Yuzuru Hanyu Divorced (updated)

[exNyer]

Have any of his contemporary skaters (like Johnny Weir) commented on this news?

It’s difficult to believe that YH is so famous that this anonymous spouse would be hounded to the point of misery. Figure skating is still a niche sport in Japan. There are actors, musicians, and athletes who are many calibers more famous than he is. The tabloids would cater to their fan base. I suspect any tabloid reporters after his marriage story discovered something that he didn’t want known.
Maybe he wasn’t compatible with her.

 

[Lanie]

Clearly Hanyu is just a little boy who needs protection of his Fanyus because he has nobody else in his corner as opposed to a grown man with agency and a PR agency!

I wonder if Hanyu just didn't want to be married anymore for whatever reason, and here's the easy way out. It's so, so strange. No defending your spouse, no doing nothing to combat the problems, just - up and ending it? Very immature - as he calls himself; but I do think many athletes including skaters are immature, for as much as they are accomplished they are quite sheltered in the sporting world.

The Fanyus writing letters to the Mayor of Sendai is just

 

[just tuned in]

If it was a sham-marriage, Hanyu and Mrs. Hanyu can live separately, who cares?

I might understand the purpose of announcing the "marriage," but no purpose in announcing the "divorce."

 

[On My Own]

If it was a sham-marriage, Hanyu and Mrs. Hanyu can live separately, who cares?

OK, I am going to speak about this a bit. If it were a sham marriage, why are people assuming that the woman would be fine with it? Either you're saying she herself was gay - without knowing anything about her at all - or that she's straight and just somehow happened to be OK with giving up her own life over him, for what reason? If this were at all the case, I'd actually assume she found out she'd been lied to and then divorced him.

Anyway.

 

[pixie cut]

If it was a sham-marriage, Hanyu and Mrs. Hanyu can live separately, who cares?

I might understand the purpose of announcing the "marriage," but no purpose in announcing the "divorce."

Perhaps there never was a marriage -- real or sham. There was no marriage and there is no divorce. All there is a story told to create a narrative.

 

[pixie cut]

Was Henri Paul really drunk though, or is it cover up? He was alleged to be way over the legal limit, but he's on surveillance camera right before driving squatting down & tying both shoes without problem. If he was noticeably drunk, would Diana & Dodi, not to mention their body guard, get in the car with him?

Being intoxicated can impair reaction time and judgment. He may have been just fine tying his shoes and he probably walked very straight. He likely didn't smell of alcohol. The decision to drive at warp speed and a slower reaction time were directly related to intoxication.

 

[On My Own]

Perhaps there never was a marriage -- real or sham. There was no marriage and there is no divorce. All there is a story told to create a narrative.

So magazines like Shukan Bunshun that are coming up with his wife's name and interviewing his relatives about it, are doing so why exactly? Does Hanyu hold so much power over Japanese media that he can use it to create a narrative that leaks onto an international stage?

Shūkan Bunshun (週刊文春, Shūkan Bunshun, lit. "Weekly Bunshun") is a Japanese[1][2] weekly news magazine (shūkanshi) based in Tokyo, Japan, known for its investigative journalism and frequent clashes with the Japanese government.[3] It is considered one of the most influential weekly magazines in the country.

I am guessing when the magazine's out, it's going to cause a stir about this.

 

[Willin]

I've always wondered if Yuzu's autistic or just very, very sheltered.

He seems to skate, skate, and nothing but skate. Outside of shows he's not seen hanging out with or being friends with other skaters, and despite all the tabloids and fans and everyone else that could leak him doing something other than skating, he doesn't. TCC skaters posted pictures of dinners and other fun outside the rink but Yuzu was never there. Despite living in Canada where he could've easily learned conversational English to better talk to/hang out with other skaters, we've seen he didn't really do that. Even his ex-wife was someone he met through skating. We don't even know much about his interests outside of skating other than Winnie the Pooh.

Meanwhile there's so much potential backstage drama around him: you know coaches and skaters talk about his crazy fans and how they were harassed on social media. I'm sure the ISU and judges do too. Of course you also know he's probably pissed off some skaters by his proselytizing about what skating should be and what his ideal programs and skaters are like - he doesn't put anyone down, but certainly he's made it clear what he think is/is not good skating. The other skaters whose style he apparently finds less than ideal handle it very well, but I'm sure they know what he's said. I know his scoring - particularly that CoC with 5 falls - has raised eyebrows. I wonder if he's just oblivious to all that, or if people like him enough as a person (or are scared of his fans) that they just don't say anything to him.

 

[Vagabond]

Perhaps there never was a marriage -- real or sham. There was no marriage and there is no divorce. All there is a story told to create a narrative.

Not only that, but Yuzuru Hanyu himself never actually existed.

 

[pixie cut]

Not only that, but Yuzuru Hanyu himself never actually existed.

At his best, watching him skate was kind of like a dream.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Not only that, but Yuzuru Hanyu himself never actually existed.

Now it all makes sense.

Just following this thread for entertainment.

 

[On My Own]

So magazines like Shukan Bunshun

(which it of course might not be, because tabloids are tabloids and that's what they were quoting)

(IDK how the press in Japan works)

So going back to my own comments on this, because I find cultural phenomena like this interesting. I googled Shukan Bunshun, and also looked at some of the references linked on wikipedia.

Here's what they say.

The Japanese magazine shaking up the cosy media club

"To get the scoop, you need to want to get the scoop," said its editor Manabu Shintani, "but Japanese media - newspapers, TV or radio - they are no longer actively looking for it because it's too risky".

'Culture of fear'​

It is a worrying trend in a country which has fallen from 11th to 72nd ranking in the World Press Freedom Index in the last six years.
On Tuesday UN rights expert David Kaye wrapped up a visit to Japan by warning of "serious threats" to the independence of the press and a culture of fear among Japanese journalists.

Although Japan has always said freedom of the press is protected, his comments come amid wider concerns about the government's growing influence on mainstream media.

There is also a financial reality that many media organisations face.

"Getting a scoop takes time and costs money but not all of them become an actual article," Mr Shintani explained.
For example, it took his magazine nearly a year to publish an article about the bribery allegations against the then Economy Minister Akira Amari who later resigned from his position. Mr Amari said he had received money which he wanted declared as a political donation - however, he said some of it had been mishandled by his staff.

There is also a risk of being sued for defamation. The magazine has been taken to court numerous times and it was once ordered to pay 4.4 million yen ($38,760; £27,350).

But that has not stopped its 40 journalists from breaking stories. The weekly's investigative skills have long been reputable despite the populist nature of some of its reports.

Some of the so-called scoops have been dismissed as little more than tasteless gossip, but the fact remains the majority of recent exclusives have been broken by such magazines, not newspapers or broadcasters.
So what explains the tabloids getting there first? The finger is often pointed at the journalist clubs which reporters for mainstream media must belong to.
They give them access to government officials and press conferences but foreign media - including the BBC - and freelance journalists are not granted entry, leading to accusations that the authorities are trying to control the information that is reported.
Weekly magazine journalists don't have access either so while they are handicapped in terms of access, they are also freer to write what they like.
"There are lots of debates about how the government is trying to influence media," said editor of Shukan Bunshun, Manabu Shintani.

Keeping the “Bunshun” Cannons Firing: The Japanese Weekly Outscooping the Traditional Media

Amid a tough climate for the media in Japan, the weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun has stuck to its guns, uncovering a series of major stories. Its explosive scoops have won it the reputation of having a Bunshun hō, or “Bunshun cannon,” ready to train on straying politicians and celebrities.

As Shintani has risen through the organization, he has become more focused on the value of scoops. “We printed and sold more than 500,000 copies of the Watabe Ken issue. Taking a broader perspective, however, there’s no denying the declining returns from print magazines. It’s impossible to secure ample budgets, and if cost cuts are forced on you, you can’t assemble quality personnel, meaning less interesting content, and greater vulnerability to risks. Making the shift to digital was an urgent issue.”

As scoops take time, and are expensive and risky, there needs to be a constant cycle of stories coming in and earning money. In other words, the Bunshun cannon needs to keep firing. The weekly goes on sale in Tokyo and other areas on Thursdays, but articles are sold separately online the previous day.

And it goes on.
The Scoop Machine: Shukan Bunshun vs Access Journalism and Censorship in Japan: An Interview with Manabu Shintani

Under former chief editor (now executive director) Shintani Manabu, Bunshun is the closest Japan has to the confrontational tabloid reporting that mercilessly hounds British politicians and celebrities. The magazine’s journalistic firsts have made it a must-read every Wednesday, when it fires the latest online salvo from what has become known as the 文春砲 - the Bunshun howitzer.

Bunshun spent “months” chasing the scoop, recalls Shintani. “This work is expensive, and risky,” he noted during an interview at his office.


That makes Bunshun’s hit-rate all the more striking. It is a relative publishing minnow, with a weekly print-run of 500,000 copies (of which about 300,000 typically sell), and a staff of just 30-40 journalists. By contrast, The Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s liberal flagship newspaper, has over 2,000 journalists and daily sales of over six million. The conservative Yomiuri Shimbun has even greater resources.


The engine beneath the hood of this scoop-machine is Bunshun leaks, a service that brings in dozens of story tips a day from the public. As the magazine’s reputation has grown, many sources opt to tip off its editors rather than mainstream media outlets, politicians or even the police, out of fear that they will suppress or water down the story.

Now about some of its scoops, two of which are very interesting (note the bolded):

Japanese Talent Agency Admits Founder Preyed on Boys in Its Care

Rumors about Mr. Kitagawa’s behavior first came to public attention in 1999, when the weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun wrote about the experiences of several anonymous men. But other news outlets largely ignored the story, and Mr. Kitagawa won a libel suit against Shukan Bunshun’s publisher. Damages of 8.8 million yen (about $60,000) were later reduced on appeal.

And for the more interesting cultural tidbits.
Shukan Bunshun shoots itself in the foot with Komuro scandal

However, Komuro was arguably too sympathetic a target for many. His story fell against a complicated backdrop of his wife’s illness. Komuro cared for her, but reports indicate that it took a toll on him too. A tweet by X Japan’s Yoshiki expressing concern for his friend only won more people over to the producer’s side.

Komuro was also well-respected — netizens had mocked Becky and Kawatani well before their scandal — and a current wave of Heisei Era nostalgia doesn’t hurt.

And the next one, which is most applicable here:

Japanese netizens appear to have turned against Shukan Bunshun and other scandal-baiting publications, at least for the time being. And joining them are a group of people with much more of a personal investment in the matter — celebrities and other public figures. It wasn’t surprising to see musicians such as tofubeats and Taku Takahashi offer support for Komuro. Both have worked with the superstar producer and grew up listening to his songs. Joining the chorus to condemn weeklies were baseball player Yu Darvish, politician Yoichi Masuzoe and Livedoor founder Takafumi Horie, among others.

Regular people online are condemning publications such as Shukan Bunshun and prominent figures are taking advantage of this to discredit one of the few outlets that has power to bring them down, should it choose to.

Now, as someone who was not familiar with any of this, I have to say, when I read "tabloid", to me, it means "gossip" and something completely negative and maybe even imaginary, which is the point of view I was writing from before. However, my reading of these articles I posted indicates to me there's something else going on here.

Especially with Hanyu specifically condemning media and keeping such a cloak of secrecy about it all, I wonder what's been scooped. And after seeing some others condemning the reporters, I think it's clear there's some personal investment with it all - it's showbiz, and many have skeletons in the closet.

 

[raruki]

Shukan Bunshun

Even though Shukan Bunshun always uses the tabloids and paparazzi tactics to do their investigative journalism, I still think that they are the only news outlet in Japan with true guts as it is the first and only Japanese news outlet that investigates and reports sexual abuse and pedophilia of Jhonny’s founder Kitagawa, who had massive monopoly power in Japanese media and show-biz business, not to mention they are also keen on targeting the corrupted politicians in Japan.

 

[On My Own]

Even though Shukan Bunshun always uses the tabloids and paparazzi tactics to do their investigative journalism, I still think that they are the only news outlet in Japan with true guts as it is the first and only Japanese news outlet that investigates and reports sexual abuse and pedophilia of Jhonny’s founder Kitagawa, who had massive monopoly power in Japanese media and show-biz business, not to mention they are also keen on targeting the corrupted politicians in Japan.

It seems that way.

By the way, saw this: https://tw.news.yahoo.com/羽生結弦離婚原因曝光-前妻痛批-媽寶男-婚後0隱私受不了-133503649.html

 

[Miezekatze]

Perhaps there never was a marriage -- real or sham. There was no marriage and there is no divorce. All there is a story told to create a narrative.

And what's the narrative?

 

[rhapsody]

And what's the narrative?

He's gay and married a beard. Divorced said beard "due to tabloids and media attention". Never has to announce future relationships because of "past trauma" and thus won't ever have to answer about his lack of a significant other as he gets older in a country that is pretty homophobic.

 

[DreamSkates]

It seems that way.

By the way, saw this: https://tw.news.yahoo.com/羽生結弦離婚原因曝光-前妻痛批-媽寶男-婚後0隱私受不了-133503649.html

Any translation or summary?

 

[Desperado]

I think there are many reasons to want to belong to the widely socially accepted “married person” category that don’t involve hiding one’s sexuality.

 

[Mell]

He's gay and married a beard. Divorced said beard "due to tabloids and media attention". Never has to announce future relationships because of "past trauma" and thus won't ever have to answer about his lack of a significant other as he gets older in a country that is pretty homophobic.

Being "kawaii" doesn't mean you have to be gay. But i always thought he might be asexual.
I've read some youtube comments, saying this type of "cutesy" dudes are common in Japan, they are not gay or whatever, just narcissistic and not very popular among girls, that's why their relationships are messy

 

[raruki]

Any translation or summary?

Some Taiwanese news outlets got the reports behind a paywall from Bunshun, it basically said that the reason why Hanyu divorced was that his ex-wife could not stand that he was a mama’s boy and his mum severely got involved in their privacy.

 

[Willin]

@Mell In addition, it's much more common for men to just, you know, care about themselves in Japan/Korea. There's a much broader line of fashions and fashion statements for men (I laugh at the "dandy" adds for menswear), men's makeup, more hairstyling than just standard barber cuts, etc. Of course you hear about "flower boys" from Korea, but it's common in Japan too that men just like to be fashionable straight or gay. I think the best equivalent would be metrosexual guys.

ITA though - I always got more asexual vibes from him. Though maybe less asexual and more skating sexual. Basically I just got the idea that there's nothing for him in life but skating?

 

[On My Own]

it basically said that the reason why Hanyu divorced was that his ex-wife could not stand that he was a mama’s boy and his mum severely got involved in their privacy.

Actually, it says his wife chose to divorce, doesn't it?

加上「媽寶」性格讓新婚生活零隱私，這才讓妻子選擇離婚。

"coupled with his mama's boy personality led to the newlywed life having zero privacy, and this is the reason that made the wife choose to divorce".

Which is different from the reason he gave.

And mama's boy has a pretty bad connotation among the women on cnetz, apart from boundary issues, I think it means he doesn't have respect for her opinions at all.

 

[starrynight]

This is why it’s a good idea to date someone for a while before marriage to figure all these things out.

 

[On My Own]

This is why it’s a good idea to date someone for a while before marriage to figure all these things out.

I would wait till the article's out, because it says something about her not being able to fit into his family, which doesn't indicate just a "they didn't date" problem to me.

 

[MacMadame]

The whole story sounds like something you'd read on reddit!

They've known each other forever and there have been rumors of them being involved with each other for a while. I don't think not dating long enough is the problem. If the story is true, it sounds more like things changed when they got married or things she thought would change when they got married did not.

 

[skategal]

The whole story sounds like something you'd read on reddit!

They've known each other forever and there have been rumors of them being involved with each other for a while. I don't think not dating long enough is the problem. If the story is true, it sounds more like things changed when they got married or things she thought would change when they got married did not.

Yes.

I think she left the marriage and he’s saying he was as the one to do it because the fans would lose it on her if she dumped Yuzu and his image wouldn’t want to be the one dumped either.

And she’s just like “Say whatever you want. I’m done.”

 

[MsZem]

No amount of money in the world would make me want to trade places with Yuzuru Hanyu.

 

[Trillian]

No amount of money in the world would make me want to trade places with Yuzuru Hanyu.

Agreed, but … no amount of money in the world would make me want to marry him, either.

ETA: okay, I guess I assumed this was obvious, but … because of everything surrounding him, not Hanyu himself.

 

[ostile17]

I'm glad you mentioned this about Denis Ten. That's the exact moment I lost any amount of respect for Hanyu and his obsessive worshippers. Disgusting lunatics.

Never had an ounce of respect for this weird, arrogant creature

 

[Mell]

Yes.

I think she left the marriage and he’s saying he was as the one to do it because the fans would lose it on her if she dumped Yuzu and his image wouldn’t want to be the one dumped either.

And she’s just like “Say whatever you want. I’m done.”

Yeah, i think so too. People assume it's Yuzuru who divorced her for whatever reason, when it could have been the other way around. His goal was to be married, but maybe they had a different understanding of marriage, which is common between men and women. Dating is one thing, being married another. He was gonna do his thing as usual, while she was probably expected to make sacrifices and sitting at home. Years ago he did describe what kind of woman his wife should be, and one of those "criteria" was that she shouldn't annoy him or something like that.
He is looking for a mother replacement, not a wife. Even his sister had to give up her skating career for him, so we know what kind of role women have in his eyes.