Yoshimoto Breaks Trust Behind Takahira Kuruma’s Contract Termination Citing Miyasako’s Precedent

More time will be spent inconveniencing the duo.

A tectonic shift is occurring at Yoshimoto Kogyo.

On April 28, Kuruma Takahira (30) of the comedy duo Reiwa Roman, who has been suspended from activities due to the online casino gambling issue, appeared on the duo’s official YouTube channel and announced that he had ended his management contract with Yoshimoto. The duo will continue their activities together.

Kuruma was implicated in the online casino issue and apologized in a YouTube video on February 15. He confessed that he had been invited by an acquaintance from his university days at the end of 2019, and not knowing it was illegal, he continued for a year before halting his entertainment activities temporarily.

In the latest video, his partner, Matsui Kemuri (31), was also present. Regarding the end of the contract, Kuruma revealed the details:

“Recently, I was called by Yoshimoto. Very important people were there, and they said, ‘You uploaded a video about this incident on YouTube, right? We didn’t want that to happen.’ I apologized, and they said, ‘Well, that has broken the trust between us and the company. If you want, we could consider ending the contract.'”

Kuruma openly admitted that the proposal to end the contract came from Yoshimoto.

Although it came as a bolt from the blue for Kuruma, after careful consideration, he decided to leave:

“If I stayed like this, the period until I could return would become prolonged. The time spent causing trouble for the duo would increase. If the relationship with Yoshimoto is dissolved, I can return to my duo activities. If I had to choose, I thought it would be better to prioritize that.”

While some online expressed joy over Kuruma’s return, others were puzzled by him leaving Yoshimoto. There were voices of disappointment over the company letting go of a talent who had achieved the unprecedented feat of back-to-back M-1 victories:

“It’s such a waste.”

“What is Yoshimoto thinking?”

On the other hand, some people also understand the reasoning behind Yoshimoto’s statement that the trust relationship was broken.

Following his criticism of Yoshimoto Kogyo, the relationship became irreparable for Miyasaki

In a similar case, an example is former “Ameagari Kesshitai” member Hiroyuki Miyasako (55), who was effectively fired by Yoshimoto in 2019 due to the “black market sales” scandal. Initially, Miyasako denied his involvement in the illegal business but eventually retracted his statements.

“Yoshimoto trusted and protected Miyasako, but once they realized he had lied, the trust was broken. Later, Miyasako, along with Ryo Tamura of ‘London Boots 1 Go 2 Go,’ independently held a press conference where he criticized Yoshimoto. This led to irreparable damage in their relationship. In Kuruma’s case, Yoshimoto likely viewed it as a solo act. There were significant disruptions to work and other entertainers. ‘If this is allowed, it would set a bad precedent,’ said a source from the entertainment industry.”

While Kuruma leaves Yoshimoto, returning to the comedy world is “Downtown’s” Hitoshi Matsumoto (61). His partner Masatoshi Hamada (61), currently on a break, is expected to return early next month. Matsumoto will resume activities with the launch of a new media project, Downtown Channel (tentative), set to begin in July.

Although the channel is often confused with YouTube, it is a completely separate entity aimed at creating a new platform for the comedy world. Fundraising through investments is also being considered.

“Until now, comedians’ goals were to have their own show on TV. Now, with platforms like YouTube and streaming services like Netflix, TV has become restrictive due to compliance demands and the inability to take risks. Production costs are also decreasing. Yoshimoto, observing this transitional period, decided to create a new platform for the comedy world, and it’s clear that Downtown is the key player in this project,” said a sports paper reporter.

The comedian, who was seen as leading the new era, Kuruma from Reiwa Roman, is leaving Yoshimoto, while the king of comedy, Matsumoto, is returning.

In five or ten years, the decision made by Yoshimoto may become a topic of discussion.