Kentaro Sakaguchi has canceled his scheduled appearance at the Busan International Film Festival, just days before he was set to face the press for his new film The Final Piece (Banjou no Himawari). His sudden withdrawal follows growing controversy over his private life, which has drawn heavy media attention in Japan.
Festival organizers confirmed on September 15 that the press conference, originally planned for September 18, would no longer take place. In a statement, BIFF explained the decision was due to “circumstances of a guest,” without mentioning Sakaguchi by name. His co-star Ken Watanabe was also expected to attend the event, which was set to introduce their film to international audiences.
The cancellation follows a series of explosive reports from Japanese outlet Shūkan Bunshun, which alleged that the Japanese actor had been in a long-term relationship with a non-celebrity while also secretly dating actress Mei Nagano.
According to the magazine, Kentaro Sakaguchi has been living in Tokyo with a hair and makeup artist three years older than him for more than four years. At the same time, he is said to have begun a separate romantic relationship with Nagano around 2022.
The story gained even more traction when the actress, identified as Nagano, reportedly admitted to dating Kentaro but claimed she had no idea he was living with another woman. “It’s true that I was seeing him,” she was quoted as saying, “but I didn’t know about anyone else.” The confession fueled accusations of two-timing and quickly became a trending topic in both Japanese and Korean online communities.
Reactions to the Kentaro Sakaguchi dating scandal from the public have been mixed. Some fans are upset, saying the scandal damages the honest image he has worked to maintain, while others believe his personal life should not affect his career.
Industry experts note that in Japan, controversies like this can still have professional consequences, as reputation and public trust are crucial for casting and endorsements.
Kentaro Sakaguchi, now 34, has long been regarded as one of Japan’s most bankable stars. After beginning his career as a model, he transitioned into acting and found success in films such as Hell Dogs, The Last 10 Years, and The 100th Love With You. His popularity extended beyond Japan last year when he took on the lead role in the Korean Coupang Play series What Comes After Love, opposite Lee Se Young
The scandal comes at a particularly sensitive time. The Final Piece is expected to be a major project for him. The industry watchers anticipated strong attention at BIFF thanks to its pairing of the actor with veteran star Ken Watanabe.
With Kentaro Sakaguchi stepping back from promotions, questions remain about how the film’s publicity campaign will proceed and whether he will resume activities once the immediate controversy subsides.
For now, neither Sakaguchi nor his agency has released a detailed statement addressing the allegations.