Masaki Aiba shows his “off-the-cuff” appearance after his “first performance” in 12 years.

He will be the overall host of Fuji’s “FNS Song Festival” in July, and a movie starring him will be released in the fall!

It is around 9 p.m. one evening in mid-June. Masaki Aiba (39) emerged from the backstage entrance of the New National Theatre (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo).

He was looking a little tired after finishing a performance of “Welcome, Dr. Minato,” the play in which he starred. He was dressed in a navy windbreaker with unkempt hair and black sandals on his feet, giving off the impression that he was off duty.

Perhaps he was completely distracted, but he looked surprised for a moment to see a fan waiting for him, and then he got into the office car and left the theater.

This is Aiba’s seventh stage performance in 12 years.

The director, Keiko Miyata (64), was with her on the previous play. She is like a mother figure in the entertainment world to Mr. Aiba, and he often consulted with her about his acting. However, Mr. Miyata is very strict in his acting instruction. Mr. Aiba was prepared for that and took on the challenge of this film.

He said that the uncompromising nature of the work site was hard for him, but it was typical of Mr. Aiba to dive into it. It is not easy to jump into a tough environment when there is enough work to go around after Arashi’s hiatus,” said Masako Hasegawa, an entertainment reporter.

On July 13, she will also serve as the general host of the “FNS Song Festival,” and in the fall she will star in a movie for the first time in eight years. This year will be a year for him to try his hand at acting.

Last September, Aiba announced his marriage to a woman he is said to have been in a relationship with for over 10 years. It is precisely because he has a fulfilling personal life that he is able to continue to boldly take on new challenges and break new ground.

FRIDAY” July 15, 2022 issue