ABEMA's news program "ABEMA Entertainment" (Monday-Friday, 11 PM) featured an exclusive look at the current lives of the husband-and-wife comedy duo, Daisuke and Hanako Miyagawa. The segment aired on March 14th.
The couple, who married in 1976, gained popularity as pioneers of husband-and-wife comedy. They will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in April 2026, but Hanako is currently battling multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.
In 2018, Hanako, who was participating in a marathon event, complained of feeling unwell and went to the hospital, where she was told by a doctor that she had "three months to live." Recalling their feelings at the time, Daisuke said, "Both of us were completely blank. We were told at the entrance of the hospital that 'even if you recover, you might have to live in a wheelchair for the rest of your life.'"
Hanako is currently undergoing treatment while using a wheelchair, battling a rare disease that causes bone loss and weakened immune function. At home, she is almost completely bedridden. Daisuke, despite suffering from back pain, provides care with the help of visiting caregivers and also handles much of the household chores.
While Daisuke spoke of the hardships of elderly-on-elderly caregiving, he also revealed the deep bond between him and his wife, who have been together for many years, saying, "My wife says, 'I'm sorry,' and 'Thank you.' Nobody wants a stranger to take care of their personal needs. But we're a married couple, so when I collapse, my wife will take care of me."
"This is the most relaxed time of our lives as a couple," he said. "We're living as our real names, 'Michiyo and Takami,' rather than 'Daisuke and Hanako.' It feels incredibly refreshing," he added, showing how much he cherishes this peaceful time alone with his wife.
The two dreamed of the day they could stand on stage again. Daisuke spoke of the hardships of their current situation but also revealed his strong desire to do stand-up comedy, saying, "I guess it's just the nature of comedians. If we were salarymen, we'd both be retired by now. But it's good to have dreams like that." Hanako also said, "It's because of stand-up comedy that we can live like this, and it's because of stand-up comedy that we can fight through this tough time with cancer. We have this feeling that 'we'll come back someday.'"
