[Full Article] Will the Marriage Rush Continue in the Second Half of ’26? The Real Names of 3 “Former Johnny’s Idols Set to Tie the Knot Next”

Kazuya Kamenashi, Daiki Shigeoka, and Takahiro Hamada of “WEST.” Share News of Their Happiness

Following last year’s weddings of Tadayoshi Okura (41) and Koichi Domoto (47), marriages among former Johnny’s Associates (now START O ENTERTAINMENT) talents are continuing this year as well.

In April, Yuto Nakajima (33) of the former “Hey! Say! JUMP’ Yuto Nakajima (33) announced his marriage to actress Yuko Araki (32), and in June, former ‘KAT-TUN’ member Kazuya Kamenashi (40) and freelance announcer and actress Minami Tanaka (39) jointly announced not only their marriage but also that she was expecting their first child.In August, Daiki Shigeoka (34) and Takahiro Hamada (37) of “WEST.” both announced their marriages simultaneously.

“While Nakajima and Kamenashi—whose relationship had long been reported—were expected, Shigeoka and Hamada came completely out of the blue. With this, four out of the seven members of ‘WEST.’ are now married, sending fans into a panic,” said a sports newspaper entertainment reporter.

Behind this series of marriages lies the shift to the STARTO corporate structure.

“During the old Johnny’s era, it was whispered that there were unwritten rules such as ‘marriage is only allowed after turning 40’ and ‘only one member per group can get married.’ However, the agency was dissolved following the sexual abuse scandal involving the late Johnny Kitagawa. STARTO was then established, distancing itself from the founding family.By bringing in an outside president and making a fresh start, the agency has become more inclined to respect the talents’ wishes when it comes to romance,” (ibid.)

There is no longer any “pressure” standing in the way of their marriages, and it is said that three “former Johnny’s” members are expected to tie the knot in the second half of this year.An executive at a major talent agency named Jesse (30) of “SixTONES”—whose relationship with actress Haruka Ayase (41) was reported in 2024—as the “frontrunner.”

“The two have continued their relationship even after the reports. I had heard they planned to marry when Ayase turned 40, but it seems they postponed it for the sake of their fans. That’s because this year marks the sixth anniversary of ‘SixTONES’ CD debut.They hold the number 6—which is part of their group name—in high regard, and they have stadium concerts scheduled across the country from September through November. It’s said they decided against getting married before this important milestone.

Put another way, once the tour is over, there will be no more obstacles to marriage for Jesse. It’s likely they’ll tie the knot either after the tour or sometime in the New Year, following the group’s annual New Year’s Eve countdown concert.”

That idol who changed his mind

Ryuhei Maruyama (42) of “SUPER EIGHT,” whose serious relationship with a girlfriend 19 years his junior was reported by FRIDAY in ’23, is also being speculated to be a potential candidate for marriage.

“On a variety show he appeared on in ’22, Maruyama stated, ‘As long as I’m doing this job, I’ve given up on marriage.’ However, since then, the former Johnny’s agency has been dissolved, and it seems his feelings are beginning to change.After all, following the aforementioned Tadayoshi Okura, Shingo Murakami (42) from the same group also married a non-celebrity woman in her 20s last year.Maruyama is scheduled to star in the semi-autobiographical stage play *water* from September through November, and it seems likely that a marriage announcement will be made at the end of the year, once this milestone production wraps up.” (Producer of a major network music program)

Attention is also focused on Kento Nakajima (32), who left “Sexy Zone” (now “timeless”) in ’24.

“In 2024, *Josei Seven* reported that Nakajima had traveled to the Vatican with former *E-girls* member Reina Washio (32).He had previously stated in a magazine interview that he ‘wants to get married’ and that ‘if I were to take someone special, I’d take them to the Vatican City State,’ leading many to believe his marriage was just around the corner. However, it seems the plans have been delayed slightly due to his busy schedule with his solo music career and acting work.Nakajima is set to embark on his first-ever Asian tour starting this August. He appears to be quite committed to it, so the wedding will likely take place after the tour ends.

Ren Nagase (27) of “King & Prince” was also photographed spending the night with Minami Hamabe (25), but with the group currently operating as a duo, getting married now would be too risky.“Koji Mukai (32) of ‘Snow Man’ has also been the subject of reports about a passionate romance with a TV personality, but with a five-major-dome tour coming up in October, I don’t see him tying the knot anytime soon,” said the entertainment agency executive mentioned earlier.

A wave of weddings looks set to continue from the end of the year through the New Year.

From the September 11 & 18, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*