Tsunku

In June 2006, Tsunku married Kanako Idemitsu (出光 加奈子), a 25-year-old former model from Fukuoka. The couple have fraternal twins (one boy, one girl) born in 2008 and one daughter who was born in 2011.

Tsunku later worked with Nintendo and J.P.ROOM to create the music video game, Rhythm Tengoku. It was released for the Game Boy Advance exclusively in Japan on August 3, 2006, and later as an arcade machine on September 20, 2007. He also worked on Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Released in the US as Rhythm Heaven and in Europe as Rhythm Paradise) for the Nintendo DS, Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven Fever in the US, Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise in Europe) for the Wii, and Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus (Rhythm Heaven Megamix in the US, Rhythm Paradise Megamix in Europe) for the Nintendo 3DS.

On October 1, 2006, it was announced that Tsunku had created a new company called TNX consisting of singers such as Ami Tokito and other people including Tatsuya Naka, a magician who appeared on Hello! Morning.

On September 26, 2007, Tsunku released a compilation album with the temporary title of "Sharam Q ~ Morning Musume" ~Tsunku 15 Years in Entertainment Commemoration Album~, containing songs by both Sharam Q and Morning Musume, and another one on December 5, 2007 titled Tsunku Best Work Collection, containing songs sung by Tsunku himself.

As a result of the Japanese earthquake in 2011, Tsunku wrote a song titled Love is Here ~Kibou no Hikari~, dedicated to the victims. Tsunku is one of the many Japanese celebrities who have stepped up to support the victims and their loved ones.

In March 2014, Tsunku announced on his blog that he had laryngeal cancer, which he found out after having throat surgery due to an unspecified condition. He also stated that he has been seeking treatment for it. On April 4, 2015, Tsunku revealed that he had his vocal cords removed as part of his cancer treatment.

In his memoir, Dakara, Ikiru, which was published in September 2015, it was revealed that he stepped down as Hello! Project's General Manager sometime after Morning Musume's New York concert that happened on October 5, 2014. He still remains involved with Morning Musume as its Sound Producer.

On May 4, 2020, Tsunku was among the 121 members of Up-Front Group to participate in a YouTube telework to support the frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.