B&ZAI, an eight-member Junior (pre-debut) group under STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, will host the radio program “Banzai shiyou ze ~Ready for B&ZAI~” (バンザイしようぜ！~Ready for B&ZAI~), which will be broadcast every Thursday at 20:00 JST beginning October 1. Produced by Japan FM Network Co., Ltd. (JFNC), this will be the first regular radio show held by this rising group known for band-style performances.
In May 2026, the unit successfully performed at Nippon Budokan, marking the first solo concert at the historic venue by a Junior group in approximately 31 years.
“Banzai shiyou ze ~Ready for B&ZAI~” is a feel-good radio program where B&ZAI and their listeners can have a good time together. “We’re so happy! The radio show we’ve been hoping for has finally started!” the eight members said enthusiastically as they kicked things off. They also expressed their determination, saying, “We’ll work hard so that the eight of us can keep going together for a long, long time!”
B&ZAI‘s strength lies in their band-style performances. During the opening introductions, Michiharu Inaba, who plays violin; Rinne Sugeta, who plays saxophone; and Rei Yabana, who plays bass, each perform live with their respective instruments. Their performances add a lively flourish to the launch of the program, which will feature all the members in its first two episodes.
In the second episode, the show will feature a segment called “Moyaっと Banzai!,” which, born from an idea suggested by the members themselves, invites listeners to submit those little nagging feelings they sometimes experience in everyday life — stuff that make them think “Is it just me?” or “This doesn’t feel right!.” An incident involving Rei and a plastic bottle is set to unfold…?!
Furthermore, the program is accepting messages for the artists, ordinary listener submissions, and suggestions for topics that listeners would like the show to cover in the future.
In addition, Rei Yabana has been announced to host a special solo radio program, “B&ZAI’s Rei Yabana’s RADIO SESSION” (B&ZAI 矢花黎の RADIO SESSION), which will begin broadcasting Thursday, October 13 at 19:00 JST.
The show will take an in-depth look, through the medium of sound, at the latest developments in musical instruments, music-production culture, and artists’ passion for their instruments. It will also feature a special segment in collaboration with the hands-on event Tokyo Musical Instrument Expo 2026, which will be held at the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation on October 31 and November 1.
The program is also inviting listeners to submit emails for several of its segments. In “B&ZAI Rei Yabana’s Musical Instrument Concierge,” listeners can share details such as their personality, hobbies, and special skills, and Rei will analyze them and recommend the musical instrument that he thinks suits them best. In “Kuchiband!” (“Mouth Band!”), listeners will submit recordings of themselves making “mouth guitar” or “mouth drum” sounds. Rei will mix these with his live playing to create an imaginary band session.
In “Songs So Good You’ll Want to B&ZAI During the Instrument Solo,” the broadcast will introduce tracks with instrument performances so incredibly cool that they make you want to shout “Banzai!” Rather than focusing on the song as a whole, the segment will take a passionate, enthusiast-level look at the appeal of music and instruments from a highly specific perspective—such as a guitar solo that sends shivers down your spine or a bassline that gives you chills, asking, “This particular instrument’s sound in this song is just irresistible!”
Rei commented: “I’m B&ZAI’s Rei Yabana, a band-oriented bassist and a graduate of a music university, and I’m very excited to be hosting a radio program on my own for the first time. During our planning meetings, I really hit it off with the staff, and I hope we can create a radio show that’s both catchy and delightfully nerdy about music—something that everyone can enjoy, whether they’re knowledgeable about music or not. I hope this gives you an opportunity to become even more passionate about music! That’s the spirit I’ll be bringing to the program, so I hope you’ll look forward to it.”