entertainment

Anna Umemiya's relationship with footballer over

32 Comments

Model Anna Umemiya, 37, attended an event with her mother in Tokyo this week to promote the release of American romantic comedy "It's Complicated." At the event, Umemiya spoke about how her relationship with X-League American Football player Yu Nakajima, 28, fell apart just a week after she announced to it to the press.

Umemiya wrote on her blog on Feb 7 that she and Nakajima had called it quits, and she spoke about it in public for the first time at the movie promo. Umemiya said: "I thought he lived in an entirely different way, so I ended it. I have no regrets about it."

Umemiya had announced on her blog in late January that the pair were an item, and she found herself surrounded by reporters at Narita airport when she flew back in to Japan. But the pair's relationship went south quickly after, and they parted ways on Feb 6, ending their relationship of two months.

In line with the plot of the movie, a reporter asked Umemiya if she could see herself getting back together with her ex-husband. Umemiya married in a shotgun wedding in June 2001 but got divorced about a year and a half later. She said she had thought about a reunion at times, and said: "There are many parts in the movie that I can relate to. I'd like to learn from the leading lady and move forward with my life."

On the other side of the fence, Nakajima's parents' opposition to the relationship is rumored to have dealt a decisive blow. His parents, who run a long-standing sweets manufacturer in Kobe City and will hand over the reins to Nakajima, are said to have been opposed to him marrying a woman nine years older and with a child from a previous marriage.

"It's Complicated" (titled "Koi suru bekkarii" in Japan) is in cinemas now.

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32 Comments
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On the other side of the fence, Nakajima’s parents’ opposition to the relationship is rumored to have dealt a decisive blow. His parents, who run a long-standing sweets manufacturer in Kobe City and will hand over the reins to Nakajima, are said to have been opposed to him marrying a woman nine years older and with a child from a previous marriage.

Five paragraphs in and we get "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey famously says.

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First time I ever saw a picture of her mother.

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She is too old to be a model, obachan! I like those young girls you see in every magazine at the combini!

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First time I ever saw a picture of her mother.

I've seen her mother on many a travel show, especially the "Dreamy Trip" type to various onsen, usually with husband in tow. The mother's life story in Japan and how hard she worked to learn the language and raise a family is actually a pretty good story.

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@pathat: LOL. He was great, wasn't he? This girl is still in the game, she just needs to set her sites on someone not Japanese! Women older than 35 have too much going on for older J-men, entirely too much for insecure younger J-men, and J-men of the same age are either taken or gay. Time to look into a new address, cherie!

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The mother's life story in Japan and how hard she worked to learn the language and raise a family is actually a pretty good story.

But did not teach her how to speak in her native tongue. Last I heard Anna only speaks Japanese.

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Apparently she suffered bullying at school. Ironic how children of mixed heritage can be bullied so much and yet the famous ones are so kawaii and loved for their looks.

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Last I heard Anna only speaks Japanese.

Are there are famous half-Japanese who can speak another language with confidence? These variety shows always make a big deal when one of them can mutter a few words. The only person I can think of at the moment who can speak good English is Seki Tsutomu's daughter and both her parents are Japanese, I think.

I remember Umemiya's coke advert, and the song Hot Stuff. I think she was a bit slimmer then. But whatever she does, I hope she never gets back with Haga Kenji. What a leech.

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Ironic how children of mixed heritage can be bullied so much

My child is half and in 5th grade at a Japanese public school and has never experienced anything like bullying or bad comments at all.

Sorry conspiracy theorists.

Anna is a TOTAL FOX

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All class....

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Potsu -- Yes, but all of it is low.

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It is sad that children of mixed heritage are often not taught the two native tongues. That would give them such an advantage, regardless of what career they choose to go into in the future!

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Oh God no!

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Very very tasty indeed. I'd have no hesitation giving her a shoulder to cry on.

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Nothing like announcing a relationship to the press to cool one's ardour

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scuse me? A fox? I think you need glasses mate!

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My child is half and in 5th grade at a Japanese public school and has never experienced anything like bullying or bad comments at all.

Yeah, I never used to tell my parents about anything bad that happened at school either

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She was very hot...now, meh...

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Out of three, I had one get picked on in 1st grade, and when I went to look at the kid, I was in shock. I tiny little thing. I gave her some of my NY attitude and it stopped quickly.

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ok...hands up who cares!!! i said hands up who cares!!!

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Nooooo!!!

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so this nakajima guy calls it quits because his parents disapproved?! come on! what a momma's boy!

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This is an interesting story but it does pose the question as to why it should matter she is of mixed heritage or not? I really feel sorry for how mixed Japanese or Nikkeijin by definition are treated as they are stuck in between two worlds. She was born in Tokyo and still people say she is not Japanese. Japan is too faced they claim that true Japanese are those born there and yet in this case they say the opposite. As far as I know the Japanese government only recognized linage up to third generation and anything beyond is foreigner. I think this is crap as your genetics don't change so why should your linage. Who's to say that the reason his parents were apposed was due more to her mixed heritage then anything else which is sad. Japanese Americans who can't speak Japanese I don't blame them as what would be the purpose unless they actually use it. Ninety Nine percent of Americans are of foreign dissent anyways and yet almost none speak their native tongue. From stories from my grandparents they said that their parents said it was important for them to be Americans and need to act as such.

You look at family records on Ellis Island and how names were changed to blend in with the population. Why did so many people feel it necessary to separate themselves from their nationality and culture. I personally would have loved to have spoken more then one language but that is just the way history played out. I am trying to make up for it now learning German and Japanese but I still feel I am that more then American as that by itself has no meaning. Nikkei who immigrate back to Japan due to work shortages are still not treated well even if both parents were full-blooded Nikkeijin. I really feel sorry for foreign kids born in Japan as they don't have an identity at all. Nothing like have a country of no origin over your head. Being born in Japan, should be granted Japanese nationality by birth. So Anna Umemiya being of mixed heritage doesn't make her any less Japanese. Just think about that for a moment as to what that actually means as who really is American or who really is Japanese or whatever. We were are immigrants at one point even in Japan so her relationship with Nakajima failing due to her mixed heritage it would be a really sad reason.

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This has not a lot to do with mixed heritage....I think being brought up in a celeb household is more the cause here.. “It’s Complicated.”

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as usual in Japan it's up to the boy's parents to decide who is good enough to marry. The fact that she is divorced and a single mother should have nothing to do with it.

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Who the hell cares?

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She got no life if she is sharing her love life on her blog. She was seeking attention. It's her own fault and crying out in public is not hip. I second with those who say Who cares."

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What is it with this society and grown adults being unable to make lifelong important decisions - because of their parents??!

A friend of mine has exactly the same problem right now. He is LOVELY, gorgeous looking, a doctor no less, a fabulous catch for anyone - but her parents dont think so beacause she went to a "better" university than he did (hers was within Japan top 4, his within top 10)! They think she can "do better" - trust me, there is no one better than this guy! I would marry him myself if I wasnt already taken!

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Anna is better off without the meddling sweets shop family. As a father of two daughters and being on the other side of the confection fence, I would have mixed feelings about my girls marrying an infantile fudge factory footballer.

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Ha ha, she got dumped cuz her boyfriend's Candy Shop parents don't want him marrying Round Eyed Hussy with Child. No Candy for You!

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She is high maintenance and looked after by her parents still...

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