Mari Yaguchi

Morning Musume

Yaguchi became a member of Japanese idol band Morning Musume during the second generation auditions in 1998. In her early years in the group, Yaguchi was often perceived as being "the short one," as she did not stand out a lot. However, by the time 4th generation members joined, she had become one of the most active members of the group. Her famous catchphrase is "Sexy Beam!," one of her solo lines from Morning Musume's "Koi no Dance Site" single, and she was asked jokingly in "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari," "When will your real sexy beam come out?" The "Sexy Beam!" line has made its way around fans and fellow musicians alike. When she resigned from Morning Musume, she was the last member to have joined before the year 2000 (Kaori Iida had left nearly two months earlier).

Yaguchi resigned from the band suddenly in April 2005. Her stated reason was a desire to move on "as an adult" with her career. Yaguchi's TV show Yaguchi Hitori (やぐちひとり) continued as before, and she began to focus on Japanese variety shows rather than on a singing career.

Post-Morning Musume

Her first post-Morning Musume recording, "Nigiyaka na Fuyu," a collaboration with Berryz Kobo, appears as the coupling track on Berryz Kobo's November 2005 single "Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai."

Yaguchi starred in the Japanese drama series Sentō no Musume!? (銭湯の娘!?, "Daughter of the Public Bathhouse!?") along with fellow Hello! Project member Mai Hagiwara. Yaguchi was also one of the main actors in the Japanese daytime drama series Gal Circle (ギャルサー, Garusaa). She co-hosted her show Yaguchi Hitori, and did MCing for Hello! Project concerts. From May 25, 2007 to June 6, 2007, Yaguchi performed in Damn Yankees, a popular 1955 Broadway musical, at the Tokyo Aoyama Theater.

In the summer of 2007, Yaguchi was recruited to host the Gyao internet TV show Midtown TV. Mari and seven Hello! Pro Eggs appeared on the live-audience show Ciao TV.

Yaguchi, together with the entire Hello! Project Elder Club, graduated from the project on March 31, 2009. A graduation concert was held at Yokohama Arena on February 1, 2009.

Following the popularity of singles and an album released in conjunction with the Japanese variety program Quiz! Hexagon II (クイズ!ヘキサゴンII), Yaguchi released her debut single, "Seishun Boku/Seishun Ore" (青春 僕/青春 俺), four years after her final release in Morning Musume.

In December 2010 it was announced that Yaguchi would join the newly formed group, Dream Morning Musume alongside other former Morning Musume members.

Personal life

Yaguchi married actor Masaya Nakamura in May 2011. The two had planned to marry in March of that year, but postponed to May due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Yaguchi legally changed her name to Nakamura, but stated that she would continue to use Yaguchi as her stage name.

On May 21, 2013, Josei Seven magazine reported that Yaguchi and Nakamura had been living apart since late February, because Nakamura found Yaguchi in bed with male model Kenzo Umeda. Umeda had canceled his social media accounts without explanation in early March, but he denied doing anything wrong following the Josei Seven report. In the following days there were more press reports about multiple instances of alleged infidelity by Yaguchi. On May 30, 2013, the public relations firm for Yaguchi and Nakamura announced that the couple had submitted their divorce papers.

On October 13, 2013, Yaguchi announced that she would go on an indefinite hiatus; she resumed making television appearances in 2015.