Following Daiki Arioka & Mayu Matsuoka, the Next ‘Former Johnny’s’ Talent to Tie the Knot

Another pair of former Johnny’s Office talents have tied the knot.

On June 7th, Daiki Arioka (33) of ‘Hey! Say! JUMP’ and actress Mayu Matsuoka (29) announced their marriage.

“We met through a mutual acquaintance and reportedly started dating around ’17. We rented rooms in the same apartment building and commuted between them. They maintained an extremely secretive relationship for about seven years, with strict rules against dating in public.” (Sports entertainment journalist)

Nanbara Kiyotaka (59), who co-stars with Arioka on ‘Hirunandesu!’ (NTV), congratulated them, saying ‘Congratulations on your marriage!’ On social media, there are voices of joy, but many fans are bewildered by the rush of marriages among former Johnny’s talents.

“Starting with Domoto Tsuyoshi (45) of ‘KinKi Kids’ submitting his marriage registration to Momoiro Clover Z’s Momota Kanako (29) in January this year, followed by successive victories for KAT-TUN’s Nakamaru Yuichi (40) and NEWS’ Kato Shigeaki (36). The marriage of Johnny’s former talents is the fifth this year, already a record high.”

Why does this unusual marriage rush continue?

“It was once said that there was an unwritten rule that ‘you cannot marry while under contract with Johnny’s Jimusho.’ However, last year, due to sexual misconduct issues, Johnny’s Jimusho was disbanded, and the affiliated talents became freelancers or joined new companies, making it easier to respect the talents’ intentions in romantic relationships. As a new company, there is likely an aim to erase past images by allowing talents to freely pursue romance.” (Entertainment agency insider)

Who will be the next to get married?

When it comes to the lifting of dating bans, the question on everyone’s mind is who will be the next to tie the knot. A senior executive from a major talent agency nominates Inoo Kei (33) of ‘Hey! Say! JUMP’ as the top candidate.

“In February of this year, Inoo was reported to be in a passionate relationship with gravure idol Risa Yukihira (29). Later, at a musical press conference in April, he stated, ‘I do have thoughts of wanting to get married someday.’ While he has been linked romantically with several women including Kirara Asuka (35) and Misato Ugaki (33) in the past, now that he is over 30, it wouldn’t be surprising if he chose Yukihira as his lifelong partner.”

Kazuya Kamenashi (38), who was reported to be in a relationship before Inoo, continues his steady romance with his partner, Minami Tanaka (37).

“They co-starred in the drama ‘Destiny’ (TV Asahi), which initially sparked rumors of a ‘business couple for promotional purposes?’ However, their relationship is genuine. There have also been reports of a ring shining on Tanaka’s left ring finger. Both are at an appropriate age, so there’s a strong possibility they could become a married couple.” (Television scriptwriter)

Following in the footsteps of his esteemed seniors is Kiriyama Akito (34) from ‘WEST.’

“His partner, former volleyball player Maiko Kano (35), has been stirring up excitement among fans with suggestive posts, including sharing a women’s magazine cover featuring Kiritani on social media. Similar suggestive posts by the wife of Arashi’s Kazunari Ninomiya (40) also became a topic of discussion before their eventual marriage. There’s speculation that Kiritani and Karino might also be heading towards marriage. On New Year’s Day this year, ‘Nikkansports’ reported that they are aiming for marriage by the end of the year.” (Entertainment reporter)

On the other hand, Kaito Takahashi (25) from ‘King & Prince,’ whose relationship with actress Kasumi Arimura (31) was revealed, is deemed highly unlikely to have a sudden marriage, according to a key network producer.

“Nagase Ren (25) has finally restarted with a duo setup, now that there are rumors of a breakup with Arimura, marriage seems unlikely. Similarly, KinKi Kids’ Domoto Koichi (45) has been reported to have been in a 10-year relationship with actress Sato Megumi (39), but his partner has just married. For the sake of KinKi’s fans, he probably isn’t considering marriage yet. Personally, I’m watching closely for the possibility of sudden marriages, like with Nakayama Yuma (30) who was reported to be dating a non-celebrity, and Sato Shori (27) from ‘timelesz’. As for veterans, Arashi’s independent Matsumoto Jun (40) and TOKIO’s Masahiro Matsuoka (47) no longer have to worry about objections from their surroundings, so it could happen anytime.”

The restless days of the fans are likely to continue for a while.

From the June 28, 2024 issue of FRIDAY