Unveiling the Truth Behind Yuichi Nakamaru’s Affair Rumors
Since the world was buzzing with the Olympics, I thought no one would be interested in entertainment news, but it seems many people have reacted to this particular story.
The Weekly Bunshun reported on Yuuichi Nakamaru of KAT-TUN being suspected of an affair. With multiple regular programs and well-received segments that boast good ratings, his popularity is undeniable. Given his high favorability, this scandal is quite a departure from his usual image.
There are two points that stood out to me in this report.
One aspect that stands out is that aside from the “hotel rendezvous,” there is no information about the couple’s previous relationship status.
While Kamenashi and the female university student were photographed leaving a hotel in Tokyo, there are no details about the circumstances or timing of their arrival at the hotel. It seems unlikely that this detail was omitted by accident, suggesting that the reporter from Bunshun probably wasn’t following them continuously.
Similarly, it does not appear that the reporter had prior information about their “meeting.” What does this imply?
The female university student exited through the main entrance, while Kamenashi used the back door. In a Tokyo hotel, where there would be a fair amount of guest traffic, it would be difficult to immediately determine that the woman leaving was Kamenashi’s companion without knowing her appearance or clothing beforehand. Although it’s rare, there are cases where all suspicious individuals are photographed, and later the information is confirmed by a source. In this case, however, the report notes that:
“The female university student’s taxi headed towards the suburbs,”
indicating that the identification was likely made on-site.
Even if the characteristics of the woman who exited are known, if her identity is unclear, an investigation and interview process is necessary after the photos are taken. If the identification cannot be made on-site, it would be required to track down all the women photographed, which would necessitate deploying multiple teams. While it’s possible to make educated guesses, it is physically impossible to achieve this.
Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that information was provided by someone who was either very close to the woman or witnessed the scene, as they would have known the details of the couple’s activities and the woman’s characteristics on that day.
In the industry, such cases are referred to as discoveries. While reporters occasionally make these discoveries by chance, in this case, the hotel entry would likely have been observed if that were the situation.
Another point is that it took more than a month for the photos to be reported after they were taken.
About three weeks after the photos were taken, on July 29, the reporter finally confronted the woman. The delay raises questions about why it took so long.
It seems likely that the delay was due to not knowing the woman’s identity, and the reporter may have been considering “keeping her under surveillance” to capture additional photos. What is interesting is that the woman confronted by the reporter answered the questions clearly.
She explained that she had met Kamenashi a year ago after he approached her, and they had only gone to lunch together twice. On that day, she thought she was going out for a meal, but ended up entering the hotel for some reason. She claimed:
“Actually, we didn’t do anything. I had another appointment, so I just had a brief discussion and left the room quickly.”
She emphasized that they only “talked.” What is most striking is that the woman highlighted:
“I have turned down his invitations about twenty times.”
This suggests that she did not have a close relationship with Kamenashi and was not particularly eager to meet him. It implies that her reluctance might stem from his persistent attempts, and she might be hesitant to reject him outright due to his celebrity status.
Also, he clearly states the amount of money that Nakamaru offered and mentions that it was insufficient for the taxi fare. Although it’s hard to determine the nuance from just the text, it somewhat seems like he’s expressing dissatisfaction.
“Many reports of romantic relationships, including tabloid stories about affairs, often begin with tips from sources. While some stories arise from chance sightings, most of the time, the information comes from people close to those involved. The reasons for providing such information vary; while paying for tips is now rare, some people still do it for money.
In some cases, a woman who wants to hasten a marriage might ask a friend or acquaintance to leak information because her partner is being indecisive, or she might even pretend to be an acquaintance herself and provide the tip to a tabloid. Conversely, some do it because they dislike the person and want to cut ties or ‘teach them a lesson.’ It’s not uncommon for wives to leak information about their husbands’ affairs to the tabloids. Even if you think the relationship is fine, if the other party’s frustration builds up, there are plenty of cases like Ken Watabe from ‘ANZENJASHU’ where people end up being exposed. There have been many such cases in the past.” (Weekly magazine reporter)
The question remains, which category does Nakamaru’s case fall into? As a fellow entertainment reporter, this is certainly an intriguing point.
Interview and text: Hiroyuki Sasaki (entertainment journalist) PHOTO: Yuri Adachi