Who is Jenson Button’s ex-wife Jessica Michibata? Why she was arrested?

Jenson Alexander Lyons Button, more commonly known as ‘Jenson Button‘, was born in Frome, Somerset, England He grew up near Vobster, Mells. And he grew up to become a Formula 1 world champion. His world title win with Brawn GP in 2009 is still considered one of the biggest surprise title wins in the history of the sport. The next season, he joined McLaren and won a few races more. And in 2014, he got married for the first time, to Jessica Michibata, a Japanese model.

Michibata was born on October 21, 1984, in Japan’s Fukui Prefecture. She was born to a Japanese mother and an Argentinian father, who also happens to be half-Spanish and half-Italian, according to Japan Today. She has modeled for brands such as Peach John Lingerie, Lux, Evian, and Seiko. She has also appeared in fashion magazines like VOCE, Sweet, Classy, Elle, etc. Previously, she was also a brand ambassador for TAG Heuer. By all means, she’s had a successful career.

How did Jenson Button and Jessica Michibata meet?

Jenson Button and Jessica Michibata met for the first time in a hotel bar in Tokyo, back in 2008. As per The Mirror, at that time, the Japanese model turned the future F1 world champion down. But some time later, after Button flew her to Monaco to see his car collection, they began to date. This marked the beginning of a long association, which would, unfortunately, end, in 2015.

Why did they divorce?

The relationship was not without its challenges. Button and Michibata reportedly split for a short time in between, apparently due to ‘work pressures’. They later got back together, and then got engaged in February 2014. Late in December, perhaps on New Year’s Eve, they got married in Hawaii. However, barely a year after their marriage, in 2015, the pair split up for what seems to have been the final time.

A spokesman for Button had said to MailOnline at the time: “Jenson and Jessica have decided to go their separate ways and it is very amicable. There is no-one else involved.” Perhaps the stresses of their respective professions played a part, just like they apparently did in their earlier ‘break-up’. And if an ‘insider’ is to be believed, it had been coming for a long time. Previously, Button had said: “We don’t see each other now any more than before we were married.”

According to The Mirror, an ‘insider’ said of the split in 2015: “At the moment it is all amicable. But the truth is that for months and months they have been living separate lives. Things went downhill about six months into the marriage and they last spent any meaningful time together at the United States Grand Prix in October. Jenson is sad about it but is resigned to the fact the marriage is over and there’s no way back.”

Jenson Button and Jessica Michibata are both parents now – seperately

Jenson Button retired from Formula 1 after the 2016 season. He married model Brittny Ward last year, and the pair have a son and a daughter together. As for Jessica Michibata, in 2017, she welcome a baby girl. In a (now presumably archived) Instagram post, she wrote: “Words cannot describe how happy I feel and how much love I have for this beautiful soul…Welcome to the world Joy.” and added: “Thank you for choosing me as your mother, I will love you forever and ever and ever.”

Sometime before the birth, she had turned up at the Venice Film Festival while pregnant, arm-in-arm with producer Ken Kao. The latter has producer credits for movies such as ‘Knight of Cups’ (2015), ‘The Nice Guys’ (2016), ‘The Glass Castle’ (2017), and ‘The Favourite’ (2018). However, she has not confirmed the exact identity of the other parent of her child.

Read More: Did Bugatti Ban Jenson Button From Purchasing Their Cars?

Why was Jessica Michibata arrested?

Things have recently taken a rather sad turn for Jessica Michibata. Sources said, according to The Japan Times, that she was arrested by local authorities in a hotel in Tokyo for allegedly possessing MDMA. She was staying there with an ‘acquaintance’. A customs officer found the drug in a package that had arrived in Japan from overseas. Tokyo Metropolitan Police raided the hotel (which was on the package’s shipping address) and arrested Michibata and the ‘acquaintance’.

As per Daily Mail, in an interview with YTV News, Toru Hirohita, former chief of Japan’s Narcotics Control Department, said the arrests were likely made through a ‘controlled delivery investigation’. This suggests that the drug had been found in the package and replaced with a fake. Upon delivery, the suspects are arrested. Obviously, upon being found, the drugs wouldn’t be let through just like that, which is why they are replaced with fakes.

A statement from her modeling agency, Revive, reads: “We apologize to everyone for any concern the reports of Jessica Michibata, who belongs to our company, have caused. We are currently unable to contact Michibata directly and we are collecting information to confirm the facts. Since the incident is under investigation by the police, we will refrain from disclosing any further details.”

According to local media reports, the 38-year-old model, currently based in the United States, denies the allegations. It remains to be seen how the case develops.

In case you missed it:

• Chase Briscoe excited ahead of COTA tussle with ex-F1 World Champions Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button
• F1 world champion Jenson Button to make NASCAR debut at COTA

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