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NEWS (ニュース, Nyūsu?) is a Japanese pop group from Johnny & Associates, which also produced groups such as SMAP, Tokio, V6, KinKi Kids, Arashi, KAT-TUN and Tackey & Tsubasa.

2003 – 2004: Formation and debut

NewS was formed on September 2003 and consisted of nine members from different Johnny's Jr. groups. The name 'NewS' was derived from the four global directions North, East, West and South and Tomohisa Yamashita was chosen as the leader of the group. On November 7, 2003, their first single was released, NewS Nippon. It was a limited release, available only at 7-Eleven stores (corresponding to the release date of Nov 7) as the 2003 Volleyball Championship's official song.
A month later in December, member Takahiro Moriuchi left Johnny's Entertainment, thus resulting in an eight member group.
May 12, 2004, NEWS released their official debut single, Kibou ~Yell~. Changing the usual styling of their name from 'NewS' to 'NEWS', the single was ranked #1 on the Oricon Charts. The success of this single lead to the release of another single, Akaku Moyuru Taiyou, just three months later.

2005 – 2006: Rise to popularity and scandals

Following their success in 2004, 2005 proved to be a fruitful year as NEWS released another two singles and their first album, touch.
However, just when NEWS seemed to be one of the most popular groups in Japan, on July 16, 2005, member Hiroki Uchi got himself involved in a case of underaged drinking and was suspended by his agency, leaving a seven member NEWS.
On January 31, 2006, Hironori Kusano of the group was accused of another incident of underaged drinking and became the second NEWS member to be suspended.

May 2006: NEWS on hiatus

Releasing their 6th single on 15 March 2006, it was announced that NEWS was to be put on hiatus due to the temporary suspension of two of their members. NEWS held a 'NEWS Spring Tour 2006' before stopping their activities officially on 1 May 2006.
Members who were not related to the scandals were allowed to carry on with their solo activities, but no group activities would be carried on during this period until further notice.

December 2006 – 2007

The return of NEWS

NEWS' return was announced on December 30, 2006, but as a 6 member group. Hiroki Uchi and Hironori Kusano also return but in the demoted position of "trainees". On January 1, 2007, NEWS made their first ever performance after their return in the Johnny's Concert Countdown 2007.
March 21, 2007, NEWS's first single after their hiatus, Hoshi wo Mezashite, ranked on the Oricon charts and became their second highest single after Kibou ~Yell~.
Their single was followed by a two-month concert tour around the nation. A NEWS DVD, Never Ending Wonderful Story, was released on 8 August 2007 featuring the highlights of the tour. A two-day NEWS concert in Taipei was proposed on the 6 October and the 7 October. Unfortunately an unexpected typhoon striking the Taiwanese capital city on the concert's first day resulted in a postponement of the first concert event. Instead, two concerts were held on the second day.

NEWS simultaneously released their 7th single and 2nd album on November 7; both releases reached the top of the Oricon charts, with their single "weeeek" selling 263,000 copies and their album "pacific" selling 196,000 copies.

This was the 10th time in Oricon history in which an artist reached on both the single and the album charts, with the last occurrence achieved by KAT-TUN in April 2006. Other artists whom had accomplished such conține SMAP, KinKi Kids, Masaharu Fukuyama, Ayumi Hamasaki, WANDS, as well as Seiko Matsuda. Those two releases also extended NEWS' streak of chart-toppers — thus far, all seven of their singles and both of their albums had became #1 on the chart rankings.

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