Erika Sawajiri Sparks Romance Rumors: 14-Year Age Gap, Remote Island Love, and a Spring Wedding?

Overcoming Two Career Hiatuses

The genius actress who insists on her my way attitude had quietly nurtured a devoted, ultra-long-distance romance while dedicating herself to work.

It was early January, around 7 p.m., when the New Year’s atmosphere had calmed and daily life had begun to return. In front of a high-end Tokyo apartment building rumored to house many celebrities, a shuttle car came to a stop. The rear door slowly opened, and stepping out in casual black attire was actress Erika Sawajiri (39). Her gray, fluffy knit hat made her look adorably youthful despite being in her late 30s, and even with her cold-weather attire, her charisma was impossible to hide. Over the past few days, our magazine had observed her returning home at roughly the same time. She appeared to be living a life of simple commutes between her home and the rehearsal hall for her starring stage play, Pygmalion—PYGMALION—, which opens on January 20.

“Pygmalion is the original of My Fair Lady and remains beloved worldwide as a masterpiece of early 20th-century English theater. Sawajiri plays Eliza, a flower girl living in London. When it was adapted into a film in 1964, Audrey Hepburn gave a passionate performance in the same role. Securing such a major role for only her second stage performance is a testament to Sawajiri’s determination,” said a theater industry insider.

The stage play will tour nationwide, beginning in Tokyo and continuing to Nagoya, Kitakyushu, and Osaka, culminating in its final performance in March. Additionally, her first major film comeback in seven years, #Kakusan, is scheduled for release in February. Her appearances in high-profile works are expected to continue.

Sawajiri began her entertainment career in the sixth grade, quickly displaying her star potential. However, her path, though dazzling, was also steep. At 19, she won the New Actor Award at the 29th Japan Academy Prize for her role in the film Pacchigi! (2005). That same year, she brilliantly portrayed a 15-year-old protagonist suffering from spinocerebellar degeneration in the drama 1 Litre of Tears (Fuji TV), earning the Elan d’Or Award and skyrocketing to stardom—

“In 2007, at a stage greeting for a starring film, she was criticized for repeatedly responding with ‘Not really’ in an apparently displeased manner, causing a huge backlash. Sawajiri was effectively forced into a hiatus. In later interviews, she said she spent her break studying abroad and resetting herself,” said a TV station insider.

Some time after returning to Japan, in July 2012, she starred in Helter Skelter, her first leading film in five years, portraying a fully plastic-surgery model. She won the Outstanding Performance by an Actress award at the 36th Japan Academy Prize, showcasing her overwhelming presence and wiping away past controversies.

“Later, another scandal forced her into a second hiatus. In February 2024, she resumed her entertainment career with the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire, marking her first performance in four years. Although it was her first stage work, she starred in the play, which quickly became a hot topic. Tickets sold out within seconds, and after the run, industry professionals praised her vocal strength and expressive abilities, cementing her triumphant return to the spotlight with real skill,” the insider added.

Far from letting setbacks hold her back, she steadily rebuilt her position as a leading actress.

An Unexpected Partner as a Pillar of Emotional Support

While her career was gaining momentum, Sawajiri’s private life drew attention in 2023 when our magazine scooped her semi-cohabiting romance with a wild-type entrepreneur. By the following summer, however, rumors of a breakup were already circulating. Over the past year and a half, she immersed herself completely in work as if dedicating all her private time to it—but recently, it seems she has met someone new.

The morning after Sawajiri was first observed, around 9:20 a.m., the same shuttle car arrived again at the apartment building. She was likely headed to rehearsals once more. A few minutes later, Sawajiri appeared, wearing a luxurious white fur coat and stylish sunglasses. She paired them with black casual pants and a bag, demonstrating her impeccable balance of style. On her head, she wore her favorite gray fluffy knit hat, which we had seen her wear for several days straight.

Just as we admired Sawajiri’s dignified presence and fashion sense, a tall man wearing a black cap and sunglasses appeared from the entrance. He had a wild aura reminiscent of Kazunari Ninomiya (42), wearing a jacket over a hoodie and giving off a stylish, modern impression. Carrying a large suitcase and paper bag as if returning from a trip, the man entered a taxi that had just arrived to pick him up and drove away.

This man is currently Sawajiri’s partner, referred to here as Mr. A. Despite her busy schedule rehearsing for the starring stage play, she managed to spend the year-end and New Year’s period with him, even preparing home-cooked meals.

“Mr. A is a regular man working for a local company on a remote island more than 1,000 kilometers from Tokyo. He is 25, fourteen years younger than Sawajiri. Sawajiri had occasionally visited friends living on this island, and as her acquaintances grew through social gatherings, she met him. Since around the summer of 2024, when breakup reports emerged, they were seen spending time alone together, so perhaps their bond grew closer then. Last summer, on the ferry to the island, the two appeared quite intimate, like a couple. By that time, their relationship had likely already developed,” said a local resident.

Regarding her past romances, Sawajiri’s 2009 marriage to Takeshi Takagi (61) was to a man 22 years her senior, and the wild-type entrepreneur she dated afterward was also older.

“Mr. A is much younger, but he has an extremely cheerful personality and is well-liked by his seniors at work. He loves the sea and can even navigate a boat, allowing Sawajiri to experience a nature-filled lifestyle not possible in Tokyo—this may have been one of the reasons she was drawn to him. He is also very close with his family and siblings. Sawajiri values family deeply, as she once said in an interview, ‘We are bound by a force that cannot be fully expressed by the word important.’ They likely share similar values about family, making her feel comfortable being with him,” said a male acquaintance.

After a Long-Distance Relationship

Despite the long-distance relationship of over 1,000 kilometers, the two gradually deepened their bond over time. In September of last year, Sawajiri visited the island for a shoot, accompanied by her agency staff.

“During this shoot, Sawajiri came with her mother. Normally, when she visits the island alone, she books a standard room on the ferry. Given her image of lavish spending, I was surprised by this frugal side. However, when she came with her mother, she booked a suite so that travel would not be burdensome—very thoughtful, as you’d expect from Sawajiri. I’ve shared the same ferry with her a few times, but surprisingly, most people didn’t notice her,” said a fellow passenger.

There was an even deeper reason she brought her mother, someone she trusts absolutely, along on the trip.

“Sawajiri reportedly introduced Mr. A to her mother as someone I’m seriously dating. Soon after, a rumor spread across the island that the two might be engaged,” said a local resident.

Falling in love with an ordinary young man living on the island—rather than an IT CEO or artist—fits Sawajiri’s independent path perfectly, creating a romance almost like a movie.

Currently, she is extremely busy with her starring stage play running until March and the upcoming film #Kakusan(“#Spread”). Furthermore, a second film project is already decided, a comedy-suspense inspired by French cinema, in which she will play a memory-loss detective. Following her full-scale return, offers from industry insiders have flooded in. Amid her busy schedule, will she find the right timing for marriage?

“I’ve heard that their wedding is scheduled to take place on the island this spring, after Sawajiri’s stage performance ends. While one might expect tight security with bodyguards, the reception will allow both locals and tourists to attend. She apparently prefers a cozy wedding surrounded by familiar island residents rather than an expensive, flashy event at a luxury Tokyo hotel. Only a small circle of close friends and professional associates from Tokyo are expected to attend, making it an intimate and warm day with truly important people,” said a female acquaintance.

It has been 12 years since her previous marriage ended. While the authenticity of the wedding has yet to be confirmed, Sawajiri may be approaching a major turning point in her life—remarriage.

In November last year, she appeared on video for the first time in six years on NewsPicks, revealing the truth behind the infamous Betsuni incident from 18 years ago:

“At the peak of that time, my mental state was broken. I was pretending, building an image of ‘Erika Sawajiri,’ and reached my limit. I had this ironclad idea that ‘Erika Sawajiri must be this way’—like a barrier that just slammed down. During meetings, I wouldn’t look anyone in the eye, wore black sunglasses, said nothing, didn’t smile. That was the only way I knew to protect myself.”

At just 21, she faced massive public backlash and was effectively pushed out of the entertainment world. Reflecting on herself then, she answered economist Yusuke Narita (40) when asked for advice to young people: “Find what is truly important in your daily life.” When asked if she likes who she is now, she replied:

“I love myself now more than ever in my life!”

Turning 40 in April, Sawajiri seems to have found a natural self in both work and life, buoyed by this new love.

When the magazine sent inquiries to Sawajiri’s agency regarding her relationship, engagement, and wedding, the following response was given:

“Her private life is left to her discretion.”

Despite facing repeated setbacks, she continues to shine in both love and work without losing her true self.

From the January 30/February 6, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”