Arashi's Sakurai and Aiba tie the knot with their partners, Twitter filled with mixed emotions

September 28 was a tough day for many J-pop fans, as Arashi's Sho Sakurai and Masaki Aiba announced their respective marriages. The sudden news left the entire J-pop industry shocked.

Sakurai and Aiba are part of one of the biggest J-pop bands, Arashi. They announced their respective marriages on the group’s official fan club website, along with their agency, Johnny & Associates Inc., telling the same. Both Sakurai and Aiba’s partners are non-entertainers, as shared by the agency.

Sho Sakurai and Masaki Aiba announce their respective marriages

Two more Arashi members have now tied the knot. The 39-year-old Sho Sakurai and 38-year-old Masaki Aiba took to their official fan club to announce the marriage news. Even though they were announced together on September 28, the idols registered the marriages on different days of the month.

Both Sakurai and Aiba shared heartfelt messages with the announcement, calling this new step in their lives “a milestone.” They also asked for their fans’ continuous support, promising that they’ll work even harder in the future.

According to various sources, Sakurai dated his wife for two years, and she is his university classmate. Some reports reveal she still works at a TV station, while others share that she was a former employee.

According to sources, Aiba met his wife more than a decade ago, and they have been dating each other for a decade.

Arashi fans react to Sakurai and Aiba's marriage news

The wedding news surprised fans as the framed headlines indicated the members married each other. Reports put up titles such as “Sho Sakurai and Masaki Aiba Marriage Announcement” or “Arashi’s Sakurai and Aiba announce double marriage.”

More about J-pop group, Arashi

Arashi is an iconic J-pop band that debuted in 1999. The five-member group announced their hiatus at the end of 2020, but Sakurai and Aiba have been active in solo activities.

The first Arashi member to get married is 38-year-old Kazunari Ninomiya, who married a television personality in 2019. Ninomiya became a father this year, in March.

The group now has two single members, leader Satoshi Onho (40) and Jun Matsumoto (38). With each member carving their path in various activities such as acting, anchoring, and more, fans will soon see more of the members.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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