<figure id="attachment_416115" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416115" style="width: 1689px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7decbef7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/bd82500aa08560b61a7f71d357c7adcd.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-416115" class="wp-caption-text">Mino Monta smiles as he straddles a rehabilitation machine.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> The last time I saw him in Ginza was around December last year.</h2>
<p> TV personality Mino Monta, who gained popularity as a TV program host, passed away in the early morning of March 1. He was 80 years old.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> On the night of January 16, he reportedly choked on a piece of meat while eating at a high-end yakiniku restaurant and was rushed to the emergency room. At the time, he was thought to be in stable condition. &#8230;&#8230;</span></p>
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<p> He has appeared on a number of TV programs, including &#8220;Omoikkiri TV&#8221; (Nippon Television Network Corporation) and &#8220;Mino Monta no Asa Zuba! (TBS) and other information programs. (TBS). He also left his mark on television history with his unique &#8220;pa&#8221; in &#8220;Quiz Millionaire&#8221; and his exquisite narration in &#8220;Professional Baseball&#8217;s Unusual Plays&#8221; (both on Fuji Television).</p>
<p> In 2006, he was recognized by Guinness World Records as the host who appears in the most live programs in one week. Despite his busy schedule, Mino never missed his &#8220;Ginza commute.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Mino-san and Ginza were inseparable. Almost every day, even when he was busy, he would take a luxury car with a chauffeur to Namiki-dori, visit two or three shops, and go home. Even after Corona, he was a loyal person who would show up at his old favorite restaurant once every three or four months or so. The last time I saw him in Ginza was around December of last year. &#8230;&#8230;&#8221; (a person related to a club in Ginza)</span></p>
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<p> After the death of his longtime wife Yasuko in 2012, in 2008 he was found to be in a relationship with Koko, a Ginza hostess 40 years younger than him, who was said to be his &#8220;last lover.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" What Mino told us in direct response to the revelation of their love affair can be found at ......"></div>
<h2>I would like to support her in her life.&#8221;</h2>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The two met around 2012. Mino-san fell in love with Koko-san at first sight at a club in Ginza, which she frequented. After their relationship, Koko quit her job as a hostess and began a life of taking care of Mino. She suffered from Parkinson&#8217;s disease and had diabetes, so there is no doubt that her existence as a qualified caregiver was a great support for Mino.</span></p>
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<p> In 2017, Mino gave Koko a 150 million yen luxury condominium as a gift out of gratitude to her.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> In 2017, in response to an interview with this magazine about their relationship, he denied remarriage, saying, &#8220;We are too far apart in age.</span></p>
<p> He denied that he would remarry, but said,</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I&#8217;ll be 80 in three years. I hope to have a good relationship with her. I want to support her life.</span></p>
<p> I want to support her in her life. Then he showed her a two-shot taken by the magazine,</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I said, &#8220;Oh, this is a nice picture. Give me this one.</span></p>
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<p> Mino smiled mischievously. Whether in the TV world or in Ginza, the &#8220;emperor&#8221; was a chic and manly gentleman who was loved by all. &#8230;&#8230;</p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" [Photo] Mino-san&#39;s &quot;real face&quot; that he showed only to her."></div>
<h2>April &#8217;19</h2>
<figure id="attachment_149472" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149472" style="width: 2246px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a6210349"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/cfc573b85099a3015cdd0785c36b1f64.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149472" class="wp-caption-text"> After dinner, we went to Koko&#8217;s apartment. This apartment was allegedly &#8220;gifted&#8221; by Mino in November &#8217;20.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> February &#8217;20</h2>
<figure id="attachment_149473" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149473" style="width: 2271px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f94ac876"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/c32574b71f56ff57aa6e1e989f87f28b.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149473" class="wp-caption-text"> The two men come out of a commercial building that houses Mino&#8217;s favorite soba noodle shop. They were walking together without any disguise.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> May &#8217;20</h2>
<figure id="attachment_149474" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149474" style="width: 1883px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="49b7a3ff"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/ce577dd84c2551c7cb778e4ed5b3a068.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149474" class="wp-caption-text"> The two are shopping at a supermarket. Afterwards, they probably enjoyed a home-cooked meal prepared by Koko, who is an excellent cook, using the ingredients they had bought.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> September 2008</h2>
<figure id="attachment_149475" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149475" style="width: 2074px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="eb612be0"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/e557ad92a163604be9bc858ca8cdedd6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149475" class="wp-caption-text"> The couple was caught shopping again. They may be enjoying dinner at home, refraining from eating out because of the COVID-19 crisis.</figcaption></figure>
<h3> January &#8217;21</h3>
<figure id="attachment_416121" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416121" style="width: 2422px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="244381bf"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/780c5b86f676b161066837ae80db6dab.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-416121" class="wp-caption-text"> Mino and Koko exit the store with paper bags of groceries in their hands after shopping. They look like a married couple who have been together for many years.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_151810" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-151810" style="width: 3528px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5a6d9523"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/278c9a08ab05be98da3b3a0e444e05ac.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-151810" class="wp-caption-text"> Unpublished cut from this magazine Mino Monta&#8217;s last love affair with a beautiful woman 40 years younger than him.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_416119" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416119" style="width: 1674px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4e974827"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/90e16ca44bfbcf858c176d830cb17374.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-416119" class="wp-caption-text"> At the age of 50, he undertook a physical makeover to prevent diabetes. In an interview with this magazine, he confessed that he went to the gym three times a week to work out.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_151812" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-151812" style="width: 2873px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4816c2c1"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/0227fabdde5b565b0609bae70202f617.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-151812" class="wp-caption-text"> Mino&#8217;s last love affair with a beautiful woman 40 years younger than him.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_151813" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-151813" style="width: 2755px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="63b0494c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2020/12/754b7ce28ba1349578d4d96db0f1c2b3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-151813" class="wp-caption-text"> Mino is in love with a beautiful woman 40 years younger than him.</figcaption></figure>
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 Yasuko Funamoto (1st photo)

 On March 1, Mino Monta, who was registered in the Guinness Book of Records as "the presenter who appears on the most live TV programs in a week," passed away. Mino showed FRIDAY a rare glimpse of his true life. ......

In memoriam, Mino Monta gave his last girlfriend a 150 million yen condo as a gift… The magazine saw his “chic way of life.

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