Masahiro Matsuoka & Taichi Kokubun Discussed in 2.5 hour bar meeting in Nishiazabu

He was wearing sunglasses even though it was 9:30 pm. Masahiro Matsuoka (45), whose two-block long hair stood out more than anything else, was walking along the main street in Nishiazabu (Minato Ward).

He was followed a little later by Taichi Kokubun (48), who went straight into a multi-tenant building with a number of bars. I thought this was a very unusual combination, but it turned out that this was the first time the two had been drinking together in Tokyo.

After working with the members of “TOKIO,” Shigeru Jojima (51) moved to another site. The two remaining members went to a yakiniku restaurant. According to Matsuoka, they got into a lively conversation about old times and drank at three different restaurants.

FRIDAY spotted the couple at the third restaurant, where at the end of the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, they sang “Datte no Atama,” by Noriyuki Makihara, at karaoke. The two sang a karaoke version of Noriyuki Makihara’s song “Dattekimono Hashigo.

The two were seen singing “DASH! DASH! （DASH!” (Nippon Television Network Corporation) and other programs in which he appears have high core viewership ratings, and TOKIO Inc. is doing well. At the third meeting, they exchanged positive opinions and said, “Let’s do our best,” which may have led to the long-awaited return to the stage by the fans. TOKIO” is a talented band that has performed at summer festivals. With the return of their senior band, ‘Otoko Gumi,’ fans’ expectations are rising,” says writer Kumao Oyama.

(Writer Kumao Oyama) “Wanting to play music–which is said to be one of the reasons for their independence–high expectations are growing for the band.

From the November 11, 2022 issue of FRIDAY