It was revealed yesterday that freelance announcer Kobayashi Mao (28) is five months pregnant. The good news must come as a welcome change for her husband, kabuki star Ichikawa Ebizo (33, photo), who is still reeling from the drunken assault scandal that derailed his career less than three months ago. Ebizo declined to speak with reporters who camped outside his Tokyo home yesterday, but he and his wife’s management agencies announced the news to the media by fax. Meanwhile his father, kabuki veteran Ichikawa Danjuro (64), speaking to reporters after a performance at the Misonoza theater in Nagoya, thanked them for their congratulations and said he was delighted to become a grandfather.
The trial of former gang member Ito Rion (27), who is accused of inflicting serious injuries on Ichikawa last November, is currently underway at the Tokyo District Court. So although those injuries now appear to be fully healed, the actor is continuing to maintain a low profile. During his court testimony, Ito said that he was provoked in part by a head butt that the drunken Ichikawa inflicted on his gang boss, though the actor has so far not faced any criminal charges in the case.