After effectively “retiring” from show business, former TOKIO “Tatsuya Yamaguchi” suddenly resumed his activities, his “real aim”. | FRIDAY DIGITAL

After effectively “retiring” from show business, former TOKIO “Tatsuya Yamaguchi” suddenly resumed his activities, his “real aim”.

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LINE
Tatsuya Yamaguchi launches his own private office; will TOKIO ever be revived…?

Former TOKIO member Tatsuya Yamaguchi opened a Twitter account on March 22. He also opened his official website on the same day, and apologized again for the incidents and accidents he caused in ’18 and ’20. It was later revealed that he had given an interview to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, and it appears that he will have more opportunities to appear in the public eye in the future. However, the public’s perception of him was still strong, and he had a difficult start ahead of him.

In September 1994, Yamaguchi made his CD debut as TOKIO’s bassist. His seemingly successful entertainment career took a drastic turn in late April 2006, when he was accused of indecent assault of a minor. In February of the same year, it was discovered that he had been sent to prosecutors on suspicion of forcibly kissing a high school girl while intoxicated at his apartment. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office dropped the charges on May 1, and Johnny’s’s announced the termination of his contract with the group on May 6, after Yamaguchi himself requested to leave the group. In effect, Yamaguchi retired from show business.

Yamaguchi again caused a stir in September 2008. He was caught red-handed violating the Road Traffic Law (driving under the influence of alcohol) for riding a motorcycle while intoxicated in Tokyo. Fortunately, no one was injured, but he caused another alcohol-related trouble, and the public reacted with dismay and disappointment.

It has been about five years since Yamaguchi left the public eye. In March of this year, Yamaguchi started a Twitter account and reported the establishment of “Yamaguchi Tatsuya Co. On the official website, he apologized for the past incidents and accidents, and greeted the public with phrases such as, “I take the crimes I committed seriously and intend to move forward so as not to make the same mistakes.

The company profile on the site also states that “I would like to use my experience to give lectures to ‘people around alcoholics’ and ‘addiction in general,’ and also to hold ‘crisis management seminars for companies’ by utilizing my experience. In January 2009, he joined a “self-help group for alcoholics,” and the following year he also obtained qualifications such as “ASK Certified Drunk Driving Prevention Instructor.

In the midst of all this, Yamaguchi announced on Twitter on April 17, “I will appear at an online talk event on April 29,” and “There will be articles in the Asahi Shimbun digital edition on April 17 and 18 and in the main Asahi Shimbun newspaper on the 18th. The Asahi Shimbun reporter in charge of the interview is an alcoholic like me.

On the 17th, the official Twitter account of Asahi Shimbun Digital also announced the publication of the interview article. In response to this post, some people said, ‘I’ve always loved TOKIO. I’m rooting for you,'” but the reply column and quoted tweets were full of harsh opinions. I will always love TOKIO and support them,” he said. The victims are outraged that the problem is sexual violence against minors, but the conversation has shifted to alcoholism.

Some Twitter users suspect that the timing of the restart is related to the annual charity program “24-Hour TV 46: ‘Love Will Save the Earth'” (Nippon Television Network Corporation, broadcast August 26 and 27). This time, Naniwa Boys have been chosen as the main personalities, and the program is expected to have a strong “Johnny’s” flavor, as in previous years. Incidentally, Yamaguchi himself had served as a charity marathon runner for the program in 1997, and Nippon TV had been working with Yamaguchi on “ZIP! DASH! DASH!” and “Happiness! DASH!” and “Happy!

I wonder if Yamaguchi came out to the world just in time for “24 Hour TV.

I don’t think they’re going to do a documentary on Yamaguchi overcoming his alcoholism on “24 Hour TV,” are they?

Some commentators wondered if Yamaguchi’s return to TV would be realized in the near future.

  • PHOTO Yasuko Sakaguchi

Photo Gallery1 total

Photo Selection

Check out the best photos for you.

Related Articles