Profile

	Name	Yamashita Tomohisa 「山下 智久」
	Nickname	Yamapi, P, Tomo
	Birthplace	Chiba, Japan
	Birthdate	April 9, 1985
	Bloodtype	A
	Height	173cm (5' 8")
	Profession	Singer, Actor

Yamashita joined the famed Johnny's Jimusho talent agency at the age of 11 in 1996. He wanted to go into the entertainment industry when he saw a drama starring a young actor/musician, Takizawa Hideaki, who is just a few years older than him. He decided that he also wanted to become an actor, and successful auditioned for Johnny's Jimusho, an agency known for producing Japan's biggest male idols and groups such as SMAP and KinKi Kids.

His big break came at the age of 14, when he started hosted the Johnny's Jr. television program, The Shounen Club with fellow 4Tops members. Through this show, he gained a lot of exposure and had many opportunities to perform on stage, and he quickly rose to the top as one of the most popular Johnny's Jr.

In 2003, he was placed into the newly formed group NEWS with eight other members. It was only supposed to be a temporary unit, but they went on to officially debut in 2004 and released 17 #1 singles and albums during his time in the group. He officially withdrew from the group in October 2011 in order to concentrate on his solo career.

Yamashita is also one of the few talents within the agency who successfully made the transition into acting. His role in the 2000 drama Ikebukuro West Gate Park earned him recognition for Best Newcomer, but his breakthrough role came in the 2005 drama, Nobuta wo Produce, and set the stage for bigger roles in the future. In 2006, he finally got his first starring role in Kurosagi, and has been leading dramas and movies ever since.