<h3>Last November, the website was updated for the first time in a year and four months.</h3>
<figure id="attachment_363415" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1656px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363415"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="755089a5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/5424f4fd71b3fffdc7cee5812fca8657.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-363415" class="wp-caption-text">He carefully accepted a reporter&#8217;s business card and tucked it into his bag, and as you can see, he answered questions in a relaxed manner with an occasional smile on his face.</figcaption></figure>
However, six years after the release of this song, the release of new songs stopped after the album &#8220;Anata ni Naritakatta&#8221; was released in 2021. His live events, such as &#8220;Ken&#8217;s Bar,&#8221; were also not held, and there has been almost no activity from him for almost two years. Although his website was updated last November after a year and four months, his activities remain in a state of suspension.
&#8220;Due to the activity suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, some fans were worried about COVID depression. Amidst this, KAN, whom he greatly respects, passed away. Given Hirai&#8217;s delicate nature, the shock must have been significant, which concerns those close to him as well,&#8221; says a journalist from a music magazine.
It was reported in a weekly women&#8217;s magazine that Hirai attended KAN&#8217;s wake and funeral, but he has since disappeared from the public eye.
While pondering over wanting to hear that transparently sexy voice again, a reporter enters a convenience store. There, he spots a man resembling Jean Reno, wearing a black cap, sunglasses, and a long coat, emitting an unusual aura while waiting in line at the cash register.
Could this foreign-looking man be?
Several weeks later, the reporter, encountering the Jean Reno look-alike walking in Tokyo, gathers his courage and approaches him.
–Are you Mr. Hirai? What have you been up to these past few years?
&#8220;Um, well, you know, just normally…&#8221;
— Have you been writing any songs?
&#8220;Yeah, that&#8217;s right.&#8221;
— Fans are worried about you.
&#8220;I&#8217;m sorry, I apologize.&#8221;
— Do you have any message for them?
&#8220;I hope to have a chance to speak directly.&#8221;
— When might that be?
&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure about that.&#8221;
— Any plans to resume your activities?
&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure about that either.&#8221;
With occasional smiles, Hirai answers slowly with his transparent voice.
As FRIDAY watches his tall figure leaving under the setting sun, they are convinced. The opportunity for Hirai to announce his return to his fans will come sooner than later.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="An exclusive direct interview! Ken Hirai &quot;super wild true face&quot; photo"></div>
<figure id="attachment_363416" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1345px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363416"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="452dfab7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/18f82f4de04fb8650b6c19684dca79ad.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-363416" class="wp-caption-text">Ken Hirai answers a direct question from a reporter of this magazine.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_363417" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1299px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363417"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9ed647c2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/9768a69e279a97fa8939680dc66fc5bd.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-363417" class="wp-caption-text">The man resembling Jean Reno whom I encountered in Tokyo on two occasions was Hirai himself. His neatly trimmed beard with a hint of white was impressive.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_363418" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1564px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363418"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5c11ae07"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/e21e8598c8669c3f399753d613a14924.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-363418" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished cut of Ken Hirai, exclusive direct interview with Ken Hirai! What have you been doing these past few years?&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_363419" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1920px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363419"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="02228975"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/dc328912784844e3bd715df84e8109ea.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-363419" class="wp-caption-text">An exclusive interview with Ken Hirai. What have you been doing for the past few years?</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_363420" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1172px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363420"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="764aaf50"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/cd75b25261db96d3a804441f15c09d82.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-363420" class="wp-caption-text">Exclusive direct interview with Ken Hirai, never before published in this magazine! What have you been doing for the past few years?</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_364970" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-364970"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="61da2089"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/bf5bb96a1c73cb5dc439004238a3ee79.jpeg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-364970" class="wp-caption-text">Ken Hirai at Kagurazaka in &#8217;18 (PHOTO: Toshikatsu Tanaka)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_364973" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-364973"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ffb99a24"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/9b8a81fef42dc2ad6a743e85860437f9.jpeg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-364973" class="wp-caption-text">Ken Hirai at Kagurazaka in &#8217;18 (PHOTO: Toshikatsu Tanaka)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_364974" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1280px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-364974"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a9bf3d6a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/03/b0cb5725fdad266ea4c51c749d812b47.jpeg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-364974" class="wp-caption-text">Ken Hirai at Kagurazaka in &#8217;18 (PHOTO: Toshikatsu Tanaka)</figcaption></figure>
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From the March 22, 2024 issue of FRIDAY

 Kojiro Yamada, Hiroyuki Sato (3rd photo)

 Since the release of his album "Anata ni Naritakatta (I Wanted to Be You)" in 2009, Ken Hirai has not performed in person for almost two years. A reporter for this magazine happened to catch a glimpse of Hirai while he was on hiatus. The journalist asked Hirai, who has a look similar to Jean Reno, directly...?

Unveiling the Enigma of Ken Hirai’s Absence an Exclusive Interview

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