[Full Article] Naniwa Danshi’s Kento Nagao and Former “E-girls” Member Rio Inagaki: Photos of a “Late-Night Date & Overnight Stay”

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Hopping from an izakaya to a convenience store to a bar, then on to her place…

Shortly after 11 p.m. one night in early June, a man and a woman entered a Chinese izakaya one after another, located in a back alley of a downtown area bustling with tourists.

Walking with their heads slightly bowed as if to avoid being noticed, the man—whose handsome features were recognizable even through his cap and mask—was Kento Nagao (23) of “Naniwa Danshi.”In stark contrast to Nagao, the woman walking confidently without a care for onlookers is Rio Inagaki (27), a former member of “E-girls.”

Nagao began his entertainment career as a child actor at the age of three and made his debut with “Naniwa Danshi” in 2021. Although he is the youngest member, he has demonstrated his talent as the group’s costume producer, while in recent years he has also been in the spotlight as an actor, appearing in productions such as the NHK Taiga drama “What Will Ieyasu Do?”

“Nagao, with his sweet, handsome features, took first place in the ‘NEXT’ category of a women’s fashion magazine’s popular vote feature, the ‘National Treasure-Level Handsome Men Ranking,’ in 2023. Among fans, he is a highly popular member known as the ‘Reiwa-era young heartthrob.’In the film *Revenge in Kobikicho*, released this past February, he played the role of Kikunosuke Ino, the fiancé of the lead character’s (played by Yu Emoto, 39) sister, and his elegant demeanor and sword-fighting scenes were highly acclaimed.“He was the talk of the industry for breaking new ground as an actor,” said a producer at a major network.

As for Inagaki, she debuted with “E-girls” in 2012 and left the group in 2015. Since then, she has been active as a YouTuber and model, among other things, and has also produced the apparel brand “RIELLE RICHE.”

The two settled into a table at the very back of the restaurant and spent a little over an hour enjoying their meal while tucking into the restaurant’s famous gyoza. After leaving the restaurant, they stopped by a nearby convenience store while maintaining a certain distance from each other, but Nagao quickly left the store. He retraced his steps and, for some reason, entered the same Chinese izakaya they had been at earlier.

When he reappeared from the restaurant, he was clutching a smartphone in his hand—one that hadn’t been there before. …It seemed he had gone back to retrieve the smartphone Inagaki had left behind.Despite being a super-popular idol, he showed such devoted kindness by going back to retrieve something she’d left behind. He reunited with Inagaki, who had been waiting in front of the convenience store, and they walked side by side to a nearby building. The two of them got into the elevator and headed into a bar.

They exuded an affectionate atmosphere that made them look like a couple from every angle…

“The two met at a bar in Minato Ward early last year, and their relationship developed around winter. Apparently, Inagaki was the one who pursued him aggressively. Since they started dating, they’ve gone on double dates with mutual friends, traveled both domestically and abroad, gone on drives, and visited a certain theme park—they didn’t seem to be hiding anything,” said an acquaintance of Inagaki’s.

Dressed differently than when they entered the bar

A little past 2:00 a.m., about two hours after the two had entered the bar, Inagaki emerged from the elevator. He immediately got into a limousine waiting in front of the building. A short while later, Nagao also stepped out of the same elevator.

It’s unclear where she got it, but she had changed from the white T-shirt she’d been wearing before entering the bar to a black one that read “Today’s Joe,” and she appeared to be in high spirits.

However, perhaps coming to her senses once outside, she instantly put on a cap (second photo) and got into the same limousine Inagaki had boarded. The car stopped in front of her apartment building, and the two disappeared inside.

What happened to the two after the report…

On June 7, *Shukan Bunshun* reported on Nagao and Inagaki’s “group date at Kunitachi” in its digital edition. However, what *FRIDAY* witnessed was a “date for two” where their intimacy stood out even in the dark of night. Regarding the situation following the romance reports, the aforementioned acquaintance of Inagaki had this to say:

“Mr. Inagaki is the type who wants to be open about his relationships. Far from being bothered by the reports, he seems to think he’s lucky to be able to act so openly.

For Nagao, this is the second time following the 2023 romance reports, so he clearly seems down.When they appeared on the June 8 broadcast of ‘CDTV Live! Live!’, leader Kazuya Ohashi (28) noticed Nagao’s state and put his arm around him; seeing Ohashi smiling warmly as the camera cut to Nagao really tugged at my heartstrings.”

Is their relationship true? We sent written inquiries to Nagao’s agency, “STARTO ENTERTAINMENT,” and Inagaki’s agency, “OOO Entertainment,” but neither agency responded by the deadline.

“Naniwa Danshi” is set to begin their tour next month. Will Nagao be able to smile in front of his fans as a “true idol”?

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