TOKIO leader advises Ryo Nishikido not to pull an Akanishi in real life

Weddings were all the talk at a press conference in Tokyo on April 16 for Kanjani8’s Ryo Nishikido’s upcoming drama series “パパドル! (Papadol!)“, reports Sports Hochi.

It has been reported Nishikido came out wearing a white tuxedo, and his drama co-star Yuka in a white wedding dress.  The press conference venue was inside the chapel at Tokyo’s Shinagawa Prince Hotel.

“I’ve seen other people’s weddings before, but my first reaction was that [the aisle] is shorter than I had imagined,” Nishikido said.

In the drama, Nishikido plays a fictional version of himself, pop star “Ryo Nishikido”, who falls in love with a single mother with three children and gets married to her.

“I think pop stars deserve some kind of congratulations when they get married.  I’m a coward in real life so I think ‘me’ in this drama is so cool to be able to take that risk,” he said.

When asked whether he was confident he could hide a secret marriage in real life, Nishikido said it was not up to him.

“It depends whether you the press can find out.”

It was difficult not to think of Nishikido’s fellow Johnny’s talent, Jin Akanishi, who had announced his sudden marriage to actress Meisa Kuroki in February, and is now paying the price with a cancelled tour and being dropped by a drama series.

TOKIO leader Shigeru Joshima, who plays a retired pop star, and Naomi Zaizen, who plays Kanjani8’s manager in the drama, both had simple advice for Nishikido.

“Let Johnny-san know,” Joshima said.

“I think you should let your manager know first,” Zaizen said.