Third Arrest Shocks! Kenji Haga Reveals the Truth Behind His Saying, “There’s No Such Thing as a Good Deal”

On September 25, former talent and businessman Kenji Haga (real name: Mikio Tomima, 63) was arrested on suspicion of obstructing enforcement. This marks his third arrest.

Haga is suspected of conspiring with seven members of a Yamaguchi-gumi-affiliated gang in June 2023. They allegedly filed false registrations claiming that ownership of buildings and land in Okinawa, which Haga owned, had been transferred to a company he represented, in an attempt to evade seizure. As of the 26th, the police have not disclosed the statuses of the seven individuals involved.

Additionally, an article published by TBS NEWS DIG on the afternoon of the 26th cited sources familiar with the investigation, suggesting that Haga’s company may have been established for the purpose of making false registrations. It is believed that the lending of funds for purchases and the registrations were carried out under the direction of the gang leaders.

 

Suspect Kenji Haga, transported from Okinawa to Aichi Prefecture.

Haga was arrested on the 25th in Okinawa, where he resides, and was subsequently transported to Aichi Prefecture. At Chubu Centrair International Airport, as he descended the stairs from the airplane, he was wearing a black cap and black mask, making it impossible to discern his expression.

“Haga was arrested in June 2007 for allegedly hiding the original price of unlisted shares and selling them at a high price to evade debts, receiving a six-year prison sentence. In 2019, he was arrested again on suspicion of obstructing enforcement through a fake divorce and received a sentence of one year and two months. He was released again in September 2021 and resumed his entertainment activities while managing a staffing company in Okinawa, but it seems he was unable to fully rehabilitate,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs department.

“I want to be a person who can live a normal life.”

Two years after his release in September 2021, in July 2023, our magazine conducted a direct interview with Kenji Haga, who had just finished his second day as a trial host at the famous host club Ai Honten in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho. He mentioned that “there’s no such thing as a good deal…” We are reprinting that article here (some content has been modified).

It was just past 2 a.m. in July 2023. Kenji Haga was walking in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho, wearing a white jacket over his tanned skin. When our magazine called out to him, he responded,

 “Feel free to ask me anything.”

The slight fatigue in his expression was probably because he had just finished his second day as a trial host at Ai Honten.

“I was supposed to do a five-day trial, and I was quite impressed. The hosts at Ai Honten are all about 40 years younger than me, yet they are remarkably mature. They are polite, never miss any movements of the customers, and can keep up with any topic of conversation. They are serious and study hard. Moreover, they are as handsome as idols.

You might think Haga, who is over sixty, is a host…, but I have no intention of losing at all (laughs). I have experiences that young people do not have. I am showing off my behavior tailored to the time, place, and occasion. I’m going to show them my strong back, you know?”

He rose to fame as a member of the first Iitomo Seinen-tai (Youth Team). He became a regular on variety shows with numerous beautiful women. That experience could indeed be useful in customer service. Haga was suddenly arrested in 2007 on charges related to fraud surrounding the sale of unlisted stocks. Our magazine was among the first to report this incident, and Haga remarked, “I have nothing but gratitude.”

“I was thoroughly covered by Friday at that time. Of course, it was my fault, but I really went through hell. However, I don’t hold any grudges at all. You know, I’ve been on the cover of Friday before. I support those who are working hard, and if someone does something wrong, they should be criticized properly. I think that’s only fair. And now, they’ve come to interview me as I’m trying to do my best.”

 

Having lost everything, Haga was positive during this time, stating that he had gained lessons from it.

Days of Delivery Work at the Department Store

“I guess my thinking was shallow or light… Everything that happens to me has its roots in my own actions. There’s no such thing as an easy path. I want to be someone who can lead a normal life. Right now, I’m running a small company in Okinawa with just over ten employees.

 

We do staffing and sell traditional Japanese sweets. When we have a pop-up store, I do the delivery work at the department store after hours. I also design jewelry. I don’t earn enough to indulge myself, and it’s normal for me to have cup noodles for dinner. But I believe that if I don’t stay grounded and build trust step by step, I will truly be done for.”

Will there really come a day when Suspect Haga can fully rehabilitate?