Shigeaki Katō

is a Japanese musician, writer, actor and a member of the J-pop group NEWS, from ELOV-Label formerly known as Johnny's Entertainment.

Early life and career Kato was born in Hiroshima, Japan, but he grew up in Osaka Prefecture and Yokohama-shi. He joined Johnny's Entertainment on April 17, 1999 when he was 11 years-old. As a junior he was a member of the organizations Best Beat Boys (B.B.B.), Boys Be Ambitious (B.B.A.), Best Beat Dancing (B.B.D.), Beautiful American Dreams (B.A.D.) and J-support (later changed to K.K.Kity).

He debuted as a member of NEWS in 2003. Along with other NEWS members, he plays the guitar, composing some of NEWS' songs, including his own solo "Kakao" in 2002, which he composed the lyrics to.

In 2010, he graduated from the Faculty of Law of Aoyama Gakuin University.

Aside from music, Kato has also establish himself as an author. During early days of NEWS, he felt his presence in the group was falling behind and didn't have much solo work like other members. This combined with the lack of group activities in 2011, Kato decided that he wanted to do something not only for his career but for the band, so after getting permission from management to write a novel, he started writing Pink and Gray and finished the book in less than a year. On January 28, 2012, the book was published. This make Kato the first idol in Johnny & Associates to become an author.

Pink and Gray was later adapted into a movie in 2016, directed by Isao Yukisada and stars Yuto Nakajima formerly of Hey! Say! JUMP.

Kato has received several accolades for his written works. His 2020 novel Alternate was nominated for the Naoki Prize. In 2021, the book won Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Award for New Writers and the High School Students Naoki Prize. Alternate was also nominated for Japan Booksellers' Award.

He received a second Naoki Prize nomination in 2023, for Nare no hate.

On August 27, 2025, it was confirmed that Kato will star as Sam in the Japanese production of Danny Robins' play 2:22 A Ghost Story, directed by Shintaro Mori. The play will run from February 6 until March 16, 2026 and also stars Wakana Aoi, Nao Minamisawa and Satoru Matsuo.

Private life On March 3, 2024, Shigeaki announced through his groups' official website that he is getting married. The date of the ceremony has not been disclosed.

Discography Year Title Details 2005 Survival Featured in DVD Nippon East to West Spring Concert 2007 Duet with NEWS member, Keiichiro Koyama. Featured in album pacific Duet with NEWS member, Keiichiro Koyama. Featured in DVD Never Ending Wonderful Story Featured in DVD Never Ending Wonderful Story 2008 HAPPY MUSIC Featured in DVD NEWS Concert Tour Pacific 2007 2008 – The First Tokyo Dome Concert Duet with NEWS member, Keiichiro Koyama. Featured in album color 2009 Featured in DVD NEWS Live Diamond 2010 Duet with NEWS member, Keiichiro Koyama. Featured in DVD NEWS Dome Party 2010 Live! Live! Live! DVD! 2012 Featured in single Chankapana 2013 Dreamcatcher Featured in album NEWS 2015 ESCORT Featured in album White 2016 Featured in album QUARTETTO 2017 Featured in album NEVERLAND 2018 Featured in album EPCOTIA 2019 Featured in album WORLDISTA 2020 Narrative Featured in album STORY 2022 Agitato Featured in album Ongaku2023Ninjo Shinju (人情心中)Featured in album NEWS EXPO2024almondFeatured in album JAPANEWS2025CocoonFeatured in album Henshin

Filmography

Dramas

Variety shows

Stage plays Osaka Theater Drama City: August 2 – August 82009SEMINARLauren The Globe Tokyo: May 17 – June 3 Osaka Theater Drama City: June 9 – June 1420116 gatsu no Bitter OrangeTatsuya Fukano The Globe Tokyo: June 3 – June 26 Morinomiya Piloti Hall, Osaka: July 1 – July 62014Naka no HitoKoichi Sakazaki The Globe Tokyo: April 25 – May 11 Osaka Theater Drama City: May 16 – May 182017The Green MilePaul Edgecomb The Globe Tokyo: September 30 – October 22 Morinomiya Piloti Hall, Osaka: April 8 – April 102023Edmond: The Man Who Wrote Cyrano de BergeracEdmond Rostand New National Theater, Tokyo: April 1 – April 16 Higashiosaka City Cultural Creation Center Dream House Large Hall: April 22 – April 242025 PARCO Theater, Tokyo: April 7 – April 30 Higashiosaka City Cultural Creation Center Dream House Large Hall: May 9 – May 10 Fukuoka Civic Hall Large Hall: May 17 – May 18 Toyota Civic Cultural Center Large Hall: May 24Katashiro～Relive vol.2～Patient PARCO Theater, Tokyo: August 220262:22 A Ghost StorySam Theater Creation, Tokyo: February 6 – March 1 Tokai City Arts Theater Large Hall: March 6 – March 8 Sky Tower MBS, Osaka: March 12 – March 16

Films Pink and Gray (2016, cameo appearance) Shibuya, 1 and 0 (2022, directed and starred) SUNA (『MIRRORLIAR FILMS Season 7』, May 9, 2025, directed and starred)

Other works

Essay Dekiru koto nara Steed de (Essay collection, Asahi shinbun sha, March 6, 2020) Cuba no reimei (Asahi shinbun sha『shousetu TRIPPER』Spring edition 2016) Dekiru koto nara Steed de (Asahi shinbun sha『shousetu TRIPPER』Winter edition 2016 – 2019) Last Trip Mitei

Novels Pink and Gray (Kadokawa Shoten, 2012) Senko Scramble (Kadokawa Shoten, 2013) Burn (Kadokawa Shoten, 2014) Kasa wo Motanai Aritachi wa (Kadokawa Shoten, 2015) tuberose de matteru【AGE22】(Fusou sha『shu-kan SPA!』, 2016) tuberose de matteru【AGE32】(Fusou sha, 2017) Alternate (Shinchosha, 2020) Nare no hate (Kodansha, 2023) Miakis Symphony (Magazine House, 2025)

Productions Kasa wo Motanai Aritachi wa (2016) as Original work Pink and Gray (2016) as Original work

Radio SHIGET TOGETHER (2005 – 2008, Sundays weekly from 11:00 pm~11:30 pm, FM-FUJI) SORASHIGE BOOK (2011 – present, Sundays weekly from 11:00 pm~11:30 pm, FM Yokohama) Kato Shigeaki Sasanai Sawai (May 1, 2024, August 30, 2025, JOLF)

Short story Daiji na mono (Kadokawa Shoten,『shousetsu Yasei jidai』January 2016) Oresama no iutoori (Kadokawa Shoten,『shousetsu Yasei jidai』August 2016) Watashi to Torida Ageha (Kadokawa,『Lawson Walker 50th Anniversary Book』June 13, 2025) Thirty Stripes (Asahi shinbun sha,『shousetsu TRIPPER』Summer 2025 Issue, June 17, 2025)

Serialization Wagahai wa Shige de aru (Johnny's web, 2005 – 2008) Aoi hitorigoto (Shueisha『Myojo』July 2006 – June 2011) photo shigenic (Wani Books『Wink Up』December 2007 – March 2016) GIRL FRIENDS (Shueisha『Myojo』May 2012 – October 2019) Shigeaki no Cloud (Johnny's web, November 2015 – 2023, FAMILY CLUB web, 2023 – April 2025) Shigeaki no Koe (FAMILY CLUB web April 2025 – present) Dekiru koto nara Steed de (Asahi shinbun sha『shousetsu TRIPPER』Winter edition 2016 – 2019) Sidecar Sanka (RiCE press『RiCE』February 4, 2022 – present)