Here
and
Now

kuchikomi

Rumors of domestic abuse persist in Fujiwara-Jinnai divorce

37 Comments

Following the divorce between actress Norika Fujiwara, 37, and comedian Tomonori Jinnai, 35, only two years after their grand wedding party, speculation is rife over the truth about their separation.

Jinnai admitted a week ago at a press conference that he had cheated on Fujiwara and hurt her very deeply. Fujiwara, who had been in Kenya on Japan Red Cross business, kept her silence but finally made a public statement in her personal blog on March 24, the day before her return to Japan, confessing that she had wished to remain married for life but it was no longer possible, adding the comment, “at the end I found myself broken, because of various issues, both emotionally and physically.”

While emotional pain caused by Jinnai’s extramarital affairs is understandable, her statement referring to the physical self raises questions. The weekly Josei Seven (April 9) published a detailed article about their marital life, alluding to domestic violence.

Ironically, amid the frenzy over the couple’s divorce, the Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office published survey results on March 24 on violence between men and women which indicated that 33.2% of women have experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual domestic violence by their husbands.

One factor that triggers domestic violence is the kind of disparity between spouses, which describes the case of Fujiwara and Jinnai. As one consultant in divorce issues explains, when the wife has a higher income and social standing than the husband, the latter is inclined to feel inferior or dominated, and may ultimately resort to violence – the only way to prove his superiority.

While this should only be regarded as a general theory, the aforementioned Josei Seven article on the couple’s marriage refers to information from Fujiwara’s personal and business adviser who had been consulted by Fujiwara about her marriage, and that in the previous summer, Jinnai had begun to openly display that he was having extramarital affairs.

A clinical psychotherapist typifies the tendency for men to demonstrate their superiority within the marital relationship to make up for the disparity in social status. Cheating on the wife is one such manifestation; however, when the wife turns a blind eye and suffers in silence, the relationship can eventually change for the worse. In fact, an incident where Jinnai had yelled at Fujiwara and demanded that she get on her knees to apologize for bringing up his extramarital affairs had made the headlines, not to mention Jinnai’s rumored physical abuse of Fujiwara.

Fujiwara may have been fortunate that she found an outlet in her work as well as emotional support from her family and friends, helping her "restore" herself. In an age when anyone can become the perpetrator or victim of domestic violence, the divorce of this prominent couple is thought provoking.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

37 Comments
Login to comment

Hmmmm... more fine reporting of rumor and innuendo!! There is almost nothing factual presented here--"might have", "could possibly", "general theories"... --and certainly nothing newsworthy.

Get on with life, folks.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office published survey results on March 24 on violence between men and women which indicated that 33.2% of women have experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual domestic violence by their husbands.

How sad.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

In fact, an incident where Jinnai had yelled at Fujiwara and demanded that she get on her knees to apologize for bringing up his extramarital affairs had made the headlines

I must have missed the "might have" on this one.

I'd say domestic violence is a newsworthy issue, particularly in a high-profile case such as this one. It isn't restricted to physical abuse either.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What on earth is "psychological domestic violence"?

I suspect it's a label with which women can attach blame to their spouse to make him a moster if he says anything other than "Yes, dear".

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I suspect it's a label with which women can attach blame to their spouse to make him a moster if he says anything other than "Yes, dear".

The threat of physical violence, belittling, harassment. Serious issue.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What on earth is "psychological domestic violence"?

I suspect it's a label with which women can attach blame to their spouse to make him a moster if he says anything other than "Yes, dear".

Great to see how people take the issue of DV. Mental abuse is as bad as, or even worst than, a spouse laying their hand on their significant other.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Love how people are picking and choosing what they want to read. Again, it is all speculation. When he comes out and says he hit her, becuase for some odd reason Japanese people like to turn themselves in for the most part, it is just a story to catch your attention.

I really do not care for either person, but they were both in the light so much, how would she hide bruises? Also, if you are in a heated argument, you normally do not go for body blows, wife slaps face, he slaps or punches back, but it is normally in the face, and no amount of makeup is going to cover that. Especially if the cameras are always waiting to get a shot, they would have gotten something. Maybe it did not get to that point, but again it is speculation.

It could have been the sexual dominance. He had a girl in porn for a long time and maybe she did not like what he wanted to do in bed. Maybe she was broken from that. Again speculation.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I also think domestic violence should refer only to physical violence or closely related, such as a threat of using it. What happened to the idea of Free speech guys? So can guys not even express their frustration with a nagging wife? I have heard of many cases where women silence their husband saying they were doing DV if they objected to their "normal" nagging!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

it's very murky statistics. for example, my ex accused me of trying to "control" her, by being "excessively affectionate" towards her. well, probably I should have treated her like the average Japanese salaryman... also, one of my friends was accused of "sexual abuse" by his Japanese wife, for trying to have sex more than once a month! but of course, there are the countless cases of real abuse

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I must be one of the 66.8% of husbands that get physically and emotionally abused by their wives

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Is a mutual heated argument (raised voices) considered Domestic Abuse?

Is the guy getting mad (after being subjected to hours of mental and verbal abuse) and throwing something (not at someone) to try and stop the one way nagging/abuse considered domestic violence?

My wife (frequently) nags to the point that I feel I am going to explode. I have found that if I make a loud noise (i.e hitting the wall/door) this shuts her up... BTW - This is only after repeated requests for her to calm down and relax, but she just refuses to listen and seems to keep going until I can take it no longer...

Is this just me? Or do some of you guys have the same or similar issues with your J wife? Does my response label me as a violent/abusive husband? Because I am in the eyes of my wife...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

tokyokawasaki, you will be arrested, thrown in jail and canned. along with the rest of us :) I think in Japan, the border of common sense became very volatile, and you end up being labeled for things otherwise common. I think the problem is that all of these "bureaus" analyze the many crazy cases around here, and they end up with common issues being labeled as "symptoms of nascent abuse", regardless what. an argument with the wife = domestic abuse, joking at the workplace = sexual harassment, scolding that lazy ass who is always late = power harassment and so on

0 ( +0 / -0 )

She probably chose her words carefully.

@tokyokawasaki: in my experience, constant nagging despite obvious discouragement is often indicative of specific health problems (endocrine dysfunction, toxicity, etc) when associated with anxiety, mild obsessive, compulsive or bipolar behaviors are present. you'll find very few doctors will understand this however.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

timeon - Seems that we are all doomed (oh! and labeled) no matter what we do or say :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's totally wrong, but this story is a turn-on.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When someone suffers emotionally that pain also becomes physical. The body reacts to the pain in the brain, so to speak. One becomes lethargic, loses appetite, suffers from insomnia. That is physical pain. It does not have to be DV what Norika suffered from. All these allusions, allegations, attention from the gossip magazines, is rather disgusting.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

also, one of my friends was accused of "sexual abuse" by his Japanese wife, for trying to have sex more than once a month!

hahaha. That is too funny... sad also, but funny.

I knew one couple that only had sex once a year. Ouch!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“When someone suffers emotionally that pain also becomes physical. The body reacts to the pain in the brain, so to speak. One becomes lethargic, loses appetite, suffers from insomnia.” Precisely. Stress can result in both psychological and physical manifestations. Psychological and physical manifestations such as: loss of appetite/anorexia, weight loss, fatigue, insomnia, frequent headaches, fever, joint pain, frequent colds and/or predisposition to infections caused by depressed immune system as a result of stress.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I don't know why she just didn't kick the crap out of him. She's no shrinking violet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

nurse 13 -- thanks for the info. I hope to God that these rumors are untrue. Although with DV a factor in about 1/3 of Japanese marriages, it would not be surprising if it was. In any case, I hope she gets any professional/psychological help she may need to come out of this whole.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Or do some of you guys have the same or similar issues with your J wife?

You can have that problem with any wife...my grandmother practically nagged my granddad to death.

I don't see why you should have to put up with that. Have you tried to talk about it with her when she's not angry/discontented?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Everyone brings their emotional baggage with them from the past. All the more reason to choose your life partner with care. Behaviour that one person finds desirable, another might classify as abuse. Sadly, in the land of the Narita divorce, many couples don't get to know each other very much at all until after the wedding.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@nessie amen!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ho-old on just a second there. Whilst Jinnai has indeed admitted to having affairs, there is no true evidence at this stage that he abused Fujiwara physically. This article is flawed as it makes the massive jump from talking about their divorce, to general statistics about abuse in marriages and use of the words 'alluding to' and 'this should only be regarded as a general theory'. You cannot jump like that without any real proof. And for Jinnai to use physical violence against a wife who is financially very sound with a management office who are supposed to be gangsters, surely that would be a very foolish move by him.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A sign of civilization is non-violence.

When a wife constantly nags, something is probably bothering her about the marriage or herself. Maybe, the husband should ask himself what he might be doing wrong, and also ask the wife what's troubling her. But be sensitive enough to realize that most times the real problem itself is not vocalized at the begining of the conversation. It's always something else.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When I first read this headline, I had an image of HER beating the crap out of him for cheating.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There's a "Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office"??? Do they also control the "Can't actually do or change anything, but we can come up with some pretty interesting statistics Bureau of the Cabinet Office"???

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He's lucky that she doesn't cut him up in little bits and put in the garbage all over Tokyo.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Uh, couldn't her comment just mean that the mental stress associated with all of this has also had a physicial toll on her? Excessive stress can really mess you up physically.

Though I guess the possibility of DV is more appealing to the tabloids.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I guess a lot of people forgot that they wrote that the article was full of speculation.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He is rich and famous! Come on people! Do you people know anything about Japan at all? Japan caters to the rich and wealthy! Extramarital affairs is a common thing in Japan and these people needs to stop pretending! My office building has a cheap rental room area around it! Depending on the cleanliness and status of the woman you want, you go there pick up a phone during your lunch break and order a woman and any other kinki things you want at an extra fee. As for the physical abuse. Man you married Fujiwara! The best of the Jphone girls! It didn't matter how much more famous or rich she was! Who did she call her own and was willing to spend the rest of her life with! You are an idiot for losing her! HAHAHAHAHA, I lost mine too for the same reason's! Join the IDIOT CLUB!!!!!!!!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

hey folks shukan post is a rumor rag, some good posts above about DV etc but its a waste speculating what this rag prints

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If a wife, and a sexy one like her doesn't give sex, then it is a man's right to go out and get it. But physical abuse is a big nono. She should have kicked him where it hurts while wearing steal toed bright red pumps.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

She should have kicked him where it hurts while wearing steal toed bright red pumps.

I know a place in Dusseldorf where people will pay good money for that kind of treatment.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What a shame, just a stupid shame from the begging. She is way too beautiful and RICH was just dumb for marrying a poor comedian like this guy in the first place.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

She needs to finish the divorce and find a nice foreigner that will treat her like a princess.

BlackBlack

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites