[Full Article] Yoichi Okano, the “King of Trash Comedians,” Boldly Announces His Marriage! [Scoop!] Photos Reveal “Living as a Kept Man with a Beauty in a High-Rise Condo”

A pachinko date with his rumored girlfriend, “Juliet”

In this trendy town where actors, artists, and businesspeople sip wine day and night, there was a couple walking a small Jack Russell Terrier.

The man holding the leash had a distinctive mustache. Even when his dog casually lifted its hind leg to mark a telephone pole, he didn’t flinch.

In charge of cleanup was a beautiful woman resembling Emi Takei, who was following three steps behind him. With her long hair flowing in the breeze, she ran over and poured water from a plastic bottle onto the utility pole.

Afterward, they stopped by a high-end supermarket with an extensive selection of organic foods, then returned to their luxury high-rise apartment.

Although this is a common sight in this neighborhood, I couldn’t shake a strong sense of something being off—probably because that man was comedian Yoichi Okano (44).

“He’s been hooked on gambling since his student days, and the debts he racked up by borrowing money from anyone and everyone total 18 million yen. As one of the comedy world’s leading ‘scum comedians,’ he’s become an indispensable presence on various variety shows and gambling-themed programs,” said a sports newspaper reporter covering the entertainment industry.

Such a “scum comedian” enjoying an elegant celebrity date… The clue to solving this mystery lay in the radio show “KUKI KAIDAN no Odoriba,” where Okuno serves as a semi-regular. On the show, he frequently shares stories about his dates with a woman he calls “Juliet.”

“Juliet is also a huge gambling fan. On their days off, the two reportedly enjoy pachinko and horse racing together. When they can’t decide what to eat, they enjoy unusual dates—such as ‘tailing meals,’ where they follow a stranger and eat at the same restaurant that person enters,” (ibid.)

Indeed, his style of walking the dog was also quite unconventional. Could it be that, thanks to her, he’s able to enjoy an elegant private life?

“She was already living in the high-rise apartment, and it seems Okano just moved in with her. He isn’t paying rent—it’s a ‘kept man’ living arrangement. They seem to get along well, but I hear Okano is hesitant to marry because he feels that ‘having a happy family doesn’t fit his persona,’” said an entertainment agency executive.

What Are the Chances of Marriage? The Answer from the “Trash Comedian” Star

Later, we caught up with Okano as he was leaving his high-rise apartment to participate in the 5th-anniversary special for the YouTube pachinko show “Mogura × Okano’s ‘Kuzu Pachi’”—but for some reason, he seemed incredibly flustered even before we could ask him a single question.

“I’m running way late!”

True to his reputation as a “scumbag comedian,” I continued the interview while running alongside him. There was no doubt that the person walking with him was Ms. Juliet.

“We’ve been dating for about five years, I think. We met through a mutual acquaintance.”

—Why “Juliet”?

“I was living in a run-down house in Asagaya, and she lived in a high-rise, so we thought it was kind of like ‘Romeo and Juliet.’”

He says he’s already moved out of the Asagaya place. He’s moved to a posh neighborhood and is living as a kept man in Juliet’s high-rise. When I asked, “You’ve really made it in life, haven’t you?” he laughed and denied it.

“No, no, no, that’s not true at all. I haven’t paid back any of my debts yet (laughs).”

――Have you met Juliet’s parents yet?

“Well, actually, I haven’t yet. When the time comes, I’ll go say hello.”

Doesn’t he intend to show some chivalry toward the girlfriend he trusts with his heart—and his wallet? I asked Okano again, as he remained evasive.

—You do plan to marry Juliet, right?

“That’s the plan!”

After making that forceful declaration, Okano bowed to the reporter. He hurried through the ticket gates and onto the platform.

Will this trashy version of “Romeo and Juliet” have a happy ending!?

From the October 16, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*