Is Nakamori Akina participating in this year’s Kouhaku Uta Gassen?

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It’s only August, but Nikkan Gendai DEGITAL featured on their newspaper that popular ’80s idol Nakamori Akina, who is celebrating her 40th year anniversary as a music artist, may participate at the year-end NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

In April, Nakamori Akina Special Live 1989 Remastered Version was aired on NHK-BS Premium and BS4K and it received great response after the broadcast. It is said that many viewers wanted a rebroadcast and the airing of the live received a high audience rating.

According to Nikkan Gendai DEGITAL, if an appearance is decided, there is no doubt that it will be a major event that will attract attention throughout Japan.

The following is featured on  Shukan Jousei PRIME:

One music industry insider who is familiar with Nakamori Akina said, “Even if there was an offer, I don’t think she will stand on the front stage now”.

“Weekly Women” who covered her 40th anniversary reported on their May 10th article that even her family is unable to contact her.

On May 1st, the day marked Nakamori Akina’s 40th anniversary of her debut, but she has pretty much disappeared and has not been seen by the public.

After her dinner show in 2017, Nakamori has stopped activities. A handwritten message was sent on her fan club newsletter that she had no plans to resume activities.

There are rumors that Nakamori is in a relationship with her manager and they live in Tokyo.

Nakamori Akina was born in Kiyose City, Tokyo and grew up as the fifth of six siblings. According to her eldest brother, Akina’s mother and her were very close.

Her eldest brother said, “I was really happy when Akina made her debut, acquaintances would often ask for autographs. Akina also gave me records, but I wanted to support my sister, so I bought them myself”.

As for the family, her brother said, “At the end of last year, my father was hospitalized. He became deaf and depressed at home. My eldest daughter took him out for a walk and she said, “he won’t be able to walk at this rate. He broke his ribs and his right hand which created new problems. He has been showing symptoms of dementia little by little for a long time, but when he was hospitalized, it progressed. So, we are planning to get him into a nursing home for the elderly in the future. Without support, it’s difficult for him”.

Her older brother said the last time he saw Akina was at their mother’s funeral.

According to the article, the relationship with Nakamori and her family has been complicated.

In 1995, Akina’s mother passed away from cancer and she removed herself from the Nakamori family register. For the next 27 years, the relationship with the family has been “cut off”.

Why did Akina distance herself from her siblings? “Akina thinks we used up her money. The agency she was affiliated with at the time, ‘Kenon’ advised me top open a shop for tax purposes, so we ran a karaoke bar, but Akina thought that the money was flowing towards to our salaries”.

In 1987, the Nakamori family built a three-story building in Saitama Prefecture. “It was definitely used with Akina’s money but the building was built for tax purposes. We opened a Chinese restaurant there, but Akina seemed to think that this money was created by using her money. But no, my father’s family was a fairly wealthy farmer and when our grandfather passed away, he received a large amount for inheritance”.

“The building was to be handed over to Akina someday. Even if she was earning money in the entertainment world, there might be a day when she could no longer sing and would not be able to make much money. It was built with that intention, but in the end it was sold.

Akina developed a sense of distrust towards her family but there was a culprit said the brother. “Acording to what I heard from the office, the first manager took away Akina’s money but he told her that ‘the family used it'”.

Her sister passed away in 2019 due to an illness. Nakamori Akiho debuted in 1987 and appeared on television but according to the brother, Akina wasn’t happy about it and their relationship became distant.

Nakamori’s eldest brother said that he hopes he would someday put her hands together at the Buddhist altar at their parents home.

Nakamori’s brother said that he often remembers Akina’s happy smile. When she visited a karaoke bar run by the family, she was with Kondo Masahiko (Akina’s ex-boyfriend at the time).

In reality, in July 1989, Nakamori made the news after an attempted suicide at Kondo’s apartment. And before her NHK Kouhaku Utagassen, Akina held an emergency interview and said, “I lost trust in the people I needed to trust the most in my work”.

Her eldest brother’s final words about Akina, “Right now, I can’t even talk to Akina directly. I contacted the agency many times and told them I wanted to talk to Akina, but the manager who was with me said, ‘Akina doesn’t want to talk to me’. My father is still worried about Akina, and he mutters, ‘Are you doing well?’, ‘I wish I hadn’t sold the building’. Akina shouldn’t know where the grave is, so I don’t think she went there. That’s why I want you to see our father. My father is 88 years old this year, but Akina doesn’t know which hospital he’s in. We don’t have much time left, so even if it’s just once, it’s okay. I hope you can help me. Because we’re family. I always hope from the bottom of my heart that I can see Akina singing energetically again.”

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