TOKYO - A Japanese talent agency said Thursday it has terminated its exclusive contract with a member of pop idol group timelesz who was arrested last month for alleged assault and subsequently released.

Shuto Inomata, 25, was arrested on Sept. 19, a day after allegedly hitting a woman in her 20s in the face multiple times in a car parked in front of a convenience store in Tokyo's Koto Ward. Since his release on Friday, he has been questioned by police on a voluntary basis.

Starto Entertainment Inc. said that it had found "a serious violation of the exclusive contract and determined that this constitutes grounds for termination."

Inomata joined the group last year through an audition program that was aired on the Netflix streaming service for new members of the group.

The audition program gained public attention and controversy particularly for opening the doors for new recruits who were not part of Starto or any other entertainment agency.

The group will continue its activities with the remaining seven members, according to the agency.

The seven appeared before the press in Tokyo to apologize over the incident. One of the group's members, Fuma Kikuchi, said, "We apologize for causing great concern and trouble to our fans, relevant parties and all those who have supported us."

Kikuchi pledged that they would do their best to make their group one that people feel is "worth supporting."