A new article on Mainichi cites sources that claim pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki’s recent breakup with Tomoya Nagase may have been the result of an abortion:

“There’s a rumor that the split was caused because Hamasaki had an abortion,” an entertainment beat reporter tells Shukan Shincho.

Another showbiz beat hack adds fuel to the fire.

“Ayu is a formal member of a top Tokyo hospital, which guarantees her absolute privacy, but apparently somebody happened to spot her bawling her eyes out while at the hospital in the spring,” the reporter says. “I have to admit that I don’t know whether the rumor is true.”

The hospital, which the magazine doesn’t name, refuses to comment. A source with links to Hamasaki’s talent agency is more talkative.

“I think it’s a bit of a vicious rumor. The problem is that she announced the split, but didn’t elaborate on why it had happened. That’s made everybody even more curious about why such a happy couple broke up,” the source says. “I guess the abortion rumor popped up because it’s a good enough reason to explain why a seven year relationship suddenly came to a screeching halt.”

Hamasaki’s talent agency vehemently denies any talk of a terminated pregnancy.

“There’s not an ounce of truth in that,” an agency spokesman tells Shukan Shincho.