Naniwa Danshi's Nagao Kentaro explains priority on soccer match over Arashi's final concert

Nagao Kentaro of Naniwa Danshi (23) faced criticism after being spotted with former E-girls member Inagaki Rio (27) on May 31st, the same day as Arashi's final live concert. According to reports from Bunshun Online, Nagao traveled from Inagaki's luxury apartment in central Tokyo to MUFC Stadium (National Stadium) to watch the Japan national soccer team's World Cup warm-up match against Iceland. After the match, Nagao left in his agency vehicle while Inagaki and fellow E-girls member Hagio Misato departed together before reuniting at Inagaki's apartment to visit restaurants and bars.

The timing drew questions from some fans, as Nagao's agency, STARTO Entertainment, has Arashi as senior talent who were holding their final concert at Tokyo Dome that same evening. However, colleagues have expressed understanding of Nagao's decision, attributing it to his passionate devotion to soccer. Nagao has increasingly taken on soccer-related work opportunities and has appeared on DAZN-related programming during the ongoing North American World Cup. In a December YouTube appearance on the channel "Hougokago Gaming Life," Nagao revealed the extent of his soccer enthusiasm, describing how he apologized and asked to watch Japan's historic victory over Brazil during a company dinner, stating "everyone got excited about it."

Nagao's dedication to soccer is well-documented. In March, during a Naniwa album release event, he reportedly woke up early to watch Real Madrid's Champions League Round of 16 match against Manchester City before attending his other work commitments. Real Madrid is confirmed to be his favorite European club. The 23-year-old has been dating Inagaki since around winter of last year, and on June 17th updated his paid blog with an apology, emphasizing that he values his fans, soccer, and his relationship equally.