It's not really appropriate to evaluate another culture's behavior based on the values of another culture. Maybe it goes without saying that, being from the US rather than Japan, there are a number of things about this story that give me "WTF" moments. Japanese idols can't date/get married? They're supposed to give the illusion that they exist purely for the gratification of their fans? Management is using a Twitter poll to decide how to deal with him after he breaks his contractual stipulation not to seek romantic involvements?
Dunno, I guess the most honest thing would've been for him to quit the band and then get married (Well, you wouldn't quit before dating and getting to know the person, would you?). But it seems like the management knows there's something...off...about what they do with their contracts, too. They need a Twitter poll to check that no one will cry "Boo" after enforcing their own contract? It's like they know there's something up with that, but they want to be sure no one'll call them on it.
If that's the case, that strikes me (again, not being from Japan, so I don't know why idol culture is something that makes sense for them) as a good thing, since that means time's marching forward and maybe this weird idol culture thing is going to go by the wayside. But dang, 54% of people in the Twitter poll currently think he should be axed? Guess idol culture isn't necessarily more than half dead yet....
Edit:
But it seems like the management knows there's something...off...about what they do with their contracts, too. They need a Twitter poll to check that no one will cry "Boo" after enforcing their own contract? It's like they know there's something up with that, but they want to be sure no one'll call them on it.
I guess it's possible, too, that management isn't really thinking about the "offness" so much as the bottom line. Could be they just want to see if the fans will be upset if they fire the guy, regardless of the reason.