Pop music producer Tetsuya Komuro speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Friday. Photo: YouTube
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Famed music producer Tetsuya Komuro quits showbiz after reports of extramarital affair

28 Comments

Tetsuya Komuro, one of Japan’s most famous music producers and songwriters, announced his retirement from show business at a press conference on Friday afternoon, just days after a tabloid magazine broke the news of his extramarital affair.

Komuro, 59, is married to Keiko, 45, the former lead vocalist of the pop group Globe, which he formed and produced in 1995.

“I deeply apologize to my wife Keiko, my family, fans and my staff members for causing them trouble and making them worry as a result of the recent news,” Komuro said at the opening of the press conference held in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. “I have decided to take responsibility (for the scandal) by resigning.”

The news of Komuro’s infidelity was released by weekly Japanese tabloid Shukan Bunshun on Thursday.

According to Bunshun’s sources, Komuro began an affair with a nurse, who had been caring for him, around the end of last year. The two were seen meeting privately at her home and Komuro’s house, as well as multiple hotels in Tokyo, in December and this month.

Komuro has been the prime care provider for Keiko, who is still recovering from a major subarachnoid hemorrhage she suffered in 2011. The stroke left partial damage to her cognitive thinking and health, an issue the couple had continued to struggle with for the past nearly seven years.

“Because of her stroke, she somewhat lost interest in many things and changed from a woman to a small girl. We have stopped communicating as adults,” Komuro said. “I feel so sorry for thinking this, but the pressure of having to keep on going (to take care of her health) kept piling up to the point that it became emotionally damaging. I think I began feeling exhausted from around three years ago.”

However, asked if he is considering a divorce, Komuro -- who has been married twice before -- said that he has a “stronger love” for his wife now than he had for her before her stroke and that he would like to continue being married to her.

Komuro, who began his career in the 1970s, is recognized as the most successful music producer in Japanese music history and is often credited for introducing dance music into Japanese pop. He has produced music hits for many of Japan’s most famous music idols, including Namie Amuro, TRF, Tomomi Kahara and Ami Suzuki.

Komuro was found guilty in 2009 for defrauding an investor of 500 million yen by contracting to transfer copyrights he did not own, but was granted a suspended sentence.

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0 ( +0 / -0 )

Such a tragic end for for one of the forerunners of Jpop. Keiko was such a talented singer and its sad that illness has taken so much away. And yeah, leave TK alone! He's human, and he obviously loves his wife, otherwise he would have left her long ago. His "affairs" is NO ONE'S business but his and Keiko's. And if she has the cognitive ability to comprehend, I am sure she would forgive his actions.

I hope TK reconsiders and starts making great music again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

jeboisdupetitlait

Yes, of course, he leave showbiz because of an affair and not because he fraud again. And he loves his wife so much more now even if she still not the wife he married.

Yes, we believe.

In my country, political men who do bad deeds say "I leave" because of tax fraud. We got "canard enchainé" to sweeten the public and not worry him about important people wrong doing. It probably deforms my perception of this so selfless man who sacrify his career for redemption.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

translation - being married is hard sometimes, and I want to be free of the moral obligations I have to honor my wife and children.

I have no interest in "being free" of my family. They are the most important thing in my life. I'd give up every last thing in my life, including my home and clothes, as long as I could still be with them.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

In this day of long-life, and contact with so many other people, both in real life and online, the idea of life-long monogamous marriage is becoming an outdated concept. Some people still manage to do it (myself being one of them), but I'd be surprised if it lasted in its current form for another two generations.

translation - being married is hard sometimes, and I want to be free of the moral obligations I have to honor my wife and children.

Yikes....

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

What a "jerk". He has only been married two times before this Marriage! He is a complete "JERK"!

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

He should not have called a press conference. They’re just ritual murders without an actual death. That said, the geinojin who calls one and says, “it’s none of your business and no, I don’t owe the public an apology for my legal private behavior.” wins my eternal support.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Cheating is a national past time, give the guy a break and drop this faulse show tif purity it's getting barring!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I think he should hang in there. But I don't have all the information. And yes, it's open season on the rich and famous for any offense. Easier to tear down than build up.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

How awful, and poor guy, he has needs too!

I dislike the extent that the media and people jump on anyone famous here and try to get them up and apologizing in front of everyone. It’s one of the sicker things about society.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Hard to judge this guy unless you're in the same situation. I suspect he'll be back to the shobiz world soon enough.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This guy has been dipping his bread for the past two decades

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Again, this is nobody else's business. The only people this concernes is him and his wife. This isn't news and someone shouldn't have to retire because of it. This pathetic, petty morality is one of things holding Japan back in the modern world.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He should just keep plugging along. Start his own production company if he hadn't already.

Unless his wife decides to divorce him (not likely) just continue to take care of her, take care of his business, and take care of his other business.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Remember, it's not official until his agency sends out a FAX - the official medium for delivery of announcements of marriages, affairs, apologies and resignations in the world of Japanese show business!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I have never liked Komuro nor most of his music and it’s neither here nor there to me if he quits show business. But this very slanted article disturbs me. It’s as if the author either didn’t watch the press conference, or didn’t understand it, or maybe just wants to crucify Komuro for some reason.

Why is there no mention that Komuro absolutely denied having an affair with the nurse? To the point of saying his physical and mental condition has left him with no interest in a sexual relation? Why no mention that he stressed the nurse was on hand for administering injections and IV drips because of his fragile health? Or that he has suffered from Hepatitis C, stress, sudden hearing loss, tinnitus, etc? That the nurse visited him at various locations and at various times due to his erratic working schedule? That he admitted she had also been a sympathetic ear for him but that there had never been any sexual relationship between them?

I suppose he could have been lying through his teeth during the press conference and if so, it might be clarified at some point (it wouldn’t be the first time something like that’s been known to happen). But does the author here have some proof of that? Shouldn’t his side also get some fair play here?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Monogamy is a strange old thing. Even stranger is the idea that people "stray" on occasion. Or should be held up to a public shaming or ridicule.

In this day of long-life, and contact with so many other people, both in real life and online, the idea of life-long monogamous marriage is becoming an outdated concept. Some people still manage to do it (myself being one of them), but I'd be surprised if it lasted in its current form for another two generations.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I've got to him a pass on this one. I mean, if your wife is no longer able to provide for your needs because of her health, what's a guy supposed to do?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Looks like the guy's been through a lot, wouldn't surprise me if he considered to get divorced but doing so would leave Keiko alone in a really bad situation and he clearly still cares for her even she's unable to be a proper wife to him anymore. I think that the public will be understanding about why he did what he did.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Monogamy is a strange old thing. Even stranger is the idea that people "stray" on occasion. Or should be held up to a public shaming or ridicule.

I wish them both well and if it's an anyways strong marriage, it will survive.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Jeez, is this the Massachusetts Bay Colony? Put a big A on his chest, shave his head, let him bow down to us mere mortals. Whenever I forget why I'm repulsed by the entirety of the Japanese entertainment industry, this kind of tripe pops up to remind me.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

It's 芸能界, literally the entertainment world, in other words, show business. There is no association that everyone is a member of.

I stand corrected, and also surprised, I guess I've never seen the kanji before and had it wrong in my head all along.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

芸の会 (げいのかい geinokai) - which I don't know how that's translated

It's 芸能界, literally the entertainment world, in other words, show business. There is no association that everyone is a member of.

He's saying that he's quitting show biz, i.e. no longer going to work as a music producer.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

how does one actually "quit showbiz?"

They quit the 芸の会 (げいのかい geinokai) - which I don't know how that's translated, but something like 'performers association'. All working members in 'showbiz' are part of this association. When they decide to retire, the leave the association.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

how does one actually "quit showbiz?"

but i'm glad he's not abandoning his wife. not many rich guys in his situation would.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

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