27-year-old Japanese man is a stepfather to 4 and step-grandfather to 5 kids

The man, Masashi, is married to 39-year-old Rika, a single mother of three when they met. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A 27-year-old lorry driver in Japan has become both a stepfather and a step-grandfather, managing a household of 11 under one roof. His story, featured on the Japanese television documentary show Ganbare, Poor People, has gone viral on mainland social media, with related videos racking up over a million views.

Masashi, the man at the centre of the story, is married to 39-year-old Rika, a single mother of three when they met. He was just 16, working at a petrol station, when he first saw Rika scolding her children in the back seat of her car. Drawn to her fiery personality, Masashi asked for her number and pursued her for years before they eventually married, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

A family tree with loops
The couple welcomed a son, now eight. Rika’s younger daughter is 12, while her eldest, 21-year-old Yurina, is already a mother of two. Yurina became pregnant at 16 and, under intense social pressure, considered terminating the pregnancy. But Rika encouraged her to go ahead, saying, “You are still a child. You should not carry everything alone. Mum will help you, have the baby.”

Yurina went on to have a son and a daughter. She is reportedly unmarried, and details about her work and relationship status remain unclear. Masashi, by marriage, became stepfather to Rika’s children and step-grandfather to Yurina’s kids—all before turning 30.

The family’s story has sparked widespread debate online, with many users commenting on the unusual generational overlap. Some praised Masashi’s commitment, while others questioned the dynamics of a household where a man is both a father and grandfather to children born within a decade of each other.

“The happiest thing is for the whole family to be together,” said Kato, Rika’s eldest son.