A Japanese comedian, known for marrying an actress 18 years younger than him, is facing criticism amid concerns that their initial encounter when she was 13 might involve grooming tactics
According to local media such as TBS News and Shukan Bunshun on Nov 13th, Iwai Yuki (37), a member of the popular Japanese comedy duo “Haraichi”, announced his marriage to actress Okumori Satsuki (19).
Iwai stated, “I started dating Okumori earlier this year. I was captivated by her personality and way of life, realizing during our relationship that she’s someone admirable. We are still inexperienced, but we appreciate your continued support.“
Okumori said, “While spending time with the person I had always admired and watched on TV, he became a precious person I want to protect. His self-control in work and uncompromising attitude match my ideal type.”
They first connected 6 years ago when Okumori, then a 1st-year middle school student, appeared together with Iwai on TV Tokyo’s children program “Oha Suta”.
Regarding this, some netizens expressed concerns, “The fact that they first met when she was 13 and he was 31 raises the possibility of grooming tactics“, “Honestly, it’s hard to congratulate. In the entertainment industry, marrying with an 18-year age gap isn’t uncommon, but marrying a 19-year-old with an 18-year age difference is risky in many ways“, “Isn’t this Lolita complex?“…
In response to the controversy, Iwai announced, “I’ll talk about our marriage on this week’s TBS radio show ‘Haraichi’s Turn!’.”
Source: Wikitree
