Is It a Blessing in Disguise that Teruyuki Kagawa has Been Dropped from the Toyota Board of Directors?

Actor Teruyuki Kagawa (56), who was reported to have allegedly sexually assaulted a female hostess at an exclusive club, has had his commercials terminated. Kagawa had appeared in TV commercials for seven well-known companies, including Toyota Motor Corporation, but as of February 2, five companies have announced that they will suspend the broadcasts or expire his contract.

The unexpected true face of the successful actor has been revealed, but it is not only in the drinking scene that Kagawa changes.

It’s driving. Kagawa used to drive his manager’s car to TV stations and other places, but he drove his own luxury Range Rover to the Kabuki-za Theater, which he was accustomed to going to. We shared the same direction of return several times, but he was quite a speed freak. He never slowed down at all, even on narrow alleys where children might run out. When I grabbed the steering wheel, he drove as if he was telling me to get out of his way. One time, we were driving on a rainy highway when Kagawa’s car passed us at a very high speed. Considering our speed, he was driving at more than 120 kilometers per hour.” (A source from a pear orchard)

Before the ugly incident, Kagawa had been extremely busy as an actor, MC, and CM, so one might think that he had been pressed by his schedule.

“But I don’t think so,” he said. Even though he had to repeatedly interrupt his work to get to the next site, Mr. Kagawa would get out of the car and leisurely enjoy several cigarettes. I guess his personality comes out in his driving. I was wondering if he would be able to drive like this even though he was appearing in a commercial for an automobile company.

Toyota Motor Corporation and Saison Automobile & Fire Insurance Co. for both companies, their cancellation of his contract may have been a blessing in disguise.