Kimura Takuya’s Secret Trip: FRIDAY’s 40th Anniversary Scoop

From Heisei to Reiwa

The IT bubble burst and the Japanese economy was plunged into serious deflation in the ’00s. The Akihabara massacre of June 2008 occurred amid a growing sense of vague anxiety about the world around them. The perpetrator’s motive of dissatisfaction with his surroundings and a sense of isolation, coupled with a sense of social stagnation, sparked a debate.

The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 caused unprecedented damage to Japan. In particular, the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant marked a turning point that forced a review of energy policy.

Turning to the entertainment industry, this magazine scooped the prenuptial trip of Takuya Kimura and Shizuka Kudo, two top idols at the time. The magazine also reported on the “black market” by popular comedians of Yoshimoto Kogyo, along with top-secret inside photos, which shook the entertainment world.

FRIDAY will continue to provide information based on its reporting.

In April 2000, Takuya Kimura (51, 27 at the time) and his girlfriend Shizuka Kudo (54, 30 at the time) were on a secret trip to Tanegashima (Kagoshima Prefecture).

The island was in an uproar as the media rushed to the island upon receiving information. While the mood was tense and on high alert, this magazine discovered a happy scene of the big couple snuggled up together.

They are now the most adorable couple in the entertainment industry.

JR Fukuchiyama Line Derailment Accident
May 13 and 20, 2005 issue

The first car hit an apartment building, and the train was left in its original state.’ The JR Fukuchiyama Line derailment that occurred on April 25, 2005 in Amagasaki City (Hyogo Prefecture) is one of the worst accidents in Japanese railroad history. A survivor said at the hellish scene at the time: “You were going faster than usual.

I thought the train was going faster than usual. The train rattled from side to side. Suddenly the brakes came on, and when I heard the thud, I found myself blown to pieces.”

The cause of the accident has been attributed to a combination of the driver’s greatly exceeding the speed limit, inadequate ATS (Automatic Train Stop System), and a harsh working environment.

Thorough safety measures are desirable for railroads, which support people’s lives.

Akihabara Street Incident
June 27, ’08 issue

The people who were slammed to the ground did not move a muscle. The perpetrator, who was seized by police officers, was red with returned blood. ……”

An eyewitness to the Akihabara street riot incident testified to the horrific scene at the time.’ In June 2008, a truck rushed into a pedestrian mall in Akihabara. Later, it attacked passersby with a knife, killing seven people and seriously injuring ten others.

Tomohiro Kato, then 25, who was caught red-handed, stated in his subsequent trial, “I am sorry. It was also revealed that he committed the murder out of frustration with his parents, his workplace, and his isolation on an Internet message board. In March 2011, the Tokyo District Court sentenced Kato to death, and his death sentence was confirmed by the appeals and appellate courts.

The death penalty was carried out in July 2010, but this does not assuage the victims’ regret.

Great East Japan Earthquake
April 1, 2011 issue

The fire was raging in various places, and it seemed as if the whole ocean was on fire. …… The scene of that day is still stuck in my mind.

A man who was engulfed in flames as he frantically evacuated from the area testified to his horror to FRIDAY at the time.

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake, the largest M9.0 earthquake ever recorded in Japan, struck. The city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture, where a massive fire broke out, was scorched to the ground overnight. Photos of black smoke billowing from an oil complex near the port of Sendai also illustrate the severity of the situation.

On that day, normal life was taken away in an instant. An elderly woman walking through the rubble-strewn streets wept with despair as she searched for the place where her home had once stood, while Self-Defense Forces personnel frantically searched for survivors beside her. Beside the hard rescue efforts, the reality of unclaimed bodies lying here and there – people were left speechless.

Thirteen years have passed, and there are still many issues to be resolved, such as the problem of treated water and the restart of nuclear power plants. There is no end in sight to the recovery and disaster prevention efforts of “3.11.

Yoshimoto Kogyo ″Dark Business″ Issue
July 5, 2007 issue

In 1919, Hiroyuki Miyasako (54, 49 at the time) and other comedians from “Ameagari Kesshitai” attended a year-end party for a bank transfer scam group, where they performed impersonations and even sang songs. When FRIDAY broke the story of the “black market business,” it sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry.

Miyasako was quoted by FRIDAY as saying, “I didn’t receive any money,” but later, at a press conference, he reversed himself and admitted to receiving 1 million yen in remuneration.

Miyasako’s contract with Yoshimoto Kogyo was terminated in response to the uproar. Many others, such as Ryo Tamura (52, 47 at the time) of “London Boots No. 1 and No. 2,” took several years to resume full-fledged activities, and the cost of their lax behavior was too great.

Kishu Don Juan Incident
May 21, 2009 issue

I didn’t do it.

Before her arrest, Saki Sudo, 28, then 25, was smiling as she answered reporters’ questions. In May 2006, the death of Kosuke Nozaki (77 years old), a wealthy man known as the “Don Juan of Kishu,” from acute methamphetamine poisoning drew much attention. Saki, pictured in front of Nozaki’s car, was arrested in April 2009 on suspicion of murder and other crimes.

Hayaki is suspected of having intentionally given Mr. Nozaki methamphetamine. The trial, which began this September in Wakayama District Court, revealed that the defendant had been in contact with a trafficker and that there were signs that he had investigated methamphetamine before the incident. On the other hand, the defendant, who continues to deny the allegations, and his defense have maintained his innocence based on his alibi for the day of the incident.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 12.

From the November 22/29, 2024 issue of “FRIDAY