Secret 2nd kid thing
 

Okay, so I did some research and dug up some info on the whole "Ringo's secret marriage and second baby" rumor thing.

Here's the Japanese source that's being quoted. It's from Yahoo Japan, but sort of like a side (gossip?) magazine, so I don't think we can trust it 100%, but damn if it doesn't have some very plausible stuff in it.

Basically, an alleged neighbor of Ringo's has spilled a bunch of dirt on her. According to this she DOES live in Saitama (as I thought based on her comments in an interview). It says that for the past two years, she has been dating Yuichi Kodama, the director of some of Jihen's music videos (this is from a "music industry insider"). They are half-living together and in a common-law marriage (note: the rumor was that she had a secret marriage. According to this article, the marriage is not legally registered).

A reporter (or the neighbor?) apparently saw Ringo, Yuichi, Ringo's son, and a baby go into an Italian restaurant in Saitama together towards the end of August. (There is a pap photo of this; I've seen it but I'm not sure where it is.) The baby looked to be about 4 months old "and the eyebrows resembled the older son's". Later the reporter accosted Ringo and said "Congratulations on the birth of your second child." She said "You've got the wrong person" and continued to insist that repeatedly but without trying to hide her face.

Honestly, I think this is likely almost 100% true. Her current appearance is with a few extra pounds - the most/only plausible explanation in Japanese society for female singers is that this is post-pregnancy weight. I know she lives in Saitama. The family demographics all match up. She wanted to be married again, she said that in an interview (even if this isn't an official marriage).

This could even explain why Jihen ended. She wanted to have another kid and focus on her family.

This also explains why all the tour dates are in Tokyo, which is actually kind of strange if you think about it - 7 dates and not ONE is in Osaka or something?

If the baby was 4 months at the end of August, he/she was born around April/May. So, she was pregnant from around June/July 2012.

While I think it's interesting, the fact that even in the gossip she is expressing a desire for privacy makes me feel gross for being so intrigued.
I thought she was retiring to spend time with her family anyways.
But good for her. Ringo, you do whatever you want!

Uh. I feel like we should refrain from digging into the private lives of the artist.

Rumors were spreading anyway, they might as well come from the source.

I feel bad that she's in the gossip spotlight, but I couldn't help but share this video. I never thought she'd be a victim of one of these CGI scenes on the news!

That video makes me nostalgic for Shenmue.

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Who the hell knows? There are lots of Shiinas in Japan.

椎名凜太郎 Shiina Rintaro

Sonata is just a nickname much like bumblebee, sugar plums, and toad the wet sprocket.

wouldnt the kid take on the father's family name?

Not necessarily.

http://www.makikoitoh.com/journal/me...ommon_in_japan

I'm with frecklegirl on this one. I am in no way a "gossip whore" myself, and tend to tune that stuff out when encountered in the general media, or at least treat it as an amusing freak show for a minute or two and move on.

I trust that most if not all of us here are respectfully-minded about Shiina and her private life, but we are also, understandably, curious. Just as we usually are interested in the biographies of historical figures we may be interested in. For the most part, this is an innocent, and human, trait. We want to know and understand what and how life changes affect people we follow closely.

If there is "tabloid" level stuff floating around, where else but on a forum such as this to address the reality, if there is any, behind it?

Who knows who this kid is, though.