J-pop star Shinjiro Atae has come out as gay.
The Kyoto-born singer opened up about his sexuality in front of approximately 2,000 fans while speaking at a fan event at Line Cube Shibuya in Tokyo on Wednesday, according to Billboard.
At the event, Atae spoke in detail about his decision to come out and his hopeful intentions for fans who might be facing a similar process. He later posted the news on his Instagram account.
"To all my fans, today was a very special day for me," he wrote. "For years, I struggled to accept a part of myself … but now, after all I have been through, I finally have the courage to open up to you about something. I am a gay man."
Atae admitted to struggling with self-acceptance for a while before finally embracing who he was and making the choice to share it.
"I've come to realize it is better, both for me, and for the people I care about, including my fans, to live life authentically than to live a life never accepting who I truly am," he wrote.
Atae was a founding member of the popular J-pop group AAA, which debuted in 2005 and went on hiatus in 2021. He also pursued a solo music career, gaining over 11,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
To celebrate his coming out, Atae released a new song and music video titled "Into the Light." The song describes his journey of being different versions of himself before finally embracing his true self.
Atae concluded his Instagram post by thanking his fans for their support throughout his career.
"When I think of my work in the entertainment industry and the many things for which I am grateful, it is my relationship with my fans that first comes to mind," he wrote. "I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for standing beside me over the years. I'd also like to thank my family, friends, staff members and my fellow AAA members for providing me their full support throughout this process."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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