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

From Heisei to Reiwa

In the 2000s, the collapse of the IT bubble and Japan’s deepening deflation led to a growing sense of unease in society. Amid this, the Akihabara stabbing incident in June 2008 occurred. The perpetrator’s motive, combined with dissatisfaction and isolation, sparked discussions about the sense of stagnation in society.

The Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 caused unprecedented damage to Japan. Particularly, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster became a turning point, forcing a reexamination of energy policies.

Turning to the entertainment industry, FRIDAY scooped the pre-marital trip of top idols Takuya Kimura and Shizuka Kudo. The dark business of popular comedians from Yoshimoto Kogyo was exposed, along with confidential internal photos, shaking the entertainment world.

FRIDAY will continue to provide information based on thorough reporting.

In April 2000, Takuya Kimura (then 27) went on a secret trip to Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture, with his girlfriend Shizuka Kudo (then 30).

Media outlets, upon obtaining information, swarmed to the island, causing a frenzy. Amid tight security and a tense atmosphere, FRIDAY captured moments of the big couple closely embracing and looking happy.

Now, they have become one of the entertainment industry’s most beloved married couples.

JR Fukuchiyama Line Derailment Accident
May 13-20, 2005 Combined Issue

The first car of the train crashed into an apartment building, and the train was left unrecognizable. The JR Fukuchiyama Line derailment accident that occurred on April 25, 2005, in Amagasaki City (Hyogo Prefecture) is one of the worst railway accidents in Japanese history. Survivors described the scene, which felt like hell at the time:

“I thought the train was going faster than usual. The train was shaking from side to side. Suddenly, the brakes were applied, and when I heard a loud crash, my body was thrown.”

The cause of the accident was attributed to the train operator exceeding the speed limit by a significant margin, along with issues with the Automatic Train Stop (ATS) system and the harsh working conditions.

Thorough safety measures are essential for the railways that support people’s lives.

 

The Akihabara stabbing incident
June 27, 2008 issue

“The people who were slammed to the ground didn’t move at all. The culprit, who was subdued by the police, was covered in blood.”

A witness of the Akihabara stabbing incident recounted the horrific scene at that time. In June 2008, a truck crashed into the pedestrian paradise in Akihabara. Afterward, the assailant attacked passersby with a knife, resulting in 7 deaths and 10 people suffering serious or minor injuries in a major incident.

The perpetrator, Tomohiro Kato (25 at the time), was arrested at the scene and later testified in court, stating, “I regret it.” It was revealed that his feelings of isolation from his parents, workplace, and online forums led him to commit the violent act. In March 2011, the Tokyo District Court sentenced Kato to death, and the death penalty was upheld in both the appellate and supreme courts.

The death penalty was carried out in July 2022, but the victims’ unresolved grievances will never be relieved.

 

Great East Japan Earthquake

April 1, 2011 issue

“Fire was breaking out in various places, and it looked as if the entire sea was on fire. The scene from that day is still burned into my mind.”

A man, who was desperately evacuating while being engulfed by flames, testified to FRIDAY at the time with fear.

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake, which recorded the largest magnitude of 9.0 in Japan’s recorded history, occurred. The large-scale fire that broke out in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, turned the city into scorched earth overnight. Photos of black smoke rising intensely from the oil refinery near Sendai Port testified to the severity of the disaster.

That day, ordinary lives were instantly taken away. An elderly woman, walking through a city buried in rubble, searched for the place where her house once stood, crying in despair. Nearby, members of the Self-Defense Forces desperately continued searching for survivors. Amid the diligent rescue operations, uncollected bodies lay scattered across the area, a reality that left people speechless.

Even 13 years later, challenges such as the wastewater issue and the restart of nuclear power plants remain. The efforts for “3.11” recovery and disaster prevention are ongoing with no end in sight.