Ex-AKB48 member Nishino Miki (23) to marry comedian Yamamoto Keiichi (54), who was accused of raping a minor in 2006

In oh-boy-oh-no-good-luck news, former AKB48 member Nishino Miki (23) is getting married to Yamamoto Keiichi (54), and it was announced through the Gokuraku Tombo member’s YouTube channel.

Some thought this was a joke as apparently the two have done a show with a marriage concept together before, but Nishino also posted about it on her blog.

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People are predictably creeped out by this, though not just because he is hypothetically old enough to be her grandfather. Even worse, Yamamoto only returned to the industry in 2016 following a decade-long hiatus after police questioned him back in 2006 on suspicion of raping a minor. In the end, he wasn’t arrested, but only because he didn’t force the girl into his hotel room.

Police opted not to arrest Keiichi Yamamoto, 38, because he did not force the girl to enter his Hakodate hotel room, they said.
Yamamoto has admitted having sex with the teenager but denied raping her, saying she “consented (to the act) as if it was a game.”
Yamamoto, who has apologized to the girl, is suspected of raping her at the business hotel where he was staying on the night of July 16.
Police said the girl told Yamamoto she was 18.

Like in many other countries, rape and sexual assault in Japan is frequently swept under the rug or the blame is pushed elsewhere, so one can apply that to this situation as well.

Additionally, there allegedly were hints about them dating back to 2020, so it makes me wonder when their relationship started and for how long they’ve known each other. Either way, it’s just honestly impossible to not be creeped out by this marriage, and its age gap in particular, given his track record.