Hirosue Ryoko announces comeback restart shelved film compensation issue resolved offers flood in amid renewed popularity

Return was decided after discussions were settled

“From April 2026, I will be gradually resuming my activities,” she announced.

On April 1, actress Hirose Ryoko (45) announced her return to work through the official website of her agency R.H..

Hirose had been arrested after crashing into a trailer on the Shin-Tomei Expressway at 185 km/h on April 7, 2025. She was later taken to a hospital where she assaulted a nurse and was arrested. The charges of injury against the nurse were later not prosecuted, but regarding the traffic accident, she was summarily indicted in December of the same year for violating the Act on Punishment of Acts Inflicting Death or Injury by Driving a Motor Vehicle, and was fined 700,000 yen by a summary court order. In May of the same year, she announced that she would be suspending activities due to bipolar affective disorder and hyperthyroidism.

Hirose stated:

“Through this period of hiatus, in addition to recovering my physical condition, I was given time to slowly reflect on myself, which became an important period and opportunity in my life. While properly recognizing my own weaknesses and traits, I would like to explore the kinds of work I can do and how I can engage with projects going forward. I sincerely ask for your continued support.”

She added a handwritten signature.

Regarding the reason for her return, while recovery of health is certainly one factor, a film industry insider commented:

“The accident in April last year happened on the way back from filming the movie ‘On Okuri,’ which was being shot in Nara City. As a result, the film was shelved.”

Incidentally, the film later restarted production with a new team as a documentary film. Production costs were raised through crowdfunding, and it is scheduled for release in December this year.

“At the time of the accident, filming had just begun, but there were already various expenses even in the preparation stage. Including those costs, the production side reportedly filed a compensation claim against Hirose’s side. A few days ago, I heard from a production-related source that the matter has been settled. The exact amount is unknown, but it seems Hirose’s side paid the compensation,” said the film industry insider mentioned above.

Better than not appearing at all

When it comes to celebrity scandals, compensation and other penalties are always a topic of discussion. In Hirose’s case, during the double affair scandal in 2023 involving chef Toba Shusaku, it was reported that she incurred large compensation payments due to the cancellation of four commercials. Regarding the cancellation of the film mentioned above, it was also said that damages were claimed. With these legal issues resolved, she has been able to restart her activities. However, regarding this comeback announcement, there are many negative comments on social media, such as: “Isn’t this too soon?” and “Wouldn’t everywhere be too scared to hire her?”

“Most of the staff involved in ‘On Okuri,’ including producers, reportedly said they are completely done with it, and it is unlikely they will remake the same fictional film with her as the lead. There were staff members who had been long-time fans of Hirose, but even they gave up.

However, there are some staff who still say, ‘We want to work with Hirose again,’ and it seems projects are now being restarted centered around such people. There are multiple offers coming in, and I’ve heard that some have already been accepted by Hirose’s side. However, given the current situation, she will likely not be offered the same high fees as before—but rather than not working at all, continuing to appear is more important, so she probably accepted them,” said the film industry source mentioned earlier.

Regarding the payment of compensation and the specific details of her restart, inquiries were made to her agency, but no response was obtained.

It is a well-known fact in the industry that Hirose has many fans. No matter how many scandals she is involved in, she continues to remain active without disappearing. Eventually, she comes to be widely recognized as that kind of person, and her fanbase grows. She is said to possess an indescribable charm that is undoubtedly the mark of a great actress. Perhaps Hirose has taken one step closer to that level as well——.