STRAITS TIMES



 

Remember former Japanese pop idol Katsuyuki Mori?

A former member of popular boy band Smap, he shocked the Japanese entertainment industry in 1996 when he quit the group to pursue a motorcycle-racing career.

After competing for 24 years, the 46-year-old has now fulfilled his dream of winning a major championship. He came in first in Japan's national championship in motorcycle speedway on Tuesday (Nov 3).

Japan's Kyodo News reported Mori as saying: "I owe this to my friends and all my fans. I want to share (the joy) with my father, who has been my biggest supporter."

Smap also comprised five other members - Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Shingo Katori.

Three of Mori's former band mates lost no time in congratulating him for his achievement.

Katori, 43, posted an old photo of him with Mori, Inagaki, 46, and Kusanagi, 46, on Instagram, writing: "We shed tears for Mori again. We shed tears when he left us and shed tears three years ago when we reunited for the first time in 21 years. We shed tears for him again today as he becomes the best racer in Japan.

"Congratulations on being the best in Japan. Let's meet again."

According to the Japanese media, Kimura, 47, has sent his congratulations through his agency Johnny & Associates, while former group leader Nakai, 48, has called Mori personally to congratulate him.

After debuting in 1988, Smap have churned out chart-topping hits such as Lion Heart and The Only Flower In The World. They also had chart-topping TV shows, individually and as a group.

Smap, which stands for "Sports Music Assemble People", disbanded in 2016.