The Japanese boy band, which sold 35m records up to last year, will disband on 31 December, its management agency said on Sunday.

据杰尼斯在周日表示，这个日本国民级男子乐团(单曲总销量3500万张以上)将于十二月31日正式解散。

Rumours of a split had been rife since the turn of the year, but had all previously been denied.

自从今年年初以来，谣言纷纷传说乐队成员之间交恶，但是此前他们一直都否认这一说法。

Its five members, who are aged between 39 and 43, are now expected to pursue solo careers.

乐队的5名成员(年龄在39到43岁之间)现在预计将各自单飞。

The band, formed in 1988, has built up a huge fanbase in Japan and throughout Asia with members appearing frequently in films, soap operas, and commercials.

SMAP于1988年出道，在日本及整个亚洲建立起了一个庞大的粉丝团，乐队成员频繁出现在电影、电视剧和广告中。

Members of SMAP, which stands for "Sports Music Assemble People", have also appeared on cookery shows and Japanese coverage of the Rio Olympics.

SMAP(全称Sports Music Assemble People“体育音乐人组合”)也同样出现在烹饪节目和日本转播里约奥运会的节目中。

Their popularity has even made them ambassadors for diplomatic relations between Japan, China and South Korea.

SMAP的声望甚至曾经使得他们成为中日韩外交关系大使。

In 2011, they were the first Japanese pop group to visit China in a decade, amid a row between the countries over disputed territory. Their Beijing concert was attended by 40,000 people.

2011年，SMAP成为了10来第一次访问中国的日本流行组合，当时中日两国曾因有争议领土而爆发争端。SMAP当时在北京举行的那场演唱会共有40000人出席。

A statement by the group’s managers Johnny and Associates said they were "truly and deeply pained and sorry" to not be able to take part in 25th anniversary celebrations.

据SMAP经纪人杰尼斯事务所发表的一份声明表示，团队成员为不能参加成立25周年纪念日感到“诚挚的痛苦和遗憾”。