Japan Entertainment News - December 2004
Soothing Hitomi | December 24, 2004 |
 With a beauty that belies her age, actress Kuroki Hitomi (44) is one of the most popular female stars, with both men and women. But to mark her 25th anniversary in show business, she will be using her soft and charming voice to, as the media put it, "ease the stress of hard-working salarymen" on a new radio talk show. "Kuroki Hitomi no Talk Radio" will air on Nippon Hoso on Thursday evenings from mid-January.
• Nagasawa Masami (17) was on hand to meet fans as the DVD of "Sekai no Chushin, Ai wo Sakebu" went on sale. Nagasawa became the youngest ever actress to win a Hochi Movie Award for her supporting role in the hit romance, which made ¥8.5 billion at the box office. Production of the DVD is already set at 920,000 copies and it is hoped that it will be a million seller, perhaps even surpassing "Bayside Shakedown 2" as the biggest seller of the year.
We'll be shutting down for the holidays from Christmas Day. Look forward to more daily entertainment news updates in the New Year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of the Rooster!
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Emperor's Birthday - National Holiday | December 23, 2004 |
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Sting to Cloose Ashura | December 22, 2004 |
 English rock star Sting (53) has recorded the ending theme to the movie "Ashurajo no Hitomi" (Blood Gets in Your Eyes). The SF/period drama about love and demons in the Edo Period is scheduled for release next April. It stars kabuki actor Ichikawa Somegoro (31) and Miyazawa Rie (31). Sting recently recorded his own arrangement of the jazz standard "My Funny Valentine" in Toronto.
• The latest Korean movie star to come a-wooing his many Japanese fans is Lee Byung Hun (photo, 34). The actor known for his "killer smile" met 2,300 fans chosen by lottery from 50,000 applications at the Shibuya Kokaido in Tokyo yesterday. Among them was a 79-year old woman, who got a hug for good measure. The star was in town to promote a series of photo books and DVDs.
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Breaking Up | December 21, 2004 |
 Recently divorced actor Hosaka Naoki (photo, 37) and actress Takaoka Yuki (photo, 32) have finally split up. The pair continued to live together after their June divorce, mainly for the sake of their children, but there have been rumors of another man in Takaoka's life. Although rumors of a breakup have surrounded the couple for several years, the summer split came shortly after a weekly magazine published photos of Takaoka and guitarist Hotei Tomoyasu (42), who is married to singer Imai Miki.
• Hard times continue to befall actor Hagiwara Kenichi (54). The actor popularly known as "Shoken" said on a recent TV show that he and his third wife, Yuki are on the verge of divorce. The news ends a year in which he caused a traffic accident, injuring a motorcyclist, and a case where he made threats to producers over unpaid salary for a movie project he was kicked out of. • On a brighter note, actor Kakei Toshio (42) recently married a 170cm-tall former music company employee, said to be in her 30s. Kakei described his new wife at a news conference as an "Angelina Jolie lookalike."
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Kobo-chan to be a Big Brother? | December 20, 2004 |
 One of Japan's longest-running newspaper 4-frame manga strips has been undergoing some changes lately. The "Kobo-chan" strip went color for the first time at the beginning of this month. And creator Ueda Masashi has hinted that the lovable kindergartener may soon be joined by a younger brother or sister. "Kobo-chan" has appeared over 8,000 times in the morning edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun and has been syndicated to almost every paper in the country. Its gentle humor is similar to that of the ever-popular Sazae-san and reminiscint of times past. Ueda maintains a strict daily schedule and always delivers his strip the night before publication. He has only missed a deadline four times in the last 23 years...Kobo-chan web site
Popular rock band L'Arc en Ciel made a secret live appearance yesterday at a promo event for an upcoming anime movie. The band have recorded the opening and ending themes for the movie version of the popular series "Hagane no Renkinjutsushi" (Fullmetal Alchemist), set to open next summer. The event, held at Osaka Castle Hall, was attended by over 10,000 fans, making it the biggest ever for an anime show. The anime, popularly known as "hagaren" started on TBS in October 2003 and ran until October of this year. The original comic has sold over 12 million copies.
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TV CM Rankings | December 18, 2004 |
 CM Databank, a company that analyzes the performance of TV commercials, has released its report for 2004. The most popular male and female commercial stars were SMAP member Kimura Takuya and Hello! Project member Matsuura Aya (photo, 18). SMAP again dominated the rankings, despite the fact that they didn't release any CDs or do any touring this year. In 6th and 7th places in the overall rankings are Kuu-chan and Shimizu Shogo. The names may not be familiar, but they are the chihuahua and its middle-aged owner who star in the hugely popular commercials for credit company Aiful.
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Male
1. Kimura Takuya (SMAP)
2. Shimizu Shogo (Actor)
3. Nakai Masahiro (SMAP)
4. Katori Shingo (SMAP)
5. Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (SMAP)
6. Bae Yong Joon (Korean actor)
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Female
1. Matsuura Aya (Singer)
2. Matsushima Nanako (Actress)
3. Ueto Aya (Singer)
4. Yada Akiko (Actress)
5. Sato Eriko (Actress)
6. Kiki Kirin (Actress)
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Momus Manpower | December 17, 2004 |
 Pop group Morning Musume are to be the official 'support group' for the newly formed Rakuten Golden Eagles baseball team. "The Manpower," penned by MM and Hello! Project svengali Tsunku (photo, 36), will go on sale on January 19. the song wil be played at Sendai Stadium before games next season to fire up the new team. Rakuten president Mikitani Hiroshi (39) is expected to bring a host of fresh businesses approaches to the often staid pro baseball world.
• Korean heart throb Bae Yong Joon (32) has sent a special gift to each of the middle-aged female fans injured in crowd chaos during his visit to Japan last month. • Singer Hamasaki Ayumi (26) has become just the third Japanese to have a waxwork lookalike created at Madame Tussaud's in Hong Kong. The others are the late politician Yoshida Shigeru and sumo yokozuna Chiyonofuji.
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Hanryu Boom Online, Too | December 16, 2004 |
 The major Japanese search engines have released the top search terms for the year. Figures from Yahoo, Goo, Google, Infoseek and Excite indicate a couple of the biggest topics of the year - the establishement of a new baseball franchise and the Korean pop culture boom (hanryu). Rakuten, the company that won the battle with fellow Internet startup Livedoor to establish a yakyu team in Sendai, broke into the Top 10 on both Yahoo and Goo. The comapny-sponsored Golden Eagles will be the 6th Pacific League team next season. The Korean soap opera "Winter Sonanta" ranked highly on both Google and Yahoo. Star Bae Jong Joon (32), known widely as "Yon-sama" was the most popular male celebrity on Infoseek's rankings and No.2 on Yahoo.
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SMAP Team Up With "God" | December 15, 2004 |
 The upcoming new single from pop group SMAP is really something quite remarkable. "Tomodachi he...Say What You Will" has music and lyrics by none other than Eric Clapton (59). The lyrics have been translated into Japanese by record-breaking artist Takeuchi Mariya (49), and it is arranged by Mr. Children producer Kobayashi Takeshi (45). SMAP have had a very quiet year as a group, although they're everywhere on the variety show circuit. They didn't release any CDs or tour at all, and they won't be appearing on Kohaku at New Year. In fact, the new single will be their first musical offering in two years. The song is said to be a medium-tempo, upbeat appeal for world friendship and peace. Clapton's collaboration is inspired by the "Love the Earth" theme of next year's World Expo, set to open in Aichi in March.
• Korean heart-throb Bae Yong Joon (32) is back in Japan again, though this time without fans finding out. Last month, there was mass pandemonium at both his hotel and Narita airport and some of the thousands of middle-aged housewife fans were even hurt in the chaos. So this time, he quietly entered the country via Fukuoka airport and drove across the country to Tokyo. Local Fukuoka news reported his arrival but didn't know the purpose of his latest visit.
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Wedding Bells | December 14, 2004 |
 Popular Fuji TV announcer Sasaki Kyoko (photo, 31) is romantically involved with TBS "ana" Ikeda Hiroyuki (42), according to the latest issue of Flash magazine. The magazine revealed that the couple bought an ¥80 million apartment in Tokyo at the end of last month. Around the same time, Friday magazine caught Sasaki out on a date with an employee of a foreign firm. Ikeda, a presenter on the TBS "News no Mori" show, and Sasaki are said to have postponed their planned wedding till early next year.
• Speaking of wedding plans, actor Takashima Masahiro (39) announced recently that he and beautiful musical actress Sylvia Grab (30) are engaged to be married next autumn. Grab, the daughter of a Swiss father and Japanese mother, appeared with Takashima in a musical in 2000.
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PSP Fever | December 13, 2004 |
 Game fans shivered in long lines through Sunday night in order to be among the first in the world to get their hands on the new PlayStation Portable (PSP) from Sony, their first handheld game machine. About 200,000 of the sleek black devices sold out within hours. The PSP is able to play movies, music and games, and is seen as a serious rival to Nintendo's iron grip on the portable game-player market. The PSP, at a discounted launch price of ¥19,800 ($189), went on sale 10 days after the successful launch of Nintendo DS.
• Singer Hajime Chitose (25) is to make her post-marriage comeback in February. Her hit single "Kono Machi" (This Town) is to be used as the theme song for the movie "Ichigo no Kakera" (A Piece of Strawberry). Hajime married a restaurateur in January. • Yet to make his TV debut, actor Mitamura Shun has already been married and divorced at the age of 23. His father, actor Mitamura Kunihiko (51), gave the game away on a variety show, also revealing that he was the grandfather of a 9-month old baby. With the younger Mitamura set to make his debut in a new TBS drama in January, his father thought he should set the record straight.
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Kuroda, Niiyama Wed | December 12, 2004 |
 Yomiuri Giants baseball star Kuroda Satoshi (29) and talento Niiyama Chiharu (photo, 23) got hitched yesterday evening in Kawasaki. The couple went together to the municipal office to register their marriage, having gotten engaged on December 4 in Niiyama's hometown of Aomori. They originally planned to have their weding and honeymoon in Paris, but decided to head for the considerably warmer Bali in Indonesia. They leave today and plan to have a church ceremony for two and return to Japan on the 18th.
• Dochin Yoshikuni (26) of the soul duo Chemistry is a father. He and his wife, former talento Morita Atsuko (25), married in June, and she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy yesterday. She had a fall when 8 months pregnant and was taken to hospital by Giants slugger Kiyohara Kazuhiro, who lives in the same apartment building.
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Shinsuke Fined, May Quit | December 11, 2004 |
 Variety show host Shimada Shinsuke (48) has paid a ¥300,000 fine to an Osaka court in his recent assault case, but he may not be out of the woods yet. The Yoshimoto comedian assaulted a company employee after a show in October, and she took the matter to the police. Later she took it to the Osaka District Court, when Shimada's tearful press conference, televised live, failed to persuade her of his remorse. The case was relegated to the Osaka Summary Court for non-criminal offenses, where the fine was handed out. The woman still has the option of taking out a civil suit and seeking personal damages. The case has forced Shimada to step down as main presenter on eight different variety shows. During his press conference, he said he would quit show business if he was asked to, and she said this week that if he is really sorry for what he did, he should keep his word and quit. Yoshimoto had been planning for him to make a return in April, when new schedules start, but this case may actually put an end to his career.
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One More Fuku | December 10, 2004 |
 Fuji TV announcer Fukumoto Hanae (photo, 28) is five months pregnant. She married Kintetsu Buffaloes baseball player Fukumori Kazuo (29) in January. With both names beginning with the character "fuku," which means good fortune, it seems the happy couple are now triply blessed. Fukumori is to pitch for the newly formed Rakuten Golden Eagles team from next season, after Kintetsu and Orix BlueWave merged at the end of last season.
• Weekly magazine Friday published photos of actor Kanda Masaki (53) in a seemingly romantic situation with actress Ikegami Kimiko (45). The two are performing together in a theater production in Nagoya, and rumors have surrounded them for some time. Kanda, who was formerly married to singer Matsuda Seiko, is with the Ishihara Pro agency, who deny the rumors. • Comedian Yamazaki Hosei (36) had his motorbike stolen from in front of his home in Tokyo's Meguro ward. He was at home with his wife and two children at the time.
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Ayeeen! I've Been Robbed! | December 09, 2004 |
 The Tokyo suburban home of comedian Shimura Ken (54) was recently burglarized. About ¥400,000 in cash and ¥1 million valuables were stolen from the house in Mitaka on Tuesday evening. A private security company employee came to the house after an alarm was triggered and contacted police when he found a ground-floor window broken.
• It was revealed yesterday that actress Fuji Takako (32) and actor Watanabe Joji (36) have been divorced since October. They are both members of the same theater group. Fuji played the ghost Kayako in the Shimizu Takashi-directed "Juon" horror movie series, which he recently remade as "The Grudge" starring Hollywood actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.
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That's a Wrap, Arisa | December 07, 2004 |
 Actress Mizuki Arisa celebrated her 28th birthday on Sunday, the final day of shooting of her new film "Tobi ga Kururi to." Director Sonoda Kenji presented her with a big bouquet of flowerts after he called the final "cut." The film is scheduled to open next year.
• The copyright infringement case (see earlier story) involving former Morning Musume member Abe Natsumi (23) led to an official apology by all 45 members of the Hello! Project. At the Hello! Project Sports Festival 2004 in Saitama on Sunday, former MM member Nakazawa Yuko (31) spoke to the 26,000 fans and apologized for the "meiwaku" (inconvenience). All 45 celebrities then gave the customary deep bow of apology.
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Ryoko's Back | December 06, 2004 |
 Actress Hirosue Ryoko (24) is to make her first TV appearance since becoming a mother. She will appear on a segment of a Tunnels variety show special on December 23, a national holiday. The popular segment features two celebrities eating a variety of dishes and trying to guess which one their opponent hates, while at the same time trying to hide their own disgust. Hirosue's opponent will be Olympic hammer gold medallist Murofushi Koji (30). Hirosue hasn't appeared on TV since giving birth to her son Hiroshi in April. She married model-turned-designer Okazawa Takahiro (29) in December last year.
• Noda Yoshiharu (58), the founder and president of Yellow Cab talent agency, has quit to start another company. He will take with him several of the more mature stars he has groomed, including Hinagata Akiko, Yamada Maria and Megumi. Yellow Cab, which became famous in the last few years as a stable of busty female talento, will continue to represent such current stars as Koike Eiko and Sato Eriko. • Duo m-flo have won the Best Asian Hip Hop artist award at a music video festival in Korea. As the country only lifted a ban on Japanese pop music this year, the award is the first of its kind to go to a Japanese artist. The duo is made up of Korean-born Verbal and DJ Taku, and they performed on stage with BoA, another Korean who has made it big in Japan.
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Koyuki, Enya Collaboration | December 04, 2004 |
 Actress Koyuki (27) and Irish singer Enya (43) are to collaborate on the singer's new video. The full-length video for "Sumiregusa" (Violet Grass) will feature Koyuki in an extended version of what TV viewers have already seen in the currently airing Panasonic commercial for the Viera TV. The decision to do a full-length version came after an overwhelming number of inquiries from viewers, many wanting to know if Enya was really singing in Japanese, which she is. The two-and-a-half minute version will be made by NTV. The TV commercial shows Koyuki as a fairy-like figure on a grassy hilltop, but the new version will be set in a church, reflecting the Christmas timing. Koyuki is best known abroad for her role in the Hollywood hit The Last Samurai.
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Memoirs of a Geisha | December 03, 2004 |
 If you're interested in the currently underway film adaptation of Arthur Golden famous novel "Memoirs of a Geisha", take a look at a few advance stills at this site: BlackFilm.com. Directed by Rob Marshall, the movie stars Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, supported by such local luminaries as Watanabe Ken, Yakushoi Koji and Kudo Yuki. It is an epic story of love and betrayal set against the broad and rapidly changing social canvas of 20th century Japan. Nine-year old Chiyo, a poor fisherman's daughter, is taken from her family and sold to a geisha house. From her start as a common household maid, she blossoms into one of Kyoto's most renowned geishas, surviving the envy and treachery of the competition.
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Naughty Nacchi | December 02, 2004 |
 Former Morning Musume member Abe Natsumi (23) is on a forced leave of absence after being nabbed for copying other artists' work. As a result of the two-month punishment, she has had to drop out of the Kohaku New Year's Eve song special on NHK. Nacchi had been scheduled to appear as part of a trio with fellow Hello! project members Goto Maki (19) and Matsuura Aya (18). They will now go on without her. Revelations of plagiarism over the last few years, in a series of books and on a radio show, appeared on the Web at the end of November.
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Sayonara, King of Monsters | December 01, 2004 |
 The World premier of the latest, and last Godzilla movie took place in Hollywood, Los Angeles on Monday. 1,000 fans turned out to see "Godzilla: Final Wars", the 28th movie in the series that started exactly 50 years ago. The so-called "King of Monsters" also unveiled his own star in the Walk of Fame, in a prime location smack in front of the famous Chinese Theater.
• The winners of the 29th Hochi Movie Awards were announced yesterday. The Best Actress award went to Matsu Takako (27) for her role in "Kakushi Ken, Oni to Tsume" the latest samurai drama by Yamada Yoji. Popular young star Tsumabuki Satoshi (23), who has been in six movies in the last two years, took Best Actor.
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