Tabloid’s Leaked Photos Of A Female Idol’s Private Life Go Viral

An idol’s agency has addressed rumors sparked by a tabloid’s report.

25-year-old Suganami Mirei is a founding member of ≠ME, a Japanese girl group under the label King Records. Recently, Japanese tabloid Shukan Bunshun published a photo of Mirei spending time with an unidentified man, igniting dating rumors.

Additional leaked photos featuring Mirei with this man and a second man also spread, adding fuel to the fire.

On September 5, ≠ME’s management addressed the matter on the group’s official website, stating that the photos were taken of Mirei during an outing with her friends, before she debuted in the group.

They advised fans not to blindly believe the baseless rumors or spread them on social media, and stated that the agency is in talks with their legal counsel to decide which steps to take next.