Naniwa Danshi’s Kento Nagao Photographed on Late-Night Date and Overnight Stay With Former E-girls Beauty Rio Inagaki

Exclusive romance scoop!
After bar-hopping from an izakaya to a convenience store and then a bar they headed to her home

Shortly after 11 p.m. on an evening in early June, a man and a woman entered a Chinese-style pub tucked away in a back alley of a busy central Tokyo district popular with tourists.

Walking with his head lowered as if trying to avoid attention was a handsome man whose features were recognizable even beneath a cap and face mask—Kento Nagao (23) of Naniwa Danshi. In contrast to Nagao, the woman accompanying him walked confidently without appearing concerned about being seen. She was Rio Inagaki (27), a former member of E-girls.

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

“Nagao is known for his sweet, boyish looks, which earned him first place in the NEXT category of the women’s fashion magazine feature ‘National Treasure-Class Handsome Men Ranking’ in 2023. Among fans, he’s especially popular as the embodiment of a ‘Reiwa-era young samurai.’ In the film ‘The Revenge of Kobikicho,’ released this February, he played Kikunosuke Ino, the fiancé of the younger sister of the protagonist, played by Tasuku Emoto (39). His graceful movements and sword-fighting scenes received widespread praise, and people in the industry viewed the role as opening a new chapter 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 worked as the producer of the apparel brand RIELLE RICHE, while also being active as a YouTuber and model.

The pair settled into a table at the very back of the restaurant, spending about an hour enjoying the establishment’s signature dumplings and their meal together. After leaving, they maintained some distance from each other as they stopped at a nearby convenience store. Nagao quickly exited, then unexpectedly retraced his steps and returned to the Chinese pub they had just left.

When he emerged again, he was holding a smartphone that he hadn’t had earlier. It appeared that Inagaki had accidentally left her phone behind, and he had gone back to retrieve it for her. Despite being one of Japan’s most popular young idols, he quietly went back to collect her forgotten phone—a thoughtful gesture on her behalf. Reuniting with Inagaki, who had been waiting outside the convenience store, the two walked side by side to a nearby building, took the elevator together, and entered a bar.

To any observer, they appeared every bit the affectionate couple.

“The two met at a bar in Tokyo’s Minato Ward early last year, and their relationship turned romantic around the winter. I heard that Inagaki was the one who aggressively pursued him. Since they started dating, they haven’t really tried to hide it—they’ve gone on double dates with mutual friends, traveled both within Japan and overseas, gone on drives, and even visited a certain theme park together,” said an acquaintance of Inagaki’s.

Wearing different clothes than before entering the bar

A little after 2 a.m.—about two hours after the pair entered the bar—Inagaki emerged from the elevator. She immediately got into a hired car that was waiting in front of the building. A short while later, Nagao also came down in the same elevator.

Somehow, he had changed out of the white T-shirt he had been wearing before entering the bar into a black T-shirt with the words “Kyo no Joe” (“Today’s Joe”) printed on it, suggesting he was in high spirits.

However, once outside, he seemed to come back to his senses. He quickly put on a cap (see the second photo) and got into the same hired car as Inagaki. The vehicle stopped in front of her apartment building, and the two disappeared inside together.

The two after the reports

On June 7, “Shukan Bunshun’s” online edition reported that Nagao and Inagaki had gone on a group date at the Japan National Stadium. However, what FRIDAY witnessed was an intimate one-on-one date that stood out even in the darkness of the night. Regarding the situation after the reports surfaced, the same acquaintance of Inagaki said:

“Inagaki has always been the type who wants to be open about her relationships. Even after the reports came out, rather than worrying about them, she seems to think she’s lucky that she can be more open about it now.

Since this is already the second time Nagao has been the subject of romance reports, following one in 2023, he’s clearly been feeling down. When he appeared on ‘CDTV Live! Live!’ on June 8, the group’s leader, Kazuya Ohashi (28), seemed to notice his mood. Seeing Ohashi put an arm around his shoulders and smile warmly at Nagao whenever he appeared in the picture-in-picture window was genuinely moving.”

Are the two really in a relationship?

Written inquiries were sent to STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, Nagao’s agency, and OOO Entertainment, Inagaki’s agency, but neither company responded by the deadline.

With Naniwa Danshi set to begin its concert tour next month, the question remains whether Nagao can continue to greet fans with a smile as a true idol.

From the June 26 & July 3, 2026, combined issue of “FRIDAY”