Love Scoop! Kento Nagao and Former E-girls Star Rio Inagaki Enjoy Low-Key Izakaya Date

Shortly after 11 p.m. in early June, a man and a woman entered a Chinese-style izakaya tucked away in a back alley of a bustling downtown district crowded with tourists.

The man, walking with his head lowered as if trying to avoid attention, was recognizable despite his cap and face mask for his striking features—he was Kento Nagao (23) of Naniwa Danshi. In contrast to Nagao, the woman accompanying him walked confidently without concern for onlookers. She was former E-girls member Rio Inagaki (27).

Nagao began his entertainment career as a child actor at the age of three and debuted with Naniwa Danshi in 2021. Although he is the youngest member of the group, he has demonstrated his talent as the group’s costume producer. In recent years, he has also gained recognition as an actor through appearances in productions such as NHK’s historical drama “What Will You Do, Ieyasu?”

“In 2023, Nagao topped the NEXT category of a popular women’s fashion magazine’s annual ‘National Treasure-Level Handsome Men Ranking.’ Among fans, he’s especially popular as the embodiment of the ‘Reiwa-era young samurai.’ In the film ‘Kobikicho no Adauchi,’ released this February, he played Kikunosuke Ino, the fiancé of the younger sister of the protagonist, portrayed by Tasuku Emoto (39). His graceful movements and sword-fighting scenes were widely praised, and many in the industry saw the role as a breakthrough in his acting career,” said a producer at a major television network.

Inagaki, meanwhile, debuted with E-girls in 2012 before leaving the group in 2015. Since then, she has produced her apparel brand RIELLE RICHE while also working as a YouTuber and model.

The two settled into a table at the very back of the restaurant, spending about an hour enjoying the establishment’s signature dumplings and other dishes. After leaving, they maintained a slight distance from each other as they stopped by a nearby convenience store. Nagao, however, quickly left the store and, for some reason, returned to the same Chinese izakaya they had just left.

When he reappeared, he was holding a smartphone that he hadn’t had earlier.

Apparently, he had gone back to retrieve the phone that Inagaki had accidentally left behind.

Despite being one of Japan’s most popular young idols, Nagao quietly went back to fetch her forgotten phone—a considerate gesture that reflected his attentiveness. After reuniting with Inagaki, who had been waiting outside the convenience store, the pair walked side by side to a nearby building. They rode the elevator together and entered a bar.

Even in the darkness of the night, the silhouettes of the strikingly attractive pair radiated an unmistakable sense of intimacy.

The June 12 issue of “FRIDAY” (combined June 26/July 3 edition) and the paid digital edition “FRIDAY GOLD” provide further details about the couple’s date that night and their reactions following the publication of the report.

From the June 26 & July 3 Combined Issue of “FRIDAY”