025 edition of the {{ill|TV Tokyo Music Festival|ja|テレ東音楽祭}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20250620-RP2VU7YZCVDRJEXJTA42K7GXH4/|title=テレビ東京、「男子ごはん」22日放送分をさしかえ 国分太一さんコンプラ違反の影響拡大|work=The Sankei Shimbun|date=2025-06-20|access-date=2025-06-29|language=ja}}</ref> [[Mainichi Broadcasting System]] also followed suit by cancelling the planned June 21st broadcast of ''{{ill|Tokio Terrace|ja|TOKIOテラス}}''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/2025/06/20/0019131895.shtml|title=ＭＢＳ ２１日の国分太一出演番組「TOKIOテラス」放送休止を発表 今後は「引き続き検討」|date=2025-06-20|work=Daily|access-date=2025-06-29|language=ja}}</ref> [[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]] announced on June 24th that it has dropped him from ''{{ill|Sekai Kurabete Mitara|ja|世界くらべてみたら}}''. Since the show's episodes are recorded in advance, Kokubun would be edited out from the batch of episodes that TBS had scheduled to air at that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tbs.co.jp/information/20250624.html|title= 国分太一さん出演番組について|date=2025-06-24|work=[[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]]|access-date=2025-06-29|language=ja}}</ref>
On November 26, 2025, Kokubun held a press conference where he apologized to everyone affected over the issue that ended his participation as a Tokio member, as well as the suspension of his activities. He also informed about his lawyer filing a petition for human rights relief with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations in October over the response that Nippon Television had, resulting in Kokubun's decision to step down from "The Tetsuwan Dash".<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 November 2025 |title=元TOKIO国分太一氏が会見「心よりお詫び申し上げます」“傷付けてしまった”当事者やファン、関係者に謝罪 |url=https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/965951 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251126064341/https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/965951 |archive-date=26 November 2025 |access-date=26 November 2025 |website=FNN |language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 November 2025 |title=元「TOKIO」の国分太一さんが会見で謝罪 涙ながらに「数日間ですべてを失った」 |url=https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000468869.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251126061012/https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000468869.html |archive-date=26 November 2025 |access-date=26 November 2025 |website=TV Asahi News |language=Japanese}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year/s ! Title ! Medium ! Role ! Notes |- |rowspan=1|1989 || ''Abunai Shōnen III'' || TV || || Uncredited role |- |rowspan=1|1993 || ''Dousoukai'' || TV || Ushio || |- |rowspan=2|1994 || ''Otōsan wa Shinpaisho'' || TV || || |- |''Yagami-kun no Katei no Jijo'' || TV || Koji Yagami || |- |rowspan=2|1995 || ''Haruyo, Koi'' || TV || || |- |''The Chef'' || TV || Taichi || |- |rowspan=1|1996 || ''Glass no Kakeratachi'' || TV || || |- |rowspan=2|1997 || ''Kin no Tamago'' || TV || || |- |''Kenshui Nanako'' || TV || Shinya Aramaki || |- |rowspan=1|1998 || ''Oshigoto Desu'' || TV || || |- |rowspan=2|1999 || ''Yonigeya Honpo'' || TV || || |- |''Shin Oretachi no Tabi'' || TV || || Episode 10 only |- |rowspan=1|2000 || ''Bus Stop'' || TV || Kyugo Abe || |- |rowspan=1|2001 || ''Omae no Yukichi ga Naiteiru'' || TV || || |- |rowspan=2|2002 || ''Otōsan'' || TV || Jiro Yamaguchi || |- |''Engimono'' || TV || || Lead role |- |rowspan=1|2004 || ''Tokio'' || TV || Takumi Miyamoto || Lead role |- |rowspan=2|2005 || ''Hiroshima Showa 20 nen 8 Gatsu Muika'' || TV || Michaki Shigematsu || |- |''Fantistipo'' || Movie || Toraji || Starred with [[KinKi Kids]] member [[Tsuyoshi Domoto]], whom he released the theme song to the movie with |- |rowspan=1|2006 || ''Dance Drill'' || TV || Wataru Ishibashi || |- |rowspan=2|2007 || ''Inochi no Iro Enpitsu'' || TV || || Lead role |- |''Shaberedomo Shaberedomo'' || Movie || Mitsuba || Award a [[Mainichi Film Award]] for Best Actor<ref name="imdb" /> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=1155603}} * [https://starto.jp/s/p/artist/7?lang=en&ima=3816 Tokio Official Website]
{{Tokio}} {{Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor}} {{Starto Entertainment}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kokubun, Taichi}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Higashikurume, Tokyo]] [[Category:Japanese male actors]] [[Category:Japanese keyboardists]] [[Category:Tokio (band) members]] [[Category:Starto Entertainment artists]]