Exclusive Interview] Ruriko Kojima: “It was because of my son that I felt I had to look forward to life.

Overcoming a two-and-a-half-year hiatus from performing and the sudden death of her husband, she has restarted as a new business manager.
The determination behind the blonde hair

Blonde hair complements her bright expression. TV personality Ruriko Kojima, 32, who has changed her look from the black hair that was once her trademark, smiled shyly and said, “I mixed a little pink into my blonde hair to make it more spring-like, but it was difficult to get the color to stay the way I wanted.

Whenever she tilted her head, her blonde hair would sway. It is hard to believe that she had been inactive for two and a half years, but her behavior at the photo shoot was so refined that it was hard to believe.

Since announcing his return last October, he has appeared on TV and in online videos, but this is his first interview for a magazine. Please give me your best regards.”

Since entering the entertainment world at the age of 15, Kojima has been at the forefront of the industry for 13 years. Her current life, which she resumed after a hiatus, is built around the three axes of being a celebrity, a business owner, and a mother.

She says, “I wore a one-piece dress for the photo shoot, but for personal wear, I wear a light turtleneck and denim. I only have three tops and two pairs of denim, so I wear them alternately. It’s almost like a uniform (laughs). I don’t want to waste time worrying about coordinating my outfits.

In 2009, she won the Grand Prix at the Horipro Talent Scout Caravan and entered the entertainment industry. With her talk ability as a weapon, she has been active in a wide range of activities, including serving as an MC for variety shows, sports programs, and educational programs. One of her most famous appearances was in “Akira Ikegami’s General Election Live” (TV Tokyo), a special election program for the House of Representatives election in 2005. She reported live from the polling center, and was described as a “Kojiruri Warrior” for the way she returned votes and her commentary. However, Kojiruri herself had mixed feelings about this.

I am grateful that my workload has increased, but I don’t think of myself as a muso,” she said. I was expected to be perfect, and I felt like the bar for many things had been raised. It was a heavy load, and it was tough.”

In February 2011, while boasting of her popularity with the media, she resigned from HORIPRO. The following month, she married Mr. Kota Kitamura (29 years old), the owner of a sauna business, and fulfilled her wish to study in China for a short period of time. After returning to Japan and giving birth to her first son, she devoted herself to housework and childcare as a full-time housewife. It seemed as if her happiness would continue, but in February of last year, her situation changed drastically when her husband passed away suddenly.

I wanted to support him as he worked hard in his business day in and day out. But …… there may have been something in his heart that I could not fully understand. The more I thought about it, the more painful it became, and the time since that day has been the hardest I have ever experienced, both physically and mentally. But I was able to look forward to the future because of my son.

In October of last year, he set up his own private agency and resumed his entertainment activities. He reported that in addition to his work as president and TV personality, he is also involved in the tea business. This is based on his own experience of being saved by time spent drinking tea during hard times.

When asked about his future goals, he replied that he would like his 40-something self to say, “Thank you for working so hard in your 30s. Kojima’s eyes were filled with a strong light as he said this.

There was a time when I used to have a longing to be someone like you, but in the past year, I have completely lost that longing. I’ve realized that I can’t be the same as someone else even if I admire them. I don’t want to be disliked willingly, but I also don’t want to be liked anymore. I don’t have to force myself to be good, and I think it’s fine if I just be myself. ……See, SMAP has been singing this song for a long time. You know, SMAP sang this song a long time ago: “You are not number one, you are the only one” (laughs).

With her one-of-a-kind presence as a strength, the Kojiri Warriors have truly begun.

In the May 1-8 issue of “FRIDAY” and the paid version of “FRIDAY GOLD,” both of which went on sale on April 17, she talks candidly about the days after her husband’s sudden death and her one and only “mile rule.

From the May 1-8, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY