🇯🇵 STRAY KIDS JAPAN COMEBACK: SUIATSU 📅 2026.11.25 (Wed) Release With a new Japanese comeback officially on the way, here’s what International STAYs (ISTAYs) should know about how Japanese releases work—and why our strategy will look very different from a Korean comeback. 🇯🇵 JAPANESE RELEASES HAVE LONGER ROLLOUTS Japanese releases typically have a long promotional rollout, often beginning 8–12 weeks in advance, so don't be surprised by how early information starts arriving. For Stray Kids, this often includes daily teaser images across their Japanese social media accounts, followed by album details, concept photos, pre-orders, track information and other promotional content. Please note that we do not receive a release timeline/scheduler for JP comebacks. The title track is also commonly released digitally on all streaming platforms before the physical/full album, sometimes approximately two weeks ahead of the official album release date. 🌎 RELEASE TIMES ARE DIFFERENT Unlike Korean releases, which normally release simultaneously worldwide at 1 PM KST, Japanese releases generally become available at midnight in each country/region. So unlike the platform distribution delays we experienced with THIS & THAT, Japan and other earlier time zones receiving the song before countries farther west is intentional this is referred to as a "rolling release". Don't panic when you see JSTAYs already streaming while you're still waiting for midnight! 📊 JAPANESE CHARTS Only eligible consumption within Japan contributes to domestic Japanese charts such as Oricon. The easiest comparison for newer STAYs is to think of Oricon as roughly Japan's equivalent of Korea's Circle Chart—it measures performance within the Japanese music market. For ISTAYs, our focus shifts toward supporting the release internationally, including: • Streaming the title track and album on our usual platforms • Boosting the official Music Video • Supporting worldwide platform charts • Pushing the release on iTunes charts globally For coordinated iTunes purchasing, keep an eye on Stray Kids Global, who will release mass-purchasing information closer to the title track release. 🇺🇸 WHAT ABOUT BILLBOARD? Unlike a Korean comeback, Billboard 200 is not one of our primary targets for a Japanese release. Remember ONLY albums distributed within the USA count towards the BB 200 chart & JP albums do not have direct distribution in the USA. JSTAYs will focus on purchases, downloads and streams for Japan Billboard charts. Our international strategy will therefore look very different from the strategy you just saw during THIS & THAT. 🗳️ NO KOREAN MUSIC SHOW VOTING Japanese releases are not promoted through the regular Korean music-show cycle, so: You DO NOT need to collect music-show voting currency for SUIATSU. No Mubeat. No Muniverse. No Idolchamp. No music-show live voting preparation. Save those accounts and currencies for the next Korean comeback. 📻 I-STAYs CAN HELP WITH USEN One area where Global STAYs CAN directly help JSTAYs is requesting the new Japanese title track through USEN, a Japanese radio/music broadcasting service. There is no voting currency to collect for this—participation is account-based. Our team will provide updated USEN information and instructions closer to the release so ISTAYs who want to participate can help. 📺 ABOUT JAPANESE PROMOTIONAL CONTENT This is something we especially want ISTAYs to understand. Japanese entertainment, broadcasting and copyright rules are significantly stricter than what many international fans are accustomed to. Variety appearances, television performances, interviews and other promotional content may be distributed exclusively within Japan or through region-restricted platforms. Please DO NOT attack or accuse JSTAYs of "gatekeeping" when they tell you that they cannot upload, redistribute or share certain Japanese content internationally. They are not trying to selfishly keep content from the rest of the fandom. They are respecting the rules and restrictions they are subject to in their home country, and unauthorized redistribution can carry severe consequences. Some of the Japanese content and translations that eventually reach ISTAYs are shared by Japanese-speaking STAYs outside Japan or by accounts willing and able to make information accessible internationally. Please show respect and gratitude toward the accounts that help bridge that gap for ISTAYs rather than demanding content from JSTAYs who cannot safely provide it. 🎤 RUN IT TOUR + SUIATSU PROMOTIONS During the DominATE Tour, Stray Kids spent extended periods of time in Japan in between shows, and much of the promotional content released throughout the HOLLOW promotional period appears to have been filmed around those tour stops. We could see something similar this time. Stray Kids are scheduled to spend approximately two weeks in Japan for RUN IT Tour dates, which could provide an opportunity to film promotional appearances and other content while they are already in the country which will alter be released over the course of the JP promotions. It also would not be unusual for the new Japanese title track to make its way into the JP concerts as promotion for the upcoming release. However, that is speculation for now—not a confirmed schedule or setlist. 💿 BUYING THE ALBUM AS AN ISTAY Japan has STAY JAPAN membership-exclusive album versions/benefits tied specifically to the Japanese fanclub system. The membership and purchasing systems are tightly controlled, so these exclusive options generally aren't something ISTAYs can simply purchase like a normal album version. But don't worry; ISTAYs still have plenty of options! For International STAYs purchasing regular album versions, we strongly recommend established Japanese retailers that offer international purchasing/shipping, including: 🇯🇵 Tower Records Japan 🇯🇵 @CDJapan - our team orders from CDJapan and the shipping is extremely reasonable. Depending on the album edition, retailer and purchasing period, ISTAYs may also have opportunities to receive retailer-exclusive POBs/benefits. 📱 FOLLOW STRAY KIDS JAPAN Japanese comebacks have their own dedicated promotional accounts, so FOLLOW ALL OF STRAY KIDS' JAPANESE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS if you want information as soon as it drops: X: xitter.cf/Stray_Kids_JP YouTube: youtube.com/@StrayKidsJapanO… Instagram: instagram.com/straykids_offi… TikTok: tiktok.com/@straykids_japan Official Website: straykidsjapan.com/ ❤️ ON A PERSONAL NOTE FROM OUR TEAM Stray Kids' Japanese releases are often under-promoted and undervalued by ISTAYs, and our team genuinely believes we're missing out when we treat Japanese comebacks as something separate or less important. Our entire team has a deep love for SKZ's Japanese discography because these releases often give us a different side of Stray Kids. They explore sounds, concepts, styling and visual aesthetics that can feel distinctly different from their Korean releases while still being unmistakably SKZ. Songs like CIRCUS, THE SOUND, Social Path, GIANT and HOLLOW aren't side projects—they're part of Stray Kids' discography and their growth as artists. So while the goals and the way ISTAYs participate will be different this time, we hope Global STAYs show up for SUIATSU with the same excitement we bring to every Stray Kids release. You don't need voting accounts loaded. You don't need to prepare for Korean music shows. Japanese comebacks are much more laid back for ISTAYs which make them much easier to thoroughly enjoy. #StrayKids #スキズ #スキズ_4th_Mini #JAPAN_4th_Mini_Album #SKZ_SUIATSU