Ken Watanabe - The Lust Samurai

Ken Watanabe's smoldering performance in "The Last Samurai" may have attracted female fans around the globe, but the Oscar-nominated actor is currently titillating Japan with a bitter divorce battle that has some wondering whether it'd be better to refer to him as the Lust Samurai, according to Shukan Post (6/4).



Watanabe's court battle with estranged wife Yumiko has been a bitter contest filled with sordid accusations of the 44-year-old's numerous dalliances with some of the biggest names in Japanese stardom.



When Yumiko Watanabe took the stand on May 13, it wasn't just her micro-miniskirt that shocked the gallery.



Mrs. Watanabe told the court her actor husband's penchant for playing around had caused so much stress she started finding blood in her urine and, as Japan's best selling weekly magazine politely puts it, became "unable to maintain a relationship as a couple," the euphemism used to describe a sex life.



Watanabe was apparently so enraged by his wife's inability to fulfill her connubial duties, he screamed at her, "You're useless, you blood-pissing bitch."



If that wasn't enough, the wannabe ex-Mrs. Watanabe then proceeded to read out a list of top Japanese actresses she thinks her spouse has unleashed his samurai sword with - Atsuko Asano, Jun Miho, Junko Sakurada and, his "The Last Samurai" co-star, Koyuki.



In addition, she also accused Watanabe of maintaining his topknot with a receptionist from national broadcaster NHK and a married woman he picked up one night in a sushi restaurant.



These women are in addition to the other nine Yumiko Watanabe has already accused her husband of bedding.



Naturally, those accused of contributing to the Watanabe's marriage breakdown are furious.



"They did appear together in 'The Last Samurai,' but suggestions (of a fling) are groundless," a spokesman for Koyuki tells Shukan Post.



Asano's handlers also refute the claims.



"They worked together on a TV drama three years ago, but we've got no idea how rumors of an affair started," a PR man from the actress's talent agency says.



Toshio Ishikawa, an entertainment beat reporter covering the Watanabe's wrangle, says the wife appears to be barking up the wrong tree.



"Apparently, the wife's side has submitted documents of unknown origin that offer proof of Watanabe's infidelity, but I've got my doubts about whether this will be admissible," the hack tells Shukan Post. "You can only go so far trying to bring women troubles into a divorce case."



Mrs. Watanabe's lawyers, though, claim they've yet to play their trump card, which should get the actor, instead of his apparent partners, down on his knees.



"We've got a photo that Mr. Watanabe had been hiding. And in the photo is one of his fling partners. I can't say who it is, though," the attorney says.



Watanabe has refused to comment publicly on his split and the ensuing divorce proceedings. But a very close friend of his wife's says she's getting ready to take her husband to the cleaners.



"There have been nine women's names brought before the court already, but of all of them the one in which Yumiko is certain was playing around with Ken was Koyuki. They were shooting together in Kyoto last summer and she's preparing to get one of the film crew to testify to seeing Watanabe and Koyuki playing around together," the pal tells Shukan Post. "She's also got the private investigators out probing into affairs with two or three other actresses."



Listening to: Underworld - Cowgirl (Live in Belfast)