Three EXILE Members to End Their Activities as Performers

It was announced that Matsumoto Toshio, USA and MAKIDAI of EXILE will end their activities as the group’s performers by the end of the year.

The three performers have been members of EXILE since the very beginning. They had worked together before the group was formed in the first "generation" of J Soul Brothers (which was eventually merged into EXILE in 2001) and even earlier, in another group called BABY NAIL.

The members posted joint and individual comments on the group’s website saying that the end of their activities with EXILE is "not a graduation or retirement, but a new challenge".

It was also announced that the three members will now focus on their solo projects. Matsumoto Toshio will remain a member of the acting group Gekidan EXILE and will broaden his activities as a stage performer. USA is going to focus on his solo project DANCE EARTH, which has already announced the release of a new single. MAKIDAI is expected to continue his career as DJ MAKIDAI as well as his activities with the unit PKCZ® (which also features EXILE’s HIRO, VERBAL of m-flo and DJ DARUMA).