日本流行音樂天團SMAP正式確定年底解散
One of Asia's biggest pop groups, SMAP, is to break up at the end of the year after a 25-year career.
亞洲最大流行音樂天團SMAP在出道25年之後，將於今年年底正式解散。The Japanese boy band, which sold 35m records up to last year, will disband on 31 December, its management agency said last Sunday.
據該日本男子組合的管理部門上週日表示，單曲總銷量在3500萬張以上的該樂團將於12月31日正式解散。Rumours of a split had been rife since the turn of the year, but had all previously been denied.
自從今年年初以來，就有謠言傳出組合成員之間交惡，但是此前他們一直都否認這一說法。
Its five members, who are aged between 39 and 43, are now expected to pursue solo careers.
年齡在39到43歲之間的樂隊5名成員預計將各自單飛。
The band, formed in 1988, has built up a huge fanbase in Japan and throughout Asia with members appearing frequently in films, soap operas, and commercials.
SMAP於1988年出道，在日本及整個亞洲建立起了一個龐大的粉絲團體，樂隊成員頻繁出現在電影、電視劇和廣告中。Members of SMAP, which stands for "Sports Music Assemble People", have also appeared on cookery shows and Japanese coverage of the Rio Olympics.
此外，SMAP（全稱Sports Music Assemble People）的成員也同樣出現在烹飪節目和日本轉播里約奧運會的節目中。Their popularity has even made them ambassadors for diplomatic relations between Japan, China and South Korea. In 2011, they were the first Japanese pop group to visit China in a decade, amid a row between the countries over disputed territory. Their Beijing concert was attended by 40,000 people.
SMAP的聲望甚至曾經使得他們成爲了中日韓外交關係大使。2011年，SMAP成爲了10年來第一次訪問中國的日本流行組合，當時中日兩國曾因爭議領土而爆發爭端。SMAP當時在北京舉行的那場演唱會共有40000名粉絲出席。A statement by the group's managers Johnny and Associates said they were "truly and deeply pained and sorry" to not be able to take part in 25th anniversary celebrations.
據SMAP經紀人傑尼斯事務所發表的一份聲明表示，團隊成員爲不能參加成立25週年紀念日感到“誠摯的痛苦和遺憾”。
