entertainment

End of a saga: Becky to return to showbiz; Kawatani divorces wife following scandal

47 Comments

Japanese “talent” Becky, who has been on an enforced leave from the Japanese show business world since the end of January due to her affair with musician Enon Kawatani, is expected to return to work as early as the end of May. The scandal is finally coming to a close following Kawatani’s recently announced divorce and Becky’s attempts to publicly apologize to his ex-wife.

The 32-year-old singer is expected to make her comeback with an appearance on TBS’ “Nakai Masahiro no Kinyobi no Smile tachi e,” one of her former regular TV programs before the scandal broke in January, Sports Nippon reported Tuesday.

On Monday, Kawatani announced on his official blog that he and his wife have officially divorced, but did not cite reasons or details of the circumstances. “I will do my best to mature as a musician and an individual,” he wrote, asking his fans to continue supporting him.

Becky fell from grace in January after Japanese tabloid Shukan Bunshun released intimate photos and SNS messages between her and Kawatani, causing a major stir.

However, a condition that Becky herself has set for her comeback, according to Japanese media, is to officially apologize to Kawatani’s former wife. After she dropped out of circulation, Becky apparently attempted to contact Kawatani’s wife by sending her a letter in February, in which she described her regret at becoming intimate with the musician, who Becky thought was single at the time the affair began. Her letter, however, was refused by Kawatani’s wife and no contact was established, Sports Nippon reported.

Having no other way to contact Kawatani’s wife, Becky ironically took the risk to contact the scandal leak source Shukan Bunshun directly, asking for its cooperation. On April 22, the head of Sun Music Production Corp, Becky’s management agency, visited Shukan Bunshun’s editorial department with a letter from Becky addressed to the magazine’s editor, in which she confirmed her affair with Kawatani and wrote that her greatest wish is to express her regret to Kawatani’s ex-wife face to face.

Shukan Bunshun published the full contents of Becky’s letter at the end of April. Though it isn’t clear how the former Mrs Kawatani reacted to Becky’s letter, sources close to the case comment that Becky’s return to TV has been scheduled in accordance with the anticipated meeting, Sports Nippon reported, suggesting that all parties involved have decided to finally move on.

Following the scandal, Becky lost all her sponsors and stopped appearing in all her 10 regular TV programs, including the popular Nippon TV “Tensai! Shimura Dobutsuen,” “Sekai no Hate Made Itte Q!” programs and her regular Tokyo FM radio program. If her return is indeed realized, it will be her first TV appearance in three months.

Kawatani and his wife married last July, a fact he had apparently kept a secret from the public and Becky when the two got close in November the same year. According to Becky’s letter which Shukan Bunshun published, she learned that Kawatani was married after the two began a relationship and she had fallen in love with him. “I should have stopped (the relationship) at the time,” Becky wrote, expressing her regret for continuing her involvement with the 27-year-old vocalist.

The letter also implies that Kawatani and Becky have not been in touch since the scandal broke and that she no longer has feelings for him.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


47 Comments
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I finally googled this Kawatani today to see what all the fuss is about.

I can't believe one woman would want to date him let alone two. A complete androgynous non-man with a constant confused look on his giant face and one of the worst haircuts I've ever seen.

Just more proof as to why dating Japanese girls is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel for many foreign guys.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

On Monday, Kawatani announced on his official blog that he and his wife have officially divorced, but did not cite reasons or details of the circumstances

um, can i take a really wild guess?? MAAAAYYYYBEEE because ... he cheated on her??

“I will do my best to mature as a musician and an individual,” he wrote

How are you going about to do that?? Details please

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Oh thank goodness for that, the world is right again.....

9 ( +11 / -2 )

I never understood the infatuation with celebs. Becky can fall out of a plane or rise to Hollywood superstar, shes still just a normal person with feelings who makes stupid decisions.

On a related note, I wonder if Japan actually put some bite into its punishments, would it actually change the peoples behavior? Suspended sentences, 3 months "Being banned" from media, slaps on the wrists for killing children.

Its kind of like a dog that wont shut up but as soon as you get near it, it tucks its tail and runs into a corner, whimpering.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

enforced leave

Such BS that woman are treated like this in Japan. If this were a man it would be normal.

18 ( +23 / -5 )

What was the outcome really? Both parties to the marriage realised that they had made a mistake and were fortunate enough to be able to end it quickly instead of wasting a lifetime together. Becky got a taste of life post work, and an education in who your real friends are.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

What was the outcome really?

A naive girl's career ruined because 1. she was a woman 2. men run the entertainment industry and just because of a fools mistake in her PRIVATE life and a douchebag that didn't suffer ANY consequences whatsoever while HE was the one that was married in the first place. Its disgusting and I sincerely hope she comes back in full force.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

can't she sue for wrongful dismissal?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I'm glad Kawatani is finally getting some negative effects from all of this, instead of his usual bragging while Becky takes 100% of the fall. I hope the wife gets half of all he makes from here on in, and then some. I'm also glad to see Becky coming back, as I think the whole persecution thing is a little overrated, and it's good of her to try and apologise to Kawatani's ex. And if the ex continues to refuse it, which she has every right to, she should keep on trying (perhaps less publicly).

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It's alll about money. Sun Music was really hurting financially without Becky. She returns ... she's back in the big money ... and so is Sun Music. It's a win-win situation for both Becky and Sun Music.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I was hoping that Becky would write the tell-all of tell-alls over this situation. There is so much shadiness surrounding the entertainment industry in Japan.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

can't she sue for wrongful dismissal?

Of course she can. It's a free country. Would she win? Maybe, but she would likely never get hired in the entertainment industry again. Sad, but probably true.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I knew she would be back!! Welcome back, Becky! (I mean, after that guy from SMAP, Kusanagi, got caught drunk and naked in front of his Roppongi condo, and he never left.)

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Doesn't really matter to me if she is back or not.

Didn't even notice of her absence on TV till I read it here. Ditto, for most other Tarento, etc.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Enon Kawatani popped on his own door step..... a rotter, bounder, cad continues to reverting to type, Enon Kawatani is a scoundrel, a weasel in the very definition of lousiest behavior, cheats on his wife, will instinctively cheat on “talent” Becky.

Becky you stepped in something smelly, wipe it off and move on ...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Damn! I was hoping we had seen the last of Becky.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Becky acts too "japanese" for me, occasionally showing her halfu side and speaks English, but Im glad she is back in the game. I think some halfu talento try to hide the gaiiness out of shame

But good on Japan for letting her do her craft

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Don't know who these people are. Puzzled by the whole thing. Looks like Japan is still flying its chauvinistic sadistic "freakiness."

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Lots of complaints about Becky. If you don't like her, there is a very modern device called a "remote control" that switches the channels. It's not even that hi-tech, and with a little effort, you should be able to learn to use it in a few days.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

It's ironical this situation ignites such electricity in a country where paying for sex isn't considered cheating/infidelity.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

My J-Wife and I are delighted to hear Becky is coming back to the Japanese TV Circuit. Sometimes young people make stupid mistakes and hopefully Becky got a lessened learned out of all of this fiasco.

I hope she can return to Ite-Q and the Shimura Zoo.

By the way (and a bit off Topic sorry) does anyone know why TBS canceled G20? That was my most favorite show on Japanese TV and suddenly a few weeks ago my wife told me the episode I was watching was the last episode. I said "Nani? Are you kidding me...?" Of course we saw Becky as a guest a couple of times on G20 but that show was just Fantastic. I hope another TV Station picks up G20.

Again, delighted to know Becky is coming back to Japanese TV.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

The 32-year-old singer is expected to make her comeback

I know she's released a pop song or two but come on, a "singer"?

She should leave that to pros like William Shatner and the Hoff.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Wow, that was fast

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Like many young Japanese women in her position she is on a program saying that animals are cute or that something someone did was interesting and making all the right noises. She has never done anything original or interesting herself and she has no talent to speak of. In that sense she is replaceable and need not return. Television is one of the ugliest industries and chews up fodder like her for breakfast. As soon as she returns there will be more complaints from the fusty housewives. It's hard to see advertisers having a bar of her again.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

How are you going about to do that?? Details please

Fortunately for human beings, they aren't required to answer to total strangers regarding aspects of their personal lives.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Heh. They'll dig even deeper now on her (Becky). Japanese are very-very unforgiving people. That former slugger-ball player, Kiyohara, has been ostracized. His family too, although his HS boys committed no crime.

Kawatani divorces wife following scandal

More false spin by the J-media. His wife was the one who (most likely) proceeded to "divorce" him!! No? His wife wasn't the one caught cheating.

I hope that whole incident makes Becky even more famous now. . . . in the US, she would be a star. The media and entertainment industry in Japan need to ditch the goody-2-shoe, "feudal" mentality. Its 2016.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Becky will never be the same....

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Becky will never be the same

I'm on the fence with this one. Will she come back as her same bright, cheerful, "clean cut" self. Or will she be cast as a more mature "experienced" woman. I hope she's her same old self (after all the inevitable interviews). As far as I know, she didn't sign a vow of chastity.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I can't help but feel that the wife here is really trying to milk this. I am no fan of Becky but if she didn't know, she didn't know. She should be taking out her anger on her ex husband. And frankly, anyone married to someone "famous" who has hidden the fact that they are married from the public and fans raises suspicions. Wasn'T it the wife that leaked all this to the media in the first place? Be scorn woman but aim it in the right direction.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Does she really need to "return to showbiz"? I think the world will remain unchanged without her

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Does she really need to "return to showbiz"?

"Need to"? probably not. But considering her popularity it's not surprising that she is. And considering it's been her career for a number of years, and her indiscretion was of a private nature not related to her work, it's reasonable and fair that she is.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Kawatani dudded Becky and his former wife. By Japanese law the former Mrs Kawatani could also sue Becky (and I would not be surprised is reparations have not been agreed on anyway) for causing the divorce. Ironic that this article in here on the same day as the Feature about cheating in Japan - according to that, almost everyone does it!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is just horrible news.

I know, I know. It's days like these that I'm convinced that there is no justice in this world.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Not surprising. She makes money for people. Time served now back to work. Just like Kusa-nugi, appearing in washing powder commercial (wearing clothes) months after his accident.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ gogogo

SPOT ON! Pure hypocrisy!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

can't she sue for wrongful dismissal?

How would she prove it was wrongful? I can guarantee you her contract includes a clause about not embarrassing her employer.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Becky with the good hair. Tell the boy bye!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Maybe it is just coincidence but Beyonce last month dropped a song dedicated to her husband's cheating with a girl named "Becky". I guess there's something about Becky.....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well, I don't know who's watching her 'comeback' on TV as I write this, but it consists of her being interviewed by that idiot from Smap (who has doubtless done a million worse things to get where he is today) and her teary confession. This is watchable TV?! It's bloody cringeworthy and pathetic. If I were her I would wash my hands of the entertainment business, but I suppose that she can't do anything else. I respect her less for coming back and putting herself through this public embarrassment just to get her old job back.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Asakura Cowboy

Spot on. That someone from Johnnys has the gall to act as a moral referee for some 'talent' is pathetic. Painful to watch. I don't remember Kusanagi-kun having to be publicly tried for having run around drunk and naked in Midtown.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

This is a all so predictable. She loses all of her shows and endorsements and after a few months her penance is completed and she slowly goes back to work. In six months to a year it's like nothing ever happened. Why bother with the faux suspension? I don't get it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you had any contacts in the journalism field you'd know that sexual exploitation and abuse (of the males and females) in the industry in Japan (and yes, that includes AKB) is indemic. But it's not reported. Becky is not at all the squeaky clean wholesome girl you've all been sucked in to believing in and getting worked up over. Dont buy the lie.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Asakura CowboyMAY. 13, 2016 - 11:43PM JST

Well, I don't know who's watching her 'comeback' on TV as I write this, but it consists of her being interviewed by that idiot from Smap (who has doubtless done a million worse things to get where he is today) and her teary confession.

I'm glad my TV isn't set up to receive any signals.

This is watchable TV?! It's bloody cringeworthy and pathetic.

Slightly above average for Japanese TV, then.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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