Shigeaki Katō

Biography

Shigeaki Kato (加藤 シゲアキ, Katō Shigeaki; born July 11, 1987) 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.

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)

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
AmberS (2026) 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)