Arashi’s Satoshi Ohno Romance Rumor Resurfaces Alongside Behind-the-Scenes Details That Shocked Fans

Satoshi Ohno (45) of the national idol group Arashi was reported in the April 30 issue of “Shukan Bunshun” to have reunited after about 10 years with a former actress with whom he was once rumored to be in a relationship, and to be meeting her repeatedly.

Arashi is currently in the middle of their final tour ahead of their planned end of activities at the end of May. Fans have been thrown into turmoil by the report involving Ohno.

His partner is Ms. A, a former actress who was reported to be in a romantic relationship with him in 2015. Their relationship was previously reported by FRIDAY, but at the time, when Arashi was at the height of its popularity, it ended in a way that is unthinkable today.

According to an entertainment industry source familiar with the situation at the time:

“At that point, the group had reached a mature phase. Back then, even for Arashi, relationships with the opposite sex were considered off-limits. Moreover, Ms. A was not widely known. There was backlash from fans, and management instructed Ohno to cut off his relationship with her.”

Immediately after an Arashi concert that followed, Ohno held an unusual press conference in front of the media. There, he said:

“I sincerely apologize for causing fans sadness due to my careless actions, and I deeply regret it.”

He described Ms. A as “just a friend,” and stated:

“I reflect on having acted in a way that caused misunderstandings, and I will not see her again.”

A sports newspaper entertainment reporter who covered the story at the time recalled:

“I remember being shocked, thinking, ‘Are they really making him go this far?’ If something like that happened today, the agency would face a huge backlash. Ohno, who responded to the interview, looked emotionally distant and had a very dull expression.”

Thus, their relationship appeared to have ended, but according to Bunshun, Ohno and Ms. A recently had a fateful reunion at a restaurant in Tokyo. The difference from 10 years ago is that Ms. A is now a single mother, and Ohno is scheduled to leave his agency at the end of May.

“10 years ago, the situation they are in was completely different. In particular, Ohno-san now has a clearly visible end to his idol career. At this point, no one can stop it anymore. The article describes how, after an apparently coincidental reunion, the two rapidly grow closer,” said a women’s magazine reporter.

As Arashi’s activities reach their climax, fan reactions are divided. In the 10 years since, Ninomiya Kazunari (42), Sakurai Sho (44), and Aiba Masaki (43) have all gotten married, which has led to supportive comments on social media such as:

“Even Ohno-kun is of that age now.”

“He’s at a marriageable age.”

On the other hand, there are also harsh opinions such as:

“Honestly, I didn’t want to hear this during the final tour.”

Some fans were even more shocked not by the romance report itself, but by a certain line in Bunshun. It was the passage describing Ohno after the concert, where he:

“Finished packing up and left within about ten minutes.”

A longtime fan in her 50s expressed her sadness:

“It’s the final concert of the five-member Arashi. We fans are facing it with gratitude. And yet to think he left the venue in just 10 minutes without lingering in the afterglow… If that reflects a desire to leave this place as quickly as possible, or to quit being an idol as soon as possible, it’s too painful.”

It is also reported that Ohno, after this fast exit from the concert venue, switched to a taxi and went to Ms. A’s place.

An entertainment agency insider familiar with the behind-the-scenes of the comeback said in an interview:

“Originally, Ohno planned to end his idol career on December 31, 2020, when Arashi went on hiatus. However, the other members persuaded him, saying it would be unfair to the fans, and managed to bring the final tour to fruition. Because of that, there was a difference in motivation for the final concert between Ohno and the other members.

He had been out of the spotlight for about five years, but even so, he sharpened his dancing to a very high level for the final stage. The other members were impressed, saying, ‘As expected of Ohno.’ While the romance report during the final tour is certainly not something to be praised, there is no doubt that Ms. A’s support is connected to his current motivation. We would appreciate it if fans could be understanding.”

It is said that during his hiatus, Ohno left the noisy city center and moved to Miyakojima in Okinawa. After leaving his agency, he may intend to live there with Ms. A. All eyes remain on what will happen until the very end.