Japanese actor Toru Furuya, 71, apologizes for affair with 37-year-younger woman

Japanese actor Toru Furuya. Photo from Furuya's Twitter

According to Yahoo, Furuya posted on Twitter on Wednesday: "I had an affair with a female fan for four and a half years, from 2019 until last September."

He admitted being attracted to her genuine support, which led him to initiate contact and subsequently develop a relationship with her.

"In the course of our relationship, there was one time when we had a dispute and I resorted to violence against her," he disclosed in his statement, describing it as the gravest error of his adult life and as a human. "I also made an unforgivable error by compelling her to terminate a pregnancy. I deeply regret causing her both physical and emotional harm."

Furuya acknowledged that he could not compensate for the loss of trust from his fans, the disappointment caused, or the damage to his reputation. He declared his resolve to dedicate his life to atoning for his errors and stated he is ready to face any consequences.

Previously, a woman disclosed on social media her affair with Furuya. She stated that the actor reached out to her in 2019, and they began a clandestine relationship as he was already married. She further claimed that when she became pregnant in 2021, he pressured her into an abortion, which greatly strained their relationship.

Following this revelation, Furuya was dropped from the voice cast of a project set to premiere on Thursday.

Furuya, a veteran in acting, voice acting, and narration, is renowned for his roles in anime series such as "Gundam," "Saint Seiya," "Dragon Ball," "Detective Conan," and "Sailor Moon."

He is currently married to voice actress Satomi Majima, 69.