Nineteen-year-old Japanese actress Imaimori Maya is facing a major career crisis after being caught in a scandal that has dominated Japanese media. Once seen as a promising young star in Japan’s entertainment industry, her rise has come to an abrupt standstill following allegations of an affair and underage drinking.
The controversy began when Japanese tabloid Bunshun released a series of reports accusing Imaimori Maya of having an affair with her colleague Asai Kosuke, a married man 22 years her senior. The scandal drew sharp criticism from the public, especially due to the significant age gap and the fact that Asai is married. Further damage came when it was revealed that Imaimori, who is under Japan’s legal drinking age of 20, had been consuming alcohol.
Public backlash intensified rapidly, with online platforms flooded by negative comments targeting the young actress. On November 8, her management company Seju issued an official statement: “Imaimori Maya consumed alcohol underage, which constitutes a serious breach of her contract. After internal discussions, the company has decided to terminate all engagements with her, effective immediately.”
Following the announcement, Imaimori issued a public apology and deactivated her social media accounts. Since then, numerous brands and production teams have cut ties with her. Notably, the highly anticipated No.1 Sentai Gozyuger removed her from the cast. Script rewrites are now underway to replace her character entirely.
Prior to the scandal, Imaimori Maya was gaining recognition as one of Japan’s brightest young talents. With her innocent charm and fresh-faced visuals, she was often called a “muse” of the next generation. She first entered the public eye after winning Miss Magazine, a beauty contest organized by Kodansha, and debuted in the entertainment industry in 2022.
Her social media was once filled with vibrant posts showing both her professional and personal life, gaining significant interaction from fans. Before acting, she worked as a photo 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 Sentai franchise’s installment, No.1 Sentai Gozyuger. At the time, she 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. She had mainly played supporting roles in television dramas.
Sources: Znews