JO1

Overview

JO1 (Japanese: ジェイオーワン) is a Japanese boy band formed through the first season of Produce 101 Japan and managed by LAPONE Entertainment, a joint venture between Yoshimoto Kogyo and CJ ENM. They debuted on March 4, 2020 with the single Protostar and its lead track "Infinity". Unlike earlier Produce 101 winning groups, JO1 has no restriction on its activity period, making it the first permanent Produce 101 group. The current nine members are Issei Mamehara, Ren Kawashiri, Takumi Kawanishi, Ruki Shiroiwa, Keigo Sato, Syoya Kimata, Junki Kono, Sukai Kinjo, and Sho Yonashiro. Shion Tsurubo and Shosei Ohira left in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

The group has achieved ten consecutive Oricon number-one singles, eight number-one songs and three consecutive number-one albums on Billboard Japan charts, two Excellent Work Awards at the Japan Record Awards, and RIAJ streaming certifications for "Love Seeker", "SuperCali", and "Be Classic". Their fan club is named JAM, from "JO1 And Me".

The name JO1 means that the trainees who pursued their dreams together in Produce 101 Japan will come together and aim for the top of the world. JAM also reflects fans as a force that enhances JO1, like jam on bread, and the wish to completely fill live venues.

Career

2019: Formation

Around 6,000 people applied for Produce 101 Japan, which aired from September 2019, and the final 11 members were chosen by viewer votes on December 11. The fan club opened on December 12. Members had varied backgrounds: Ren Kawashiri had danced for SMAP, Tomohisa Yamashita and Wanna One; Ruki Shiroiwa was formerly in Johnny's Jr.; Shion Tsurubo trained at FNC Entertainment; Kawanishi, Kinjo, Kono, and Yonashiro had no prior dance or vocal training.

2020: Debut and The Star

Before debut, JO1 held six fan meeting shows at Pacifico Yokohama and Orix Theater, drawing about 20,000 people, after a one-month boot camp in South Korea. Protostar (March 4) topped the Oricon chart with over 320,000 first-week copies, making JO1 the seventh artist to pass 300,000 with a debut single, and "Infinity" topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100. Their second single Stargazer (August 26) was co-produced by Pentagon's Hui on "Oh-Eh-Oh" and made remotely during the pandemic; Yonashiro wrote lyrics for the first time. They headlined Tokyo Girls Collection in September, released their first album The Star in November, appeared at the FNS Music Festival, and held the online concert Starlight with about 120,000 viewers from over 30 countries. They won the MTV VMAJ Rising Star Award, the MAMA Best New Asian Artist award, and were named a Best 5 New Artist at the Japan Gold Disc Awards.

2021: Open the Door

JO1 appeared on M Countdown in February and released Challenger (April), Stranger (August, over 360,000 first-week copies, their best at that point), and Wandering (December, over 516,000, their first half-million seller). Kinjo took a temporary break in October to focus on treatment. In November they held their first in-person concert, Open the Door, at Makuhari Messe for 45,000 fans, and they won Best Asian Artist Japan at MAMA.

2022: Kizuna and the first arena tour

Kinjo's return was announced in February, and the documentary film JO1 THE MOVIE 'Mikansei' -Go to the TOP- opened in March. They began a regular radio show, collaborated with Stray Kids' 3RACHA on "YOLO-konde", released the album Kizuna (May 25) and the mobile game &JO1, and held their first arena tour from September to October (13 shows, 110,000 attendees). Midnight Sun (October) sold over 600,000 copies in its first week. They won Best Live Performance at MTV VMAJ and Favorite Asian Artist at MAMA, the only Japanese group to do so.

2024–2025

JO1 received the K-POP Overseas Artist award at the 2024 Korea Grand Music Awards and Favorite Asian Artist at the 2025 MAMA Awards. They released a live recording of their Kyocera Dome Osaka show in November 2024, followed in 2025 by "Infinity 2025" (March), "BE CLASSIC" (with a Special Edition and an English version), "Be brave!" (May), "Hiraku" (August), "Handz In My Pocket" (September, with English and Special Edition versions), and "Santa-san e." (December).

Musical Style

JO1 is a J-POP dance-oriented group with notable creative involvement, including member lyric writing, the self-produced "YOLO-konde" stage where members handled choreography, makeup, and costumes, and band-arranged versions of their songs.