TOKYO (TR) – Former Takarazuka actress Maria Kano made her first public appearance this week since being embroiled in a high-profile “double-adultery” scandal, cheerfully promoting her new project as organizers placed a strict gag order on the press, reports Nikkan Gendai (Oct. 9)
Kano, 33, attended a production press conference for the upcoming stage play “The Master and Margarita” on October 5. It was her first time facing the media since July, when weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun published allegations of an illicit affair between Kano and 27-year-old actor-singer Ryoki Miyama, the husband of prominent actress Shuri, 36.
Reporters at Tuesday’s event were explicitly instructed to refrain from asking questions unrelated to the production. Unfazed by the lingering controversy, Kano acted as if nothing had happened, excitedly telling the press: “There is a scene where I fly through the air! I am very much looking forward to seeing how it will be staged, so please look out for it!”
Denied physical relationship
Following the July bombshell, Kano’s agency admitted the pair held secret meetings but vehemently denied a physical relationship.
The plot thickened in August when weekly tabloid Friday reported that Miyama had coerced Kano into the clandestine rendezvous, allegedly threatening to drop out of a stage production if she refused to see him. Miyama’s legal team slammed the claims as “completely baseless.” When confronted directly by reporters, Kano maintained she harbored no romantic feelings for Miyama, effectively framing herself as an unwilling participant caught in the crossfire.
Despite calls for her removal from the government-backed cultural arts production, Kano retained her lead role. However, industry insiders note that the off-stage drama doesn’t end with her.
Hirosue’s past infidelities
Her co-star, 45-year-old actor Songha, brings his own heavy baggage to the stage.
In June 2023, Candle Jun, the ex-husband of actress Ryoko Hirosue, held a press conference exposing Hirosue’s past infidelities. Though unnamed at the event, tabloid reports subsequently outed Songha as one of Hirosue’s former lovers, revealing that the matter had been settled out of court.
Furthermore, Songha sparked massive backlash in November 2023 after making remarks perceived as misogynistic during a post-show talk. The incident went viral on social media, forcing the actor to issue a public apology for his “careless and vulgar” language.
Trainwreck
With two scandal-plagued actors now headlining the same production, industry insiders are watching with bated breath, expecting a trainwreck.
“There is growing anxiety that Songha might say something unnecessary during the post-show talks,” one stage source noted.
Meanwhile, tabloids continue to speculate on the quiet devastation felt by Miyama’s wife, Shuri, and her prominent family, whose silence speaks volumes in the wake of the ongoing media circus.
