Three years after the split of J-pop boy band Smap, their army of fans across Asia can look forward to a new album by its most popular member, Takuya Kimura.

The Japanese superstar announced on his radio show, Takuya Kimura Flow Supported By GYAO!, on Sunday (Sept 29) that he would be launching his debut solo album in January next year.

He has invited a strong ensemble to help him write and perform the songs, including singer-songwriters Naotaroō Moriyama and Noriyuki Makihara, Koshi Inaba, one-half of rock duo B'z, rock band Alexandros vocalist Yoohei Kawakami and rock band Love Psychedelico.

According to Ming Pao Daily News, several of the musicians have links to Smap or Kimura. Makihara composed Smap's popular song, Sekai Ni Hitotsu Dake No Hana (The One And Only Flower In The World) in 2003, while Moriyama has taken part in Japanese television programme Music Station with Smap. Kimura was a guest singer at B'z's 30th-anniversary concert last year.

Kimura, who is also famous for acting in television series such as Long Vacation (1996), Beautiful Life (2000) and Hero (2001), returned to acting after Smap's dissolution. He has acted in movies such as Blade Of The Immortal (2017), Killing For The Prosecution (2018) and Masquerade Hotel (2019). His new television serial, Grand Maison Tokyo, is scheduled to be screened on Oct 20.

Kimura, 46, is married to pop idol Shizuka Kudo, 49. The couple have two daughters, Kokomi, 18, and Mitsuki, 16. Mitsuki, better known as Koki, made her modelling debut in May last year.