Ryota Yamasato sparks debate after sharing photo of retired comedian Shinsuke Shimada

Comedian Ryota Yamasato of the duo Nankai Candies has drawn significant attention and criticism following his social media posts featuring a recent photo of Shinsuke Shimada. Shimada, a prominent figure in the Japanese entertainment industry, retired from show business in August 2011.

Yamasato shared the update on X (formerly Twitter), noting that he had met with Shimada and describing the encounter as incredibly entertaining. While many netizens expressed surprise and admiration for Shimada’s youthful appearance at age 70, the posts also triggered a backlash. Some critics questioned the appropriateness of publicizing interactions with a figure who had chosen to withdraw from the public eye, suggesting that such posts could be insensitive to the circumstances of Shimada's retirement.

In response to the criticism, Yamasato issued a follow-up post on X, asking for leniency and addressing the intense reactions from social media users.