Takuya Kimura

Takuya Kimura (Kimura Takuya, nicknamed Kimutaku; born on November 13, 1972) is an actor and a member of the Japanese idol group SMAP. Many of the TV dramas he starred in produced high ratings in Japan.

Born in Tokyo, Kimura lived in Minoo, Osaka Prefecture until he was six years old. Then, Takuya Kimura lived and attended elementary school and junior high school in Chiba. One of his relatives sent in the application to the Johnny & Associates talent agency, which specializes in young male teen idols, and he became a member of Johnny's Juniors, a group of trainees, in 1987. Then Takuya Kimura became one of the 12 members in a unit called "Skate Boys". Skate Boys used to be backup dancers of Hikaru Genji, which at the time was a very popular group. In 1988, SMAP was created, and he joined. The group then consisted of six members: Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Katsuyuki Mori, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Shingo Katori; Katsuyuki Mori later left SMAP to pursue an autoracing career in mid 90s. After SMAP was formed, each member pursued an individual career by starring in B-list dramas. Their first single "Can't Stop!! ~Lovin." was released in 1991, but it received mixed reviews. When SMAP had their first concert, the hall was almost empty, too.

(Source: Wikipedia )