In this week’s news roundup we have the latest on Shukan Bunshun‘s claim that actors Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano are having an affair. A Japanese woman is referred to prosecutors on suspicion of forcibly kissing Jin from BTS. And Arashi announce that its members will be getting back together for a tour next spring. However, the group will be disbanding after that.
In other news this week, a university student is hospitalized after being attacked by a knife-wielding man at a Tokyo subway station. A Sri Lankan man is being questioned by the police in connection with a fire that killed a Brazilian woman in Chiba. And Naoya Inoue defends his super bantamweight world title in Las Vegas.
Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano Continue To Deny Affair Rumors
On Thursday, Shukan Bunshun published what it claims were private Line messages exchanged between actors Mei Nagano and Kei Tanaka, who is married with two children. The messages, which allegedly span several months, suggest the pair were in a relationship. They’ve both been heavily criticized as a result. Yet, while some believe they should be held accountable for their actions, others feel it was unethical to share their private conversations.
Tanaka and Nagano’s agencies stated that the exchanges didn’t take place. They also denied rumors of an affair last month, when the same publication released a picture of the pair holding hands and another of them intimately leaning against each other. The weekly tabloid claimed Nagano was in a relationship with South Korean actor Kim Mu-jun, her co-star from the series Caster. Tanaka is married to former actor, Sakura.
Japanese Woman Referred to Prosecutors on Suspicion of Forcibly Kissing Jin From BTS
According to Yonhap News Agency, a Japanese woman has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of forcibly kissing Jin, a member of the popular South Korean K-pop band BTS, at a “free hug” event that took place in Seoul last June. The woman, who is in her 50s, reportedly returned to South Korea and voluntarily appeared before the police.
Clips of the woman appearing to kiss the singer, whose real name is Kim Seok-jin, went viral. Anger spread among BTS fans, and a criminal complaint was made against the woman. The incident occurred a day after Jin was discharged from the army. The report by Yonhap says another woman is suspected of kissing him during the three-hour-long “hugathon.” However, she has yet to be located.
Arashi To Disband After 2026 Spring Tour
There was mixed news for fans of the popular all-male Japanese group Arashi on Tuesday. The good news is that the five members will finally be performing together again next spring after being on hiatus since December 31, 2020. The bad news is that the reunion will be short-lived. In May of next year, the group will officially disband.
According to Arashi’s official X page, new applications for fan club membership will be temporarily suspended so that priority for tickets can be given to current fan club members. At present, the group is unable to give any specific details about the spring 2026 tour. In January 2019, Arashi surprised fans when its members announced that they planned to temporarily stop performing together.
Man Held After Knife Attack at Tokyo Subway Station
On Wednesday, a university student was hospitalized after being attacked by a knife-wielding man on the platform of Todaimae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line. The incident occurred at approximately 6:55 p.m. According to sources, the victim was standing at the front of the line to board the train. He was then attacked from behind and reportedly slashed several times as he boarded the train.
Yoshitaka Toda, whose address and employment status is unknown, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Police believe he had a strong intent to kill. He allegedly remained silent during interrogation. During the incident, he was apprehended by a police officer and a Nepalese man, who injured his finger. The victim suffered cuts to his forehead, the back of his neck and his right hand.
Horror Blaze Kills Brazilian Traveler in Japan, Sri Lankan Man Arrested
Police arrested a 31-year-old Sri Lankan national on Saturday after a Brazilian woman was found dead in an apartment that caught fire in Chiba Prefecture. The suspect, Abailija Patawadige Pathum Udayanga, allegedly left the premises without extinguishing the flames. He reportedly told investigators that he was “too shocked to put out the fire.” Police are investigating the details of his relationship with the victim.
Amanda Borges da Silva, 30, a researcher with a master’s degree in linguistics, departed her home country in March to travel around Asia. A huge motorsports fan, she arrived in Japan at the start of April in time for the F1 Grand Prix. She was due to return home on the day she died. The night before, she spoke to her mother, saying “I feel safe in Japan.”
Naoya Inoue | Image by the Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Public Relations Office via Wikimedia
Inoue Recovers From Knockdown To Defeat Cardenas in Las Vegas
Naoya Inoue was knocked down for just the second time in his career on Sunday night but fought back strongly to record his 30th professional win with an eighth-round technical knockout of 100-1 outsider Ramon Cardenas from the US. The man known as the Monster was ahead 68-63 on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of stoppage.
“I was very surprised [at the knockdown], but I took things calmly and put myself together… From then on, I made sure to not take that punch again,” Inoue said after the fight. The four-division world champion was back in Las Vegas for the first time since 2021. His next showdown will take place in Japan in September against Murodjon Akhmadaliev from Uzbekistan.
