下記は、「中居正広、SMAP時代からの相棒に会社を任せ “木村拓哉以外の5人” で合流計画」記事の英訳です。
Below is a translation of the following article on Hiromasa Nakai.
https://www.jprime.jp/articles/-/19686
Title:
Masahiro Nakai – Planning to get together with the 3 ex-SMAP members excluding Kimura as he entrusts his company to his partner from his SMAP time
2020 was the year in which members left the Johnny’s & Associates one after another. Masahiro Nakai was the first one to start.
“When it was reported on February 20th that he would be leaving the office in March, he held a press conference the following day. He himself facilitated the conference, making it like a variety TV show. The fact that he has Johnny Kitagawa’s cremains in his pockets stressed his strong will” (by sports newspaper reporter).
He established a company named “Nonbirinakai” (double meanings for “nonbiri (=laid back) Nakai” and “nonbirina (=laid back) kai (=event)” on February 19th, the day when his father passed away in 2015. Since April 1st, he has been wearing two pairs of straw sandals (=nisoku no waraji, Japanese expressions meaning to get engaged in two tasks at the same time), working as a CEO and TV personality.
“Self-restraint period for COVID-19 started immediately after this, so he said that ‘there was virtually no work’ when he appeared on TV in April. But he did not forget to thank healthcare professionals and offered Yakiniku bento from Jojoen, famous Yakiniku restaurant, to multiple hospitals (by the aforementioned sports newspaper reporter).”
Partner manager who is virtually with Nakai the whole time
While it was a difficult start, he received much publicity that he often “showed smiles” perhaps because he no longer needed to act as a Johnny’s idol.
“During his first recording of ‘Daisuke Nakai and Tsubasa Honda and Yonayona Rabuko-san’ aired midnight which started in July, he offered bentos for the members, and he also offered another gorgeous bento’s for the last recoding of this year, December 23rd. During the time of scarce production costs to be expensed, members were rejoiced” (by TBS members).
A reporter at the Shufu to Seikatsusha Co., Ltd. made a visit to Nakai’s firm in late February. Responded was a man in the 70s.
“Here we just gave out the license. I worked for him as his accountant for 25 years, and he said he really wanted to establish a company on his father’s anniversary. But we did not have much time left until then, so we offered him this place in the meantime. We will move elsewhere once it is fixed.”
10 months have passed since then. Has it moved somewhere else? We made a visit again in mid-December, and the same man answered.
“The office is still here. Nakai-san does not like various documents being piled up, so he puts all the documents here. The manager at the Johnny’s comes here to pick them up, but Nakai-san has never come here.”
At his press conference, he was saying “no staff, no manager, only myself” but he in reality is receiving support.
“His partner manager who worked for him when he was still part of SMAP is always with him. He is apparently ‘on loan’ from Johnny’s office. He follows Nakai in the recoding place as well, and types and brand of his drinks are strictly checked as well (staff at the production company).
So his “partner” does all the work for the company, and Nakai plans something else.
“Nakai is inviting Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Katori Shingo, from ‘Atarashii Chizu (=new map)’ and Katsuyuki Mori who left SMAP to become a motorcycle racer in 1996, in his company. In November, Mori won the the first SG national championship, and all the ex-SMAP members made comments to congratulate him, making it easier for him to suggest re-union. Although, he has not contacted Takuya Kimura…” (by employee at an entertainment agency).
4 full years since SMAP is gone – it may be time for CEO Nakai to give out a hand for the group!
