Actor Ken Watanabe splits with actress wife

I hope he is OK.

He admitted to cheating on his wife. One would think that people would be more concerned about the person who was wronged than the person who did wrong.

High profile men, such as movie stars, sportsmen, and wealthy businessmen attract women like moths to a candle. Any woman marrying such a man, quite possibly because of his fame and or wealth should familiarise themselves with the Latin phrase caveat emptor.

Why are you insinuating that Minami married Watanabe for his money and fame? Do you know them? Do you have information not contained in the article? If so, please share.

To paraphrase Caroline Merton: “Minami, what first attracted you to millionaire Ken Watanabe?”

Come on, that's not an answer. It's a brilliant line from the sadly missed Caroline Aherne but it's not an answer. They had two kids together and were married for 13 years or so. What evidence do you have that she married him because of his "fame and or wealth" and, if you don't have any evidence why do you insinuate that?

An actor cheats on his wife? Unbelievable! What is the world coming to!?

We as paying public have access to his professional body of work. We have no right to know every detail of his private life. Nobody here would expect or appreciate such an intrusion into their privacy.

Let the man and his (gorgeous) wife have some time to sort things out or move on.

People care because he's a public figure. Most people are eager to hear gossip, whether positive or negative. It's why celebrities are celebrities. Because people gawk, scream, beg for autographs, will do literally anything for a photo or more.

All this above talk about the wife having any culpability in the cheating, him having money, or she should expect such things - maybe you need to reevaluate your lives first.

The guy cheated on his wife. He admitted it (because caught). The end.

He played with fire, now he's paying for it. It's a shame, but it's rather private, methinks. Wish both of them the best.

It's none of our business. This is not news.

I admire him as an actor... doesn't stop him being a git though.

Marriage is not only about love. It's about commitment too.

He admitted to cheating on his wife.

only because he was seen being affectionate in public with another women, if he wasnt then he can just cry fake news!

ken san - had leukemia 20 years ago, undergone surgery for early stage cancer in 2016.

life is short, enjoy your life while you can.

Educator60Today 07:40 am JST

What Wolfpack said. Plus the fact that Minami was battling cancer at the time makes it especially low.

Self centred narcissist, another words an actor!

Two paragraphs about what movies Watanabe has been in (without mentioning Inception) and two - shorter - paragraphs about his and Minami’s relationship going south.

There is only info on one side of this, maybe his ex was an angel, maybe she wasn't, maybe she was somewhere in between, who knows, who cares!

I'm pretty sure they have been de facto separated for a long time even before he "cheated" on her.

The Japanese media ruined becky’s career because of adultery and she wasn’t even the married party! Now, being a country so focussed on gender equality I’m sure the media of this country will do likewise and destroy Watanabe’s career as well.

Tick tock.....

Educator60May 18 07:40 am JSTWhat Wolfpack said. Plus the fact that Minami was battling cancer at the time makes it especially low.

A certain politician in America also cheated on his 3rd wife who was battling cancer. He even came to her bed with his mistress to have his wife sign the divorce papers while she was terminally ill, dying in bed. He married his mistress and now he claims he's a 'Christian'. Typical American hypocrisy, and it's sad. Like Educator60 said, that's LOW.

Isn't marriage supposed to be 'in sickness and health'? What are words for anyway? Nothing I guess.

@Educator60

maybe, “Let the man and his (gorgeous) wife have some time to sort things out or move on.“

Um, they took the last year to sort things out and are now divorced.

Um...so that will mean the move on part, won't it?

He was general tamamichi Kuribayashi. . In letters from Iwo Jima

He admitted to cheating on his wife. One would think that people would be more concerned about the person who was wronged than the person who did wrong.

It's really none of our business, is it? We generally don't know the inside stories of our friends' marriages, much less that of a complete stranger who happens to be famous.

By reading and commenting on these stories, we are just using somebody's real pain for our own entertainment. Which doesn't leave us in a great place for moralizing.

Don't marry. MGTOW

Self centred narcissist, another words an actor!

What Japan shares with the UK is having [had] great actors and actresses :)

Was there a prenup? Catherine Zeta Jones has one with $5 million penalty for partner’s infidelity.

Although I agree with the other posters indicating more sympathy should be directed at Minami....there are times when I just do not want to know this stuff. I like his movies, he is a good actor, and I just want to be entertained when seeing the films he is in.

Feel really bad for Minami and bummer this happened but it is part of life.

Men who cheat on their partners have a reason for doing so

Let me guess, it's down to the women, right? The wife for being so darn sick/not attractive enough and the mistress for being so darn hot/seductive, etc?

Monogamy is a nice idea but irl, people go through phases where the relationship isn't working. Affairs happen and sometimes the marriage cannot be salvaged, sometimes it can. Some people have mature, open relationships, some do it behind their partners backs and some have sexual performance issues. A myriad of different reasons.

I saw her picture this morning. She definitely doesnt look 54.

What he did was low but nothing new, especially in the Japanese entertainment industry. He'll be back in a year or something.

All these bleeding hearts bad mouthing him for cheating on his wife. Men who cheat on their partners have a reason for doing so

Well it seems the current "King" of Japanese actors isnt immune from playing around. I am sure the "wide-shows" will be spewing all the details of this over the next coming weeks, so we'll get the whole story!

This is perfectly normal. Love happens and nobody can control when love happens. I think Mr. Watanabe handled this perfectly. He owes the public nothing but professionalism when handling private matters.

If anything, society is wrong for intruding on his personal life. He should not be stalked by papparazi because he's a thespian or works in the field of theatrical arts.

His wife is very much to blame for the ruin of their marriage. Claiming to be a victim is very low of his soon to be ex-wife.

Still with ya, Ken!

Terrible news. Watanabe-san is my favorite actor, and is now famous and popular all around the world. I hope he is OK.