STARTO Entertainment Faces Talent Exodus as Ex-Junior Debuts Elsewhere in One Year

Koji Mimura, who left STARTO Entertainment in June 2025 after six years as a junior member of Go!Go!kids, debuted July 31 with the new eight-member idol group iiONDO under Stardust Promotion. His rapid return to the stage after just one year has reignited debate about STARTO’s junior training system and the risk of losing young talent to rival agencies.

How Mimura went from STARTO to iiONDO in one year

Mimura spent six years training at STARTO Entertainment before his departure in June 2025. He opened an Instagram account on July 1, 2025, and auditioned for the televised competition EBiDAN THE AUDITION 2026 on TV Tokyo. His prior experience as a junior gave him a competitive edge in stage presence and performance. On July 31, 2026, he announced his selection as a member of iiONDO, a new group positioned as the successor to the five-member idol group M!LK.

STARTO’s backlog of waiting trainees grows

STARTO Entertainment’s most recent debut was the group Aeh! group in 2024. In 2025, the agency formed three new groups: KEY TO LIT, ACEes, and B&ZAAI, but none have announced debut dates. Some members are now in their late twenties, facing extended waits that exceed industry norms. The delay has prompted online criticism, with social media users urging the agency to accelerate debuts rather than keep trainees in holding patterns for years.

Other ex-STARTO members find success elsewhere

Mimura is not alone. White Iwa Ruki from JO1 and Taji Shogo from INI both left STARTO as juniors and now serve as core members of their respective groups. IMP. members all departed STARTO in 2023 and joined TOBE, debuting with the digital single ‘CRUISIN” in August 2023. These repeated exits suggest a pattern of talented trainees seeking opportunities elsewhere when STARTO’s timeline stalls.

What this means for STARTO’s talent pipeline

Industry observers warn that each successful departure accelerates the trend. If more ex-STARTO members achieve prominence under other agencies, younger trainees may lose patience and seek new homes before reaching their prime years. The iiONDO debut marks the group’s first public performance at EBiDAN THE LIVE 2026 on August 13-16 at Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium, giving Mimura immediate visibility and validating his decision to leave.

Final Thoughts

STARTO Entertainment faces a retention crisis as talented juniors find faster paths to stardom elsewhere. With members aging in extended waits and competitors actively recruiting departures, the agency must accelerate its debut strategy or risk losing more promising talent to rivals.

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