Summary of "【2chまとめ】さっぽろ雪まつりに「スクール水着出演」のグループが謝罪経緯・再発防止策を説明“自由奔放悪餓鬼集団”プランクスターズ【時事ニュース】"

Incident

At the 2026 Sapporo Snow Festival, a member of underground idol group Pranksters (appearing under the agency name Jiyu Honpo in the subtitles) made an unannounced surprise appearance onstage wearing a school-style swimsuit. The stunt prompted online backlash and media attention.

Agency statement and apology

The group’s official X post (reported via Oricon News) issued an apology for causing worry and discomfort. Key points from the agency statement:

The member “acted from her own strong desire and personal judgment,” and the agency said there is no evidence management condoned, directed, or orchestrated the swimsuit appearance.
The agency said it routinely issues guidance about safety, social considerations, and compliance for public events.
The agency acknowledged responsibility for failing to prevent behavior that could be seen as inappropriate and said they would stop the particular event referenced.

The statement emphasized the member’s personal judgment while also accepting responsibility for not preventing the incident.

Planned remedies

To reduce the risk of recurrence, the agency announced measures including:

Strengthening obligations to notify event organizers in advance about appearances and costumes.
Urging members to dress warmly at cold outdoor venues.
Holding a free live show in Nagoya on Feb 14 (announced by the group).

Public reaction

Social media and comment excerpts showed sharply divided responses.

Critics argued:
- The costume and performance were inappropriate for a family-oriented public festival.
- It risked sexualizing young idols and exposed negligence or exploitation by management/organizers.
- There were health and safety concerns given the cold festival conditions.
- Many called for better organizer coordination or for banning such costumes at major events.
Defenders argued:
- The appearance was freedom of expression and the member acted voluntarily.
- The incident generated publicity and attention (some suggested that was the intent).
- Comparisons were made to past entertainers performing in similar outfits at winter events.
Other viewpoints:
- Debate over whether the agency or event organizers were at fault.
- Questions about whether disciplinary action is necessary.
- Discussion about whether prior-notification rules for costumes and appearances should be made stricter.

Broader themes raised

The incident prompted discussion on several wider issues:

Freedom of expression versus public decency and child-protection optics.
Performer safety in extreme weather conditions.
Responsibility and oversight by talent agencies and event organizers.
Whether the surge in attention amounted to intentional publicity.

Presenters / contributors (as named or referenced)

Pranksters (the idol group)
Jiyu Honpo (agency / group affiliation)
Oricon News (news source cited)
Sapporo Snow Festival / event organizers (referenced)
The member who appeared in the school swimsuit (identified in captions as acting on personal judgment; proper name uncertain)
Various public figures and commenters referenced in the subtitles: Kojima Yoshi (Kojima), Yasumura, Satoshi Hironaka, Mayumi Hikaru, Kobayashi Yoshio (and other commenter names mentioned inconsistently)
Video uploader / summarizer: Nami Netsu

Note: Many subtitles appear to be automated transcriptions of social-media comments; some personal names and details are ambiguous or possibly mistranscribed.