Determined to Return Ken Watabe Seen Racing Through Luxury District on Bike!

Changes that have occurred since his return

On a cloudy afternoon in mid-March, a bicycle zipped through one of Tokyo’s most exclusive residential neighborhoods. Wearing a cap backward and pedaling with a serious expression was none other than Ken Watabe (52) of the comedy duo Unjash.

“It was hard to see more than his eyes because of the mask, but I could still tell it was him. He went straight into a sports facility. Maybe he was cutting it close on time—he was riding at an incredible speed,” said a local resident.

Watabe, who had once thrived across comedy, baseball, and gourmet media appearances, took a massive fall in June 2020 when Shukan Bunshun exposed his infamous “multi-purpose restroom affair,” forcing him into a hiatus. When he returned to the spotlight in 2023, his demeanor had reportedly shifted. “He treats staff very differently now,” said a variety show producer.

“I worked with Watabe on a web show just after his return. He sat alone in the corner of the greenroom and bowed deeply to every staff member before stepping into the studio. It was quite a change. Back in his heyday, he was arrogant and barely engaged in proper pre-show meetings. Meanwhile, he’d flatter the female talents he liked with comments like ‘You’re so cute.’ If filming dragged on, he’d become visibly irritated, sometimes even clicking his tongue at the staff.”

Since his comeback, Watabe has steadily increased his appearances.

“He’s back on terrestrial TV, albeit in limited numbers, with shows like Zenryoku! Datsuryoku Times (Fuji TV) and Shirokuro Unjash (Chiba TV). He also became the ambassador for Oisix Niigata, an Eastern League baseball team, and runs an online salon with around 400 members. At 980 yen per month, that alone brings in about 400,000 yen monthly. He’s also said to be active as a devoted father, doing school drop-offs and pickups.”

His wife, Nozomi Sasaki (37), is also enjoying a steady career. She starred in I’ll Take You to the Depths of Hell (TBS) earlier this year and is playing the protagonist’s sister in the upcoming April drama Takaoka Ameku’s Medical Mystery Casebook (TV Asahi).

With things slowly returning to how they once were, Ken Watabe’s complete comeback might not be far off.