Rock band SOPHIA will cease activities after a final performance at Nippon Budokan on August 12th.
Vocalist Mitsuru Matsuoka has expressed his views on this sudden announcement, but has stated that the group came to the decision together, saying that it was "decided by the five of us".
SOPHIA began their career 1994 and had their major debut in 1995, enjoying almost twenty years of activity. In 2010, the group went on hiatus when their keyboardist Miyako Keiichi was diagnosed with lymphoma. It is currently unknown whether the band is planning any new releases before their final performance.
