Actress Mika Mifune, 32, and Joji Takahashi, 56, guitarist and vocalist of rock band THE TRA-BRYU, have announced they will divorce after 16 years.
The couple had long been known for their happy marriage despite the age gap.
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.
Reflecting on her marriage in 2011, Mifune -- the daughter of the late movie star Toshiro 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.”
The couple became known as a happy couple and in 2011, were named as “Partners of the Year,” an award given to ideal married couples by online dating service O-Net. Theyt often appeared on TV shows together.
However, in recent years, things started to go sour. Sports Nippon, quoting Mifune's friends, said that Takahashi had 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.
In a statement to media, Mifune said she appreciates the time she and Takahashi spent together and said that now "I would like to walk my own way independently”.
The couple have a 10-year-old daughter.
Sports Nippon reported that Mifune and her daughter moved out of their Tokyo apartment in December 2013 and have been staying with her mother in Osaka
© Japan Today
42 Comments
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Bgood41
It takes two to tango, and only one to break up.
Tessa
So they married when he was 40 and she was 16? Creepy, creepy, creepy. And as for his weird and possesive behaviour towards the end of their marriage, I can only assume that he was becoming a grumpy old git. Best of luck to both of them, but especially to Mifune now that she is approaching the best years of her life.
sensei258
I wish her all the best. She is my favorite celebrity in Japan. She has the right to be happy. He's getting old and insecure, and she is still young and gorgeous, and sweet.
Alistair Carnell
No operation Yewtrree in Japan ?
Alistair Carnell
"Takahashi first met Mifune when she was 13 years old and married her on her 16th birthday"
Not surprising for a nation of Lolita obsessed kiddy diddlers.
Alistair Carnell
Alistair Carnell at Jan. 17, 2015 - 07:43AM JST "Takahashi first met Mifune when she was 13 years old and married her on her 16th birthday"
Hardly surprising, for a nation of Lolita obsessed kiddy diddlers.
lationz
Disgusting.
MarkG
Even better yet Tessa....he was 37 when he met the 13 year old child. Did he wait until the 16th birthday since?
Certainly is creepy!
turbotsat
Straight people could be creepy to gays. Interracial couples could be creepy to monoracial adherents. And all permutations.
If they didn't fall afoul of the law then it's their own business who they marry, no one would like to be told they shouldn't marry the person they want.
wanderlust
Looks like she'll make a great catch for her next husband...
toshiko
Creepy; He is one of child chikan ? Sorry for their child. He was Hentai? He could be behaving his habit again as Ms Mifuneis no longer a child. Their daughter is 10 now. Better get out before Hentai father will molest their daughter.
dokachin
Their "marriage" always made me feel uncomfortable
nath
Marrying at the age of 16 is legal with the written consent of the parents.
Blame her parents as well.
shinhiyata
Hey ME, both her parents were dead at the time of her marriage. Toshiro Mifune died in 1997. Her mother died in 1995. Mika was married in Sept 1998. Not sure what the legal parameters of such a situation could have been, but can really blame her dead parents?
nath
Parents or legal guardian = same thing.
turbotsat
He ought to try to keep her if he can.
The couple visiting Northampton, wherever that is (Mr. is blonde in that photo):
http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/08/toshiro_mifune_smoosh-ins_and.html
nath
Best of luck to them.
Looks like they had a good run but all good things end at some time, 16yrs is longer than many marriages last.
itsonlyrocknroll
Irrespective of the age difference marriage at 16 whilst struggling to come to terms with an adolescent mentality to manage life's roller coaster of emotional ups and downs is something of a recipe for disaster, having said that it all held together up to a point for 16 years.
sensei258
You think that's creepy, I know a guy named Muhammad who's favorite wife was 9 years old.
wtfjapan
so he was 37 and she was 13 when they first met, even if he didnt find her attractive intil she was say 15 he was still 39. seriously cant even see how her mother would allow that. then again cash and fame will turn a blind eye in most cases
genjuro
She seems like a nice, sweet woman, and they seem to be genuinely in love for so long. I think they should still try to work it out. Need to swallow some pride and make concessions, both of them. A breakdown in communication is usually the start of these things.
WilliB
About Joji I agree with others that he seems to have lost his marbles towards the end (a curfew for a 30-year old wife -- come one!). Now he got the result for that.
The_True
Like Eddy said, waking up to the same old cookie, for 11 years.
lostrune2
He's into young chicks, and she's no longer a spring chicken.
Morris135
Educator60
To clarify for others, that's because Mika's mother is Mika Kitagawa, who was Toshiro's mistress.
Tamarama
Wow. Thought I'd somehow time shifted and ended up reading the daily rag in circa 1363 there for a minute. 13 and 37?
Medieval dude.
tinawatanabe
toshiko, I think it was because of love that he married her
NathalieB
What kind of parent allows a 40 year old man to date their 13 year old daughter?
lostrune2
Haha, open-minded?
toshiko
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
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
She is a mistress' child. Does she suspect he has a child mistress? Sleeping with his child mistress?
ReformedBasher
I don't know much about him but she is a pleasant and cheerful woman. So all those saying the age difference is creepy are creepy yourselves. Keep your prejudices to yourselves please.
My first wife was 22 and I was 28 and there were still idiots making nonsense comments about me being a cradle snatcher. Where do people get off judging others? I have friends who have a bigger age difference who are happy together. That's all that counts, not the snarky opinions of outsiders.
Tokiyo
22 is not 16. I will bet your wife didn't catch your fancy at the tender age of 13 either.
Kaerimashita
15 years is a pretty good run.
MissingCylonModel
They were chosen Couple of the Year not so long ago.
shanabelle
Glad she got away from the control freak.
Wolfpack
Why? If they love each other who are you to judge? This isn't like the case with Woody Allen where he ended up marrying a young girl who was essentially his daughter. But I guess these days even that doesn't matter. If gay marriage is okay because they love each other than there is no real reason to judge any two (or more) people who profess love for each other. Relationships are not easy. What is really sad to me is the effect divorce will have on their young daughter. It's a shame they could not make concessions to one another for her sake.
lucabrasi
@Wolfpack
Wow! I massively agree with you. That's a first....