Japanese actress Mao Kobayashi is battling breast cancer, according to her husband, Ichikawa Ebizo. The announcement was made at a Tokyo news conference in Tokyo on Thursday, June 9.
Rumors about Kobayashi's failing health started after Ebizo, a popular Kabuki star, wrote on his blog on May 2 that Kobayashi was ill. The popular 33-year-old freelance TV presenter has not been seen in public for nearly a year, further fueling speculations about the state of health.
Ebizo went right to the point during the news conference, declaring that his wife is undergoing medical treatment for breast cancer which he described as aggressive. According to him, the ailment was first diagnosed 20 months ago after his wife underwent several medical tests. He explained that initially they had no plans to go public about the issue but have been forced to do so after the story was reported by tabloid Sports Hochi.
Kobayashi has undergone chemotherapy to try to address the ailment. Ebizo described Kobayashi as having bad days, but also good days. He said that his wife is suffering not only physically but also emotionally as she cannot be with her children. The married couple is now exploring other options with doctors which include surgery.
Ebizo, in a statement, also appealed to the media to respect their privacy as a family and to stop following them around.
Kobayashi graduated from Sophia University with a degree in psychology. She is an actress and former newscaster and is well known as one of the weathercasters of Fuji TV. She and Ebizo, 38, got married in 2010 after announcing their engagement in 2009. They have two children daughter Reika, 4 and son, Kangen, 3.
