Jose Sarasola confirms breakup with Maria Ozawa

Jose Sarasola has confirmed that he and Maria Ozawa have parted ways.

In an interview with PEP.ph, the Kapuso celebrity chef and actor cited their long-distance relationship or LDR as the cause.

“To be honest, wala na kami. It’s been difficult, e, it’s been very hard,” he was quoted as saying in the interview. “LDR is very hard. We never expect this to be difficult. We tried, ha.”

The couple, who broke up in December, would have celebrated their fifth anniversary in February.

According to Jose, the breakup was a mutual decision.

In June 2020, he revealed that the relationship had been challenging for them since Maria returned to her home country in Japan at the start of the pandemic.

While they kept communication lines open and regularly updated each other, they later found it difficult to maintain it.

Jose juggled his time with his work at GMA, his restaurant, and his endorsements, while Maria also maintained a resto-bar business in Tokyo and a YouTube channel.

“As time went by, it just took a heavy toll on the both of us, e. Nahirapan kaming dalawa,” he said. “Medyo hard na to continue the relationship, parang it’s hard when your partner is not here.”

Jose also said the rules for foreigners going to the Philippines had become challenging for Maria because of the pandemic.

“Up to now, she never came back. Nahihirapan talaga siya kasi sa mga rules ng mga foreigners coming back,” he said.

However, Jose said they remained friends and they did not have a big fight prior to the breakup.

“Ang kagandahan naman diyan, we’re still friends. And okay naman kami,” he said.

Jose hosts the cooking show “Eat Well, Live Well, Stay Well” with Iya Villania. Now on its season 3, it airs Fridays, 11:20 a.m., on GMA. – RC, GMA News