Josei Jishin:: Inoue Mao ambush interview about retirement and marriage rumors to Matsumoto Jun
Josei Jishin April 18, 2017 issue, pages 37-39
Ambush interview! Declaration of resumption of actress work directly to this magazine
Inoue Mao (30): I will not retire due to marriage.
The spring of believing and waiting for the man whom she shares a 12-year relationship
Inoue Mao has been out of the limelight since last year. However, various reports such as she’s restraining herself from accepting work due to marriage plans to a certain someone or she’s retiring as the way it is now are still coming out.
“Inoue-san has turned 30 on January 9. As she approached her life’s turning point, it seems she has started contemplating seriously about her career as an actress and as a woman herself.”, says entertainment reporter Shiroshita Takayuki. Inoue Mao (30) has been substantially on hiatus status for almost a year.
The actress has left Seventh Avenue, her agency of 13 years and transferred to a new agency, Un Neuf at the end of last year. She has appeared on the Sanma no Manma New Year SP (Fuji TV) at the start of this year but there has been no news of her being casted on any dramas or movies. Even for a weekly drama, her last project was in 2015 when she took the lead role in NHK taiga drama Hana Moyu.
This year-long hiatus status has been reported to be due to a particular circumstance. This is said to be marriage plans to her partner in 12-year relationship. That man is said to be Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun (33).
In its March 20, 2017 issue, Tokyo Sports reported the possibility of her sudden retirement due to her plans of getting married to Matsumoto. Inoue and Matsumoto were costars on the 2005 drama Hana Yori Dango and were said to have started their relationship from there. “For the past 12 years, marriage rumors are swirling at every moment for these two. Even among reporters, it is been said she will be getting married when she turns 30.” (source related to entertainment industry).
However, murmurs of marriage registration at the start of the year took a complete turn by the end of 2016. Matsumoto was reported by Shuukan Bunshun to be involved in a tryst with another female talent for four years while being in a relationship with Inoue.
She thought of breaking up with him for a time but…
Such marriage on her 30th birthday becomes worthless and seems unexpected. “I heard Inoue-san decided to break up with him for a time but she thought if she breaks up with him, his popularity might go down so she hesitated. (Shiroshita-san)
Another person who supported Inoue-san in her actress and private affairs includes Kitaoji Kinya-san (74). This was during the time when Inoue-san was being bashed due to the low ratings of her NHK taiga drama Hana Moyu. It seems Kitaoji-san personally gave her a deeply moving letter of encouragement. Even up to now, Kitaoji-san remains as her special penpal. They seem to talk about private matters in their letters. (source close to Inoue-san). Within this one year of not taking any projects, we wonder what kinds of worries does she tell Kitaoji-san.
So what’s the truth behind all these speculations of her hiatus status?
In search for answers from the person herself, this magazine ambush interviewed Inoue around the end of March. Around past noon, we called out to Inoue-san while she was walking her dog around her neighborhood in Tokyo.
Josei Jishin: It’s Josei Jishin.
Mao: Oh. You’re not that other weekly magazine? (bitter smile)
For a moment, Inoue showed us a look of surprise.
Josei Jishin: Is there another weekly magazine in your mind aside from Josei Jishin? (laughs)
Mao: Yes (bitter smile)
We wonder if she’s referring to the weekly magazine that reported Matsumoto-san’s 4-year relationship with that female talent.
Josei Jishin: We would like to ask a few things about the reports of your relationship and marriage plans to Matsumoto-san.
Mao: No. If you want me to answer here, please let me answer through the agency.
Inoue never speaks up and a lot of ambush interviews from weekly magazines end at this point. However, our reporter continued to ask questions to which she surprisingly gave replies.
Project offers, more information came rushing in
Josei Jishin: It has been reported you will be getting married soon to Matsumoto-san?
Mao: No, no, no. Not really.
Josei Jishin: Due to almost a year of not doing any projects, there were also reports you are retiring from the entertainment industry.
Mao: About that, I am also surprised but it can’t be helped. A lot of rumors can be said about me in this kind of work.
Josei Jishin: So you are not retiring?
Mao: Yes, not at all (laughs).
Josei Jishin: So right now, you’re completely in this period of recharging yourself?
Mao: Yes but I am resuming my work soon. I cannot announce it yet though.
Inoue has flatly denied questions about retirement and marriage so it seems even rumors about retirement due to marriage are not completely in her consideration right now.
Josei Jishin: There were reports you were depressed due to the scandal involving Matsumoto-san and that female talent.
Mao: Haha! What? About that? (laughs) I am really surprised how crazy everyone’s imaginations are.
Josei Jishin? Won’t you be getting married to Matsumoto-san?
Mao: Hmm. If I end up answering this, it will cause trouble to everyone. I want to answer but I am sorry I can’t.
Josei Jishin: We are relieved you don’t have any plans of retirement.
Mao: Yes, thank you very much.
Directly to this magazine, Inoue declared that she’s resuming her actress work and showed us her unexpectedly bright smile. From there, we sensed the unwavering feeling that she believes and waits for him. However, it is true that she has been out of the limelight for almost a year and that status continues.
As for these subtle feelings such women in their 30s confront, journalist Oshi Marie-san has this analysis. “Women around the age of 30 struggle about being attached to the things they have built up through the years. In Inoue-san’s case, they are her achievements being an actress and the love she has amassed in her 12-year relationship with him. She is bound to those two successes. For her, this one year is a very important reset period to sort out her feelings.”
Will a spring of emancipation finally come for her?
Ambush interview! Declaration of resumption of actress work directly to this magazine
Inoue Mao (30): I will not retire due to marriage.
The spring of believing and waiting for the man whom she shares a 12-year relationship
Inoue Mao has been out of the limelight since last year. However, various reports such as she’s restraining herself from accepting work due to marriage plans to a certain someone or she’s retiring as the way it is now are still coming out.
“Inoue-san has turned 30 on January 9. As she approached her life’s turning point, it seems she has started contemplating seriously about her career as an actress and as a woman herself.”, says entertainment reporter Shiroshita Takayuki. Inoue Mao (30) has been substantially on hiatus status for almost a year.
The actress has left Seventh Avenue, her agency of 13 years and transferred to a new agency, Un Neuf at the end of last year. She has appeared on the Sanma no Manma New Year SP (Fuji TV) at the start of this year but there has been no news of her being casted on any dramas or movies. Even for a weekly drama, her last project was in 2015 when she took the lead role in NHK taiga drama Hana Moyu.
This year-long hiatus status has been reported to be due to a particular circumstance. This is said to be marriage plans to her partner in 12-year relationship. That man is said to be Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun (33).
In its March 20, 2017 issue, Tokyo Sports reported the possibility of her sudden retirement due to her plans of getting married to Matsumoto. Inoue and Matsumoto were costars on the 2005 drama Hana Yori Dango and were said to have started their relationship from there. “For the past 12 years, marriage rumors are swirling at every moment for these two. Even among reporters, it is been said she will be getting married when she turns 30.” (source related to entertainment industry).
However, murmurs of marriage registration at the start of the year took a complete turn by the end of 2016. Matsumoto was reported by Shuukan Bunshun to be involved in a tryst with another female talent for four years while being in a relationship with Inoue.
She thought of breaking up with him for a time but…
Such marriage on her 30th birthday becomes worthless and seems unexpected. “I heard Inoue-san decided to break up with him for a time but she thought if she breaks up with him, his popularity might go down so she hesitated. (Shiroshita-san)
Another person who supported Inoue-san in her actress and private affairs includes Kitaoji Kinya-san (74). This was during the time when Inoue-san was being bashed due to the low ratings of her NHK taiga drama Hana Moyu. It seems Kitaoji-san personally gave her a deeply moving letter of encouragement. Even up to now, Kitaoji-san remains as her special penpal. They seem to talk about private matters in their letters. (source close to Inoue-san). Within this one year of not taking any projects, we wonder what kinds of worries does she tell Kitaoji-san.
So what’s the truth behind all these speculations of her hiatus status?
In search for answers from the person herself, this magazine ambush interviewed Inoue around the end of March. Around past noon, we called out to Inoue-san while she was walking her dog around her neighborhood in Tokyo.
Josei Jishin: It’s Josei Jishin.
Mao: Oh. You’re not that other weekly magazine? (bitter smile)
For a moment, Inoue showed us a look of surprise.
Josei Jishin: Is there another weekly magazine in your mind aside from Josei Jishin? (laughs)
Mao: Yes (bitter smile)
We wonder if she’s referring to the weekly magazine that reported Matsumoto-san’s 4-year relationship with that female talent.
Josei Jishin: We would like to ask a few things about the reports of your relationship and marriage plans to Matsumoto-san.
Mao: No. If you want me to answer here, please let me answer through the agency.
Inoue never speaks up and a lot of ambush interviews from weekly magazines end at this point. However, our reporter continued to ask questions to which she surprisingly gave replies.
Project offers, more information came rushing in
Josei Jishin: It has been reported you will be getting married soon to Matsumoto-san?
Mao: No, no, no. Not really.
Josei Jishin: Due to almost a year of not doing any projects, there were also reports you are retiring from the entertainment industry.
Mao: About that, I am also surprised but it can’t be helped. A lot of rumors can be said about me in this kind of work.
Josei Jishin: So you are not retiring?
Mao: Yes, not at all (laughs).
Josei Jishin: So right now, you’re completely in this period of recharging yourself?
Mao: Yes but I am resuming my work soon. I cannot announce it yet though.
Inoue has flatly denied questions about retirement and marriage so it seems even rumors about retirement due to marriage are not completely in her consideration right now.
Josei Jishin: There were reports you were depressed due to the scandal involving Matsumoto-san and that female talent.
Mao: Haha! What? About that? (laughs) I am really surprised how crazy everyone’s imaginations are.
Josei Jishin? Won’t you be getting married to Matsumoto-san?
Mao: Hmm. If I end up answering this, it will cause trouble to everyone. I want to answer but I am sorry I can’t.
Josei Jishin: We are relieved you don’t have any plans of retirement.
Mao: Yes, thank you very much.
Directly to this magazine, Inoue declared that she’s resuming her actress work and showed us her unexpectedly bright smile. From there, we sensed the unwavering feeling that she believes and waits for him. However, it is true that she has been out of the limelight for almost a year and that status continues.
As for these subtle feelings such women in their 30s confront, journalist Oshi Marie-san has this analysis. “Women around the age of 30 struggle about being attached to the things they have built up through the years. In Inoue-san’s case, they are her achievements being an actress and the love she has amassed in her 12-year relationship with him. She is bound to those two successes. For her, this one year is a very important reset period to sort out her feelings.”
Will a spring of emancipation finally come for her?