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Actress Mika Mifune files property division suit following divorce from rocker Joji Takahashi

39 Comments

Japanese actress and TV personality Mika Mifune, 34, has filed a lawsuit at the Tokyo Family Court claiming property division from her former husband Joji Takahashi, the 58-year-old vocalist of rock band The Tra-bryu.

According to sources closes to the case, the first court hearing was conducted on Sept 5, and Takahashi is open to a settlement, Sankei Shimbun reported.

“Takahashi believes it’s only normal that the two split their property and they have been discussing on how exactly to proceed with it,” the musician’s manager told reporters Monday in front of his home in Tokyo. He also said that Takahashi learned of the lawsuit directly from the court.

A key point in the settlement is believed to be the former couple’s two luxurious mansions in central Tokyo, which the two built in 2009 and 2013, consecutively, for a total estimated amount of 300 million yen.

Mifune is currently based in Osaka, but according to sources close to the case, both she and Takahashi still split the monthly mortgage payments for their property, which is assumed to be close to 400,000 yen on each side, Japanese media reported.

The couple finalized their divorce on March 29 after 17 years and 6 months together.

Mifune initiated the divorce, seeking full custody of the couple’s 11-year-old daughter, claiming that Takahashi subjugated her to emotional abuse, or “moral harassment.”

The highly publicized divorce took both media and fans by surprise, considering the “good couple” image the two had been maintaining throughout their marriage, including a receipt of a “Partners of the Year Award” in 2011.

Takahashi first met Mifune when she was 13 years old and married her on her 16th birthday, the legal age for marriage, attracting massive media attention.

In 2011, during an interview about her marriage, Mifune said: “Being with an older man, you don’t get treated like a child even at the age of 16, so I had to try my best to grow up. When we were dating, we always went out together with my mother. But the first time just the two of us had a date, Joji turned to me at Shibuya crossing and just out of nowhere said, ‘Hey, why don’t we get married?’

“When we married, people were saying ‘You’re too young, it’s not going to work. It’s just going to end in divorce.’ So I thought I needed to grow up quickly, to become an adult. Of course, there was a big gap between my ideal of an adult woman and myself at that age.”

According to tabloid media, things started to go sour when Takahashi ordered a “curfew” for his wife whenever he was at home. Even if Mifune was out at business-related events, she had to be home by a certain time. On the other hand, Takahashi would hang out with his friends until the next morning, leaving his wife at home.

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39 Comments
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She's still young and gorgeous, and he's turning into a grumpy old henna ojisan

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Can I be next ?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Her parents must have had to give permission for her to marry him. What were they thinking....

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Enjoy your freedom, Mika. Interesting that they built TWO luxurious mansions in central Tokyo for 300 million yen. In Vancouver, Canada, that same amount ($3.85 million CDN) will buy this ONE little old house, built in 1941: http://www.rew.ca/properties/R2100465/2556-w-13th-avenue-vancouver

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“Takahashi believes it’s only normal that the two split their property and they have been discussing on how exactly to proceed with it,” the musician’s manager

So if that's true, why does she need to go to court? It sounds like they both want the same thing!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sounds like they are deciding how to split up their DEBT, not assets........., lets see is she wants HALF of that!!!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

And?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Takahashi first met Mifune when she was 13 years old and married her on her 16th birthday, the legal age for marriage, attracting massive media attention.

It boggles my mind every time I read this. How is this normal, and what were the parents thinking. ugh

5 ( +8 / -3 )

He's like a Japanese Rolling Stone. He should marry one of the AKB crew next.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Even if Mifune was out at business-related events, she had to be home by a certain time. On the other hand, Takahashi would hang out with his friends until the next morning, leaving his wife at home. its easy to brainwash a young 13yrs old, but not so easy a 33yr old independent woman. seriously some guys just want a trophy wife they can put on when it suits them. seriously what sick aims for 13yr old girl when hes 37yrs old himself.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Mika Mifune, 34, and Joji Takahashi, 58. Takahashi first met Mifune when she was 13 years old and married her on her 16th birthday.

Am I reading this right? This dirty old geezer met her when she was 13 and he was 37?! And married her the moment he could, only a few years later? Jesus Christ...

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Age 13. Talk about grooming a kid. It is against the law in America but we are in Japan. Child abuse and pedophile abuse would have been brought up immediately.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

wait a minute... doing the math on that... she's 34 and they've been together 17 and a half years? she was 16??? Jesus...

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

No sympathy for this girl who basically married a pedo. Am not exactly sure what she expected and it doesn't reflect well on her that she endured for this long either.. Good luck adapting to normal life after that

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Interesting that they built TWO luxurious mansions in central Tokyo for 300 million yen.

I was wondering if a zero was missing because it sounds too cheap to be true.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

wait a minute... doing the math on that... she's 34 and they've been together 17 and a half years? she was 16??? Jesus...

No need to calculate, the article includes this information.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Does everyone talking about her parents realize that her father was Toshiro Mifune?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I think "mansion" in this case is the J-go meaning of the word, which means condominium.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"Takahashi first met Mifune when she was 13 years old and married her on her 16th birthday, the legal age for marriage, attracting massive media attention."

Say whaaaaaaaaaaat???!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Don't worry he'll be selecting from any number of junior idol group members for wife number 2 in no time - we should take bets, I bet the next Ms. Takahashi is under 20 years old! Any takers?

To be fair though there was a similar story with Bill Wyman of the Stones who married his 16 year old bride when he was even older!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

she was 13 he was 37 , married her on her 16th birthday. Naturally he never dated or had intercourse or any sexual attraction until she was of legal age which was her 16th birthday!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

just of note Mika Mifune parents were, Sachiko Yoshimine 1950 - 1995 & Toshirô Mifune 1920~1997, they were seperated by 30yrs, so when her mother was of legal age her father was 46!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

That girl had the worst case of daddy issues I have seen publicly. That is the only reason why that guy filled the role of not just being a husband but a father she never really got to know, she admitted that much in an interview about ten years ago. It is a little bit on the bizarre side but taken in that context I suppose I could see her and her mother's way of thinking.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Her parents must have had to give permission for her to marry him. What were they thinking....

She is the love child of Toshiro Mifune, the famous actor. I'm betting he wasn't involved by this time. Before she would agree to marry Takahashi, Mika made him promise to take care of her mother too. That's why the mother agreed, so she could be financially well off.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

From the looks of it seems like Joji Takahashi played the father and husband role for the wife as she was too young and now the grand father role for his own daughter as the mother now says he has subjugated her to emotional abuse, or “moral harassment.” Could it be that he is providing the same protectionism for his own daughter as he did for his wife at such a young age. From her quote In 2011, during an interview about her marriage, Mifune said: “Being with an older man, you don’t get treated like a child even at the age of 16, so I had to try my best to grow up. When we were dating, we always went out together with my mother. But the first time just the two of us had a date, Joji turned to me at Shibuya crossing and just out of nowhere said, ‘Hey, why don’t we get married?’

I think she has grown up now and out grown him and want her freedom as women her age now have. He is now older and much retired has two beautiful women at home that he want to protect. He knows he is old and she is still young and can get the looks, his thinking at best is to TRY to keep her home at his old age for fear of losing her to the younger much richer competition but still hang out with his buddies and she is not having it!! Perhaps some young stud is in her ear and perhaps her age. She is still ripe and the groom is a wrinkled prune!!!.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I have friends, a couple, who met when he was 12 and she in her late twenties. More than 30 years later they are still together. Another couple of friends met at high school, he was her teacher, she was 15. They have been together nearly 40 years now. So please stop making assumptions about the age difference.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I have friends, a couple, who met when he was 12 and she in her late twenties. More than 30 years later they are still together. Another couple of friends met at high school, he was her teacher, she was 15. They have been together nearly 40 years now. So please stop making assumptions about the age difference.

I have friends too that are similar, but the older ones are in jail for statutory rape. I guess society does take a stand of these age differences.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So please stop making assumptions about the age difference.

Nobody's making assumptions, we're just calling it what it is...creepy. If your daughter was 12, and a late twenties guy was sniffing around her, don't tell me you'd approve

1 ( +2 / -1 )

just of note Mika Mifune parents were, Sachiko Yoshimine 1950 - 1995 & Toshirô Mifune 1920~1997, they were seperated by 30yrs, so when her mother was of legal age her father was 46!

Wikipedia says:

One of Mifune's fellow performers, one of the 32 women chosen during the new faces contest, was Sachiko Yoshimine. Eight years Mifune's junior, she came from a respected Tokyo family. They fell in love and Mifune soon proposed marriage.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Oh, that was the next sentence in Wikipedia! I meant to copy that too. But you're entirely right.

What I found strange was that mother and daughter had the same name (Mika). Usually in Japan, that's not allowed, but maybe different kanji?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not sure why this pedo isn't in jail. He married her at 16 meaning he was grooming her prior to her turning 16, likely from when she was 13. A true pedo who should be taken off the streets

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This comment blog is like a bunch of people waiting to get their hair done. Who cares? If you did a little research you all would understand they live in a different world than the majority of people in Japan.The same rules don't apply to them.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

i know, i know... commented before finished reading the article

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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