Nineteen-year-old Japanese actress Imaimori Maya is facing a major career crisis after being embroiled in a scandal that has dominated Japanese media. Once considered a promising young star in the Japanese entertainment industry, his rise came to an abrupt end following allegations of an affair and underage drinking.
The controversy began when the Japanese tabloid Bunshun published a series of articles accusing Imaimori Maya of having an affair with her colleague Asai Kosuke, a married man 22 years her senior. The scandal sparked harsh criticism from the public, especially due to the significant age difference and the fact that Asai is married. Further damage occurred when it was revealed that Imaimori, who is under the legal drinking age of 20 in Japan, had consumed alcohol.
Public backlash quickly escalated, with online platforms flooded with negative comments against the young actress. On November 8, his management company Seju released an official statement: “Imaimori Maya consumed alcohol while underage, which constitutes a serious breach of her contract. After internal discussions, the company has decided to terminate all commitments to her, effective immediately.”
Following the announcement, Imaimori issued a public apology and deactivated his social media accounts. Since then, numerous brands and production teams have cut ties with her. In particular, the highly anticipated #1 Sentai Gozyuger removed her from the cast. Script rewrites are now underway to completely replace his character.
Before the scandal, Imaimori Maya was gaining recognition as one of Japan’s brightest young talents. With her innocent charm and fresh-faced images, she was often called a “muse” of the next generation. She first went public after winning Miss Magazine, a beauty pageant hosted by Kodansha, and debuted in the entertainment industry in 2022.
Her social media was once filled with lively posts showcasing both her professional and personal life, garnering significant interaction from fans. Before acting, she worked as a photography model and was known as a popular TikToker.
In February 2025, she made headlines after being cast as the first female Black Ranger in the installment of the Sentai franchise, #1 Sentai Gozyuger. At that moment, he expressed immense excitement: “I want to give it my all every single day with passion and energy. I hope to create a project that makes people say, ‘That was amazing.'”
Born in 2006, Imaimori Maya is of Japanese and Filipino descent and hails from Miyazaki Prefecture. He had mainly played supporting roles in television dramas.
Sources: Znews
