[Exclusive Photos!] Kazuya Kamenashi & Minami Tanaka: First Photo Together! Pictures of the High-Profile Newlywed Couple “Walking Hand in Hand”

Two and a Half Years of Secret, Discreet Dating

One of Tokyo’s most exclusive neighborhoods, lined with skyscrapers and luxury high-rises. One night in early October, a strikingly handsome couple was walking through this neighborhood, home to billionaires and top artists.

The man wore black-rimmed glasses, a denim jacket, and jeans, while the woman wore a black hoodie with her cap pulled low over her eyes. Amid the pleasant autumn evening breeze, the couple—Kazuya Kamenashi (40) and Minami Tanaka (39)—were walking their dog hand in hand, looking very much in love.

“It seems they grew closer through a joint interview in the 2023 beauty magazine *MAQUIA* (Shueisha) and their co-starring roles in the 2024 drama *Destiny* (TV Asahi).“When their romance was reported in a sports newspaper on New Year’s Day two years ago, Kamenashi’s agency did not deny the relationship, causing a stir among both the entertainment media and fans, who speculated that ‘marriage might be imminent,’” said a sports newspaper entertainment reporter.

However, since the initial reports of their romance, no media outlet has managed to scoop a photo of the two together, and there have been no sightings of them either. By the fall of ’25, rumors of a breakup had even begun to circulate.

“At the time, Kamenashi and Tanaka reportedly confided in acquaintances and close colleagues, saying, ‘We haven’t broken up. We’re troubled by articles that don’t reflect the facts.’ The reason they weren’t photographed was that they were thoroughly avoiding the public eye. They continued their relationship without ever breaking up, eventually leading to the announcement of their marriage and the pregnancy of their first child this past June,” said an entertainment agency executive.

While congratulations poured in from all over Japan for the high-profile couple’s marriage, the two were still never spotted spending time together.

A resident of the celebrity neighborhood who witnessed the couple taking a walk says:

Relaxing Alone in the Sauna

“Although their faces were partially hidden by their glasses and caps, I recognized them right away as Mr. Kamenashi and Ms. Tanaka. They just have a different aura than ordinary people, don’t they? Seeing the two of them chatting happily while walking their two dogs, I was a little surprised and thought, ‘So they really are married!’ (laughs)”

Although they’re both extremely busy as popular celebrities, a mutual acquaintance reveals, “Tanaka is the one who calls the shots in their marriage.”

“Tanaka is the devoted type who wants to be together all the time. She once said on a variety show, ‘If my husband comes home drunk, I’ll be sitting cross-legged, waiting for him.’Perhaps because there’s no shortage of stories about her being a “clingy, high-maintenance wife,” Kamenashi doesn’t seem to go out much; he’s reportedly confided to a friend that ‘going to the sauna alone is my only time to relax.’ That said, their marriage is going smoothly. I hear Tanaka even gives Kamenashi beauty advice.”

What’s on everyone’s mind is the couple’s future career plans. Chikako Komai, an entertainment reporter who has been covering Kamenashi for many years, offers this analysis:

“While rumors of a ‘KAT-TUN’ reunion are being whispered among some fans, it’s unlikely to happen right away.Kamenashi decided to go through with his marriage to Tanaka precisely because he disbanded ‘KAT-TUN,’ left START O ENTERTAINMENT (formerly Johnny’s)—the agency he’d been with for many years—and drew a clear line with his fans.

From July to September of this year, he successfully completed a solo tour that visited seven cities nationwide. He will likely continue to focus on his solo career going forward.”

What about Tanaka?

“She’s highly motivated about her acting career, so she’ll likely return to work after giving birth.Speaking of Tanaka, she’s strongly associated with roles portraying characters on the edge of madness, as seen in the 2020 drama *M: There Is Someone to Love* (TV Asahi), but in recent years she has rapidly expanded her acting range—such as her superb portrayal of a down-to-earth woman struggling with a sexless marriage in the drama *Even If You Don’t Do It* (Fuji TV).“There are many producers who want to cast Tanaka,” said a drama producer at a major network.

The two are entering a turning point in both their professional and personal lives. We wish them a long and happy life together!

From the November 6, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*