SMAP

SMAP is a popular Japanese "idol" group, formed by Johnny & Associates Inc. office. Current members are Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Goro Inagaki and Shingo Katori. (Please note, names are given here in Western personal name-family name order.) The members of SMAP have dominated the Japanese pop cultural landscape from their musical debut in 1991 until the present time (as of 2005), showing incredible longevity for a manufactured group. They produce not just numerous hit singles, but also star in numerous television variety shows, dorama, commercials, movies, etc. They are almost unrivaled in their immense popularity among younger, and especially female, Japanese.

Other projects

Besides singing and acting, the group also manages to be active in numerous forms of media fields as well.

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In the year 2003, three of the books ranked in the years best selling 10 books were released by SMAP: Kimura's "First Essay," Katori's "English Berabera," and also Katori's "Diet Shingo".

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In 2002, the group released a soft drink called "Drink! SMAP" in order to promote a CD of the same name.

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