Japanese model and influencer Rie Ayase (綾瀬りえ), 28, has become an unlikely viral sensation after stating on national television that she wants a marriage partner earning at least 50 million yen (roughly $340,000) a year — and she’s now speaking out about the wave of criticism that followed.
The comments came during an August 18 episode of TBS’s “Matsuko’s Unknown World,” which featured a special segment on “the world of konkatsu women” (konkatsu, or organized marriage-hunting activity, is a common term in Japan). Ayase appeared in a VTR segment counseled by marriage advisor Miyuki Uekusa, where she was introduced as having over 800,000 combined social media followers and an annual income of about 8 million yen.
When asked what she looks for in a husband, Ayase said “nothing under 10 million yen works for me,” adding that if she factors in having children, it rises to “5000 man, or more” — 50 million yen. She explained she wants two children and hopes to give them an elite education with various lessons. Uekusa reacted with visible shock, repeating “An annual income of 50 million?” before calling the plan “a fantasy” and saying Ayase was “quite the dreamer.”
Ayase addressed the fallout on Instagram on August 19, first sharing a video of high school girls on a train joking about “today’s 50-million-yen woman.” In a follow-up post, she acknowledged the wave of criticism on X (formerly Twitter) but said she was choosing to see it as an opportunity rather than dwell on it. She then revealed that the exposure had brought her direct messages from men who reportedly earn 50 million yen a year — about ten of them — and said she burst out laughing at the responses.
On August 21, Ayase posted again, noting she had been appearing in Yahoo News and trending topics for several days straight, jokingly calling it a “whirlwind fantasy period.” She thanked both her critics and supporters, writing that she reads every message she receives, whether harsh or encouraging.
Who is Rie Ayase?
Rie Ayase is a Japanese model and social media influencer with a combined following of more than 800,000 across her platforms, including Instagram, where she posts under the handle @ayase1013rie. According to the TBS segment that sparked the controversy, her annual income is roughly 8 million yen. She has not been widely known outside influencer and lifestyle content circles prior to this incident.
Author’s Comment
Look, fifty million yen is a wild number to say out loud on national television, and Japan’s internet did exactly what you’d expect — it piled on. But here’s the part nobody wants to admit: she got the DMs. About ten of them, from men who apparently clear that kind of salary and thought, sure, let’s talk. That’s not delusion, that’s live market research with a studio audience. I’m not saying husbands with nine-figure paychecks are lining up on every street corner, but if you’re going to get dragged for wanting one, you might as well enjoy the ride — and she clearly is.
