<figure id="attachment_403943" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-403943"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="33f62605"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/12/7d5b5160a8bc86e50c711ed1f020f315.jpeg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-403943" class="wp-caption-text">The &#8220;Strongest Couple&#8221; in the Kabuki World: Ainosuke Kataoka and Norika Fujiwara (October 14, 2016 Issue)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Reports of 40 million yen being spent by the president of their office</h2>
On November 27, the talent agency &#8220;Someday,&#8221; which actress Norika Fujiwara (53) and former AKB actress Mariko Shinoda (38) were affiliated with, announced its bankruptcy on its official website. The sudden development at the long-established talent agency was a shock to the entertainment industry, but what surprised people even more was the fact that the agency&#8217;s two marquee actresses were not informed beforehand.
&#8220;Shinoda reportedly mentioned at the set of the ongoing drama Undercover Siblings: Special Fraud Investigation Agents (NTV) that she had not been informed of the bankruptcy. Moreover, on December 11, she announced on her social media that she would continue her activities independently,&#8221; said a sports newspaper journalist.
Meanwhile, a series of additional troubles struck Fujiwara.
On November 29, her husband, kabuki actor Ainosuke Kataoka (52), sustained injuries during rehearsals after colliding with stage equipment. Diagnosed with fractures of the maxilla and coccyx, Shochiku, the organizer of kabuki productions, announced that his return date was undecided. He has been absent from the Kaomise Kabuki Performances that began on December 1. Furthermore, another shocking report emerged.
&#8220;According to Shukan Josei PRIME (published online on December 2), the president of Someday allegedly misused a temporary investment fund of 40 million yen, which Fujiwara had raised from partner companies for stage production ticket fees, to repay debts—without her consent. The article noted that Fujiwara was deeply shocked by this betrayal by the president she had worked with through thick and thin for years,&#8221; the journalist added.
Fujiwara has yet to comment on these calamities, prompting concern among fans. However, one kabuki insider shared their thoughts on the matter.
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="One of the wives in Rien has spoken out about Norika. What did she say?"></div>
<h2>She would be perfectly fine.</h2>
&#8220;It&#8217;s unfortunate about Ainosuke-san&#8217;s injury, but I&#8217;ve heard that it isn&#8217;t a serious injury that will cause lasting aftereffects. Norika-san is dealing with her agency&#8217;s bankruptcy and reports of 40 million yen being embezzled, all while her husband&#8217;s injury overlaps with these issues. As both an actress and a kabuki wife, it must be incredibly challenging for her.
However, in the kabuki world, while it might sound strange, injuries to actors and financial troubles are not uncommon, and there&#8217;s a certain level of acceptance of these occurrences. As such, it hasn&#8217;t become a major scandal. I believe this is just another trial given to them, and I hope they can overcome it. Honestly, for her, I think it&#8217;s absolutely no problem.&#8221;
The statement &#8220;financial troubles are not uncommon&#8221; is surprising, but what kind of issues typically arise in the kabuki world?
&#8220;The biggest issue is debt arising from unsold ticket quotas. While actors focus on performing, the job of kabuki wives is to sell tickets. Each actor has a manager who assists with ticket sales, making rounds to greet patrons, even when their husband isn’t performing, and helping out at the theater to connect with audiences.
Kabuki performances are held on a monthly basis, and any unsold tickets at the end of the month must be bought by the actor themselves. This makes it easy to accrue debts as high as 40 million yen. Repaying these debts is also considered part of the kabuki wife&#8217;s responsibilities,&#8221; explained the kabuki wife.
Many actors face spiraling debts they can&#8217;t repay, leaving them in dire financial straits. Even a famous kabuki actor who passed away a few years ago reportedly had tens of millions of yen in debt at the time of his retirement. As for Norika&#8217;s case…
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Norika updated her Instagram on December 12"></div>
<h2>A full comeback is not far off.</h2>
&#8220;Ainosuke-san is a popular actor who can draw audiences, and Norika-san also has her own work as an actress. I believe they can recover the 40 million yen fairly quickly. Although I haven&#8217;t heard any specifics from Norika-san, she&#8217;s likely focused on supporting Ainosuke-san&#8217;s recovery right now.
She has an incredibly strong mental fortitude, something all kabuki professionals recognize. She never complains or shows weakness. As someone who fully embodies the ideal image of a kabuki wife as perceived by her seniors, I think there&#8217;s a good chance the couple will make a swift comeback, even sooner than people expect,&#8221; said a Shochiku insider.
On December 12, Norika updated her Instagram, sharing a Story post with a photo of her homemade dish, accompanied by the caption:
&#8220;Some great meat arrived, so I made a sukiyaki rice bowl with plenty of Awaji Island onions, scallions, and myoga, topped with egg.&#8221; 
&#8220;So happy to finish it all!&#8221;
With such a resilient spirit, it seems the couple&#8217;s full comeback isn&#8217;t far off.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Norika Fujiwara and Ainosuke Kataoka in love"></div>
<figure id="attachment_314655" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 5184px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-314655"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3539755b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/06/040ab3bb7f57c1dcda5eb4f709e4bc95.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-314655" class="wp-caption-text">The Intense and Loving Stroll of Ainosuke Kataoka and Norika (September 18, 2015 Issue)</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_314656" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 5184px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-314656"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e1beb585"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/06/e1a98e721a1ef58178f6c4f3b1ceb734.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-314656" class="wp-caption-text">Ainosuke Kataoka&#8217;s Relaxed Expression and Norika&#8217;s Cheerful Mood (September 18, 2015 Issue)</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_403946" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1609px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-403946"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7b671f80"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/12/470095500989292b2ff44059902f4c42.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-403946" class="wp-caption-text">Norika Clinging Closely to Ainosuke Kataoka (September 18, 2015 Issue)</figcaption></figure>

 Kei Kato, Sota Shima (2nd-4th)

 Norika Fujiwara has been hit by a number of calamities. Her office has gone bankrupt, and there are reports that she has spent 40 million yen. Her husband, Ainosuke Kataoka, was seriously injured. Yet, the wife of a famous Japanese actress, Nashien, has assured us that "she will be all right. What is the reason?

Norika Fujiwara & Ainosuke Kataoka: Agency Collapse and Injury

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