Though they were rumored to be on the verge of marriage, it looks like Exile leader Hiro (38, photo left) and actress Sada Mayumi (30) actually split up a year ago. The LDH management agency, which is run by Hiro and represents Sada, sent out a fax yesterday breaking the news and saying the two remain good friends. The announcement came after the revelation in today’s issue of “Josei Seven” magazine that Sada is now dating Kiriya Kazuaki (39), the ex-husband of singer Utada Hikaru (25). Sada and Hiro first met through a mutual friend and started going out in 2002. The music production company run by Hiro merged with Sada’s management agency, making him her boss and strengthening the rumors that their relationship was serious. Hiro, real name Igarashi Hiroyuki, has been one of the leaders of the R&B scene for more than a decade. He originally found success as a dancer with the band Zoo, which split up in 1996. He formed J Soul Brothers in 1997, with a name change to Exile four years later. They had a breakthrough year in 2003, when their album “Exile Entertainment” became a million-seller. 2005’s “Perfect Best” and last year’s “Exile Love” also broke the million mark. With an American grandfather, Sada is one of several mixed race fashion models to have gained fame beyond the magazine world. She was with the magazine “Vivi” from 1998 to 2003 and has since worked on TV and as an actress. In 2004 she made her second movie appearance, in Kiriya’s “Casshern”. Kiriya and Utada divorced in March 2007, which would be about the time that Sada and Hiro are said to have split. Hmmm…
• Actor Wakabayashi Gou (68) is recovering from emergency surgery in a Nagoya hospital. He collapsed during a performance featuring star Kobayashi Sachiko (54) at the Misonoza theater yesterday and was rushed to hospital. He was diagnosed with a chronic stroke on his left side and underwent three hours of surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery and be home in a week or so. In recent years, Wakabayashi has worked mostly on TV, particularly as a presenter on the home shopping channel.
• On her 28th birthday yesterday, talento Yamada Mariya and actor Kusano Toru (40) held a lavish wedding reception in central Tokyo. 120 guests, including many celebrities were at the event and the happy couple were serenaded by vocal group Gospellers.