Mari Yaguchi, the 4’9″ fiesty little firecracker might be in trouble again

This just in! Well actually I got the scoop late in the afternoon yesterday but was too “busy” last night to do anything if you know what I mean.;)

Mari joined Morning Musume as a 2nd Generation member

Ex Morning Musume leader and member Mari Yaguchi has once again gotten herself in a scandal. This time she’s caught being romantically involved with Japanese actor Takuji Kawakubo. Takuji, who appears in TBS’s show “Ultraman Nexus” was caught leaving Mari’s home in the morning in the middle of this month, and the two have been spotted together on other occasions.

Ok, you got me!

Takuji Kawakubo, age 26

Mari trying to exude some of her “sexy beam”

The 25 year old idol / talent (a term the Japanese use to loosely describe entertainer) first got into trouble back in ’05 when it was revealed that she was dating the handsome actor Shun Oguri, which resulted in her expulsion from Morning Musume (well, publicly she stepped down but we all knew what the real deal was). Regardless whether you agree or not, in Japan’s ultra conservative showbiz world it is forbidden for an idol to have any romantic relationship, at least in public. Once any scandal is revealed it usually means a career death sentence. And believe me every idol, major or minor, understands that. Like the saying goes, “you wanna play, you gotta pay.”

Japanese heartthrob Shun Oguri. He dumped Mari for some taller model chicks.

I don’t understand why Mari would be so careless to be caught again, especially now that she’s been enjoying pretty good success after getting a new lease on her career by being allowed to go “solo”.

Mari Yaguchi, back when she was the leader of Japan’s super idol group Morning Musume

According to reports Mari Yaguchi and Takuji Kawakubo first met at a party last summer. I wonder if it was at another one of Atsushi Tamura’s (of London Boots) mixer parties. Of course both of their agencies gave the typical reply, “they’re just friends.”

Ryoko Yonekura

The sexy Ryoko Yonekura is no stranger to the tabloids. She has dated A+ guys in the past including Japanese soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata and kabuki performer Ebizo Ichikawa. Atsushi Tamura himself is often in the headlines too. He had a long term relationship with idol / talent Nanako Fujisaki. He’s also famous for arranging mixer parties for Japanese celebrities and entertainers, one of them resulted in the infamous meeting between ex- Morning Musume leader Miki Fujimoto and Tomoharu Shoji of the comedy duo Shinagawa Shoji.

London Boots: (L) Atsushi Tamura, (R) Ryo Tamura

On a recent episode of Fuji TV’s “Mecha Iketeru” variety show they even made fun of Atsushi by sticking a photo of him and Ryoko together on his forehead with the caption that read “I’m the dude who beat out Ebizo!” (note: top kabuki performers in Japan are treated like rock stars) It is believed that the couple first got to work together in the beginning of last year on London Boot’s show “London Hearts” airing on TV Asahi and that’s when sparks flew.

Atsushi Tamura, the monkey boy that’s dating the leggy Ryoko Yonekura