Sakamoto Ryuichi (54) is taking a new artist under his wing for the first time. The Academy Award-winning musician and composer is to produce the debut single by fellow New York-based singer Kotoringo (28, real name Miyoshi Rieko). "Konnichiwa, Mata Ashita" (Hello, See You Tomorrow) is the theme for the latest Gekkeikan TV commercial and will be released as a single on November 28. Over his long career, Sakamoto has worked with a wide variety of artists from around the world, but has never produced a newcomer (other than perhaps his daughter Miu, who made her debut single with Sugizo of the band Luna Sea). Kotoringo (a combination of 'kotori', or little bird, and 'ringo', apple) studied at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston, where she won a Piano Department Achievement Award. After graduating, she moved to New York where she performed as a pianist and singer until deciding to make a demo tape last autumn. A copy of the tape made its way to Sakamoto at the J-Wave radio station. "She is a composer of lovely and freewheeling music, and her voice sometimes has the purity of a young girl," he said. "But she also has amazing ability on the piano. The "imbalance" between the two is her charm." The description could just as easily be applied to Sakamoto's ex-wife, Yano Akiko. (Gekkeikan is a Kyoto company that has been brewing sake for over four and a half centuries.)
• Yamamoto Mona (30), a recent addition to the lineup on Chikushi Tetsuya's late-night "News23" on TBS, is having an affair with handsome Minshuto politician Hosono Goshi (35). She only started on the news show this week and ironically her first report was on the Minshuto party conference. The scandal - reported complete with photos in today's issue of weekly gossip magazine Friday - may put her position in danger, but she appeared as scheduled on the show last night, looking rather tense. TBS refused to comment on what they called a private matter. Hosono has a wife (31) and daughter.
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Playboy Haga to Settle Down
September 28, 2006
Talento Haga Kenji (44) is finally settling down. Long regarded as one of Japan's leading playboys, his well-publicized romance with talento Umemiya Anna (34) ended in 1999 just when the media were expecting them to announce their engagement. It was no secret that her father, actor Umemiya Tatsuo, disapproved of their relationship and it only made matters worse when they published a book of nude photos together. (Anna was soon to go through marriage, motherhood and divorce). After the split, Haga's life went into something of a tailspin and he found himself hundreds of millions of yen in debt. But he started his own jewelry design and sales business and has found success and prosperity once again. And now he has found his true love, in the form of Yamada Mayu (29). "To be honest, I thought I'd never be able to get married," he said. "I'm so glad I met her." He announced yesterday that they are now engaged, but currently have no plans for a wedding ceremony (there is a rumor however that one of the TV networks is planning a live broadcast of their wedding ceremony in Hawaii at New Year). Haga proposed earlier this month, presenting Yamada with an engagement ring he designed himself two years ago. He says the 7-carat diamond ring would have a sale value of between ¥50-70 million. The Okinawa-born Haga, whose real name is Toma Mikio, had his showbiz breakthrough in 1982 when he was one of the young assistants on the Fuji TV afternoon variety show "Waratte Iitomo."
• Hollywood actress Ann Hathaway (23) is in Japan for the first time. She's here to promote her latest movie, the fashion comic-drama "The Devil Wears Prada". At a PR event in Tokyo, she appeared with popular model Oshikiri Moe (26), whose slim legs grace the poster for the movie, and eight other foreign models. The movie is scheduled for release here on November 18.
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Sugita Up To Old Tricks
September 27, 2006
Actress Sugita Kaoru (41) is in trouble yet again, according to the Josei Jishin women's weekly. The latest episode in her off-screen antics is an affair with an older married man with children. Late one night earlier this month, she was seen having a lover's tiff with the man on a bridge in central Tokyo. Clearly drunk, she was screaming at the man for having slept with his wife. The pair then went to a bar where they made up, kissed and ended up at a love hotel. Sugita admits that she was drunk at the time and has tried to shrug off the incident, saying "I have no memory of it. I went into the love hotel because I thought it was a castle." The man is described as in his 50s and an employee of a major media company. The former child star has long had a reputation as a drinker and playgirl. Single until last year, she was often cited as an example of a "make-inu" (lit. loser dog) who could never find happiness in life. She took everyone by surprise when she married a rich heir in March after a whirlwind relationship, instantly transforming into a "celeb" wife. But the marriage lasted only a few months and they divorced in August amidst accusations of violence and infidelities by Sugita.
• Former folk singer Takada Mari jumped to his death from his apartment building yesterday afternoon. He was 59. The suicide came days after he was released on bail having caused a traffic accident on September 11 - driving his scooter while drunk, he hit a woman and caused serious injuries including a fractured skull. Residents of his apartment building in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, heard a loud noise around 4pm yesterday. They found his body face down on the asphalt at the foot of the building's staircase. He was wearing a shoulder bag which contained a suicide note saying simply that he wanted to die. In the early 1970s, he was a member of the folk trio "Aoi Sankakujogi" that had a million-selling hit with the TV drama theme song "Taiyo ga Kureta Shiki". After the group broke up in 1973, Takada had a brief solo singing career before running an izakaya. But only last month, the trio took the first step toward a planned comeback, performing together on the NTV 24-hour TV marathon. A shocked Nishiguchi Kumiko (55), the trio's vocalist, could only speculate that Takada's suicide was out of a sense of responsibility for having ruined their plans with his drunk-driving arrest.
• Composer Ichikawa Shosuke died yesterday of liver failure at a Tokyo hospital. He was 73. Since his debut in 1961, he composed over 3,000 songs, most notably for Minato Harumi. In 1996, he was awarded the Purple Ribbon Medal for his contribution to the arts.
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Sayonara, Tamba-san
September 26, 2006
Actor Tamba Tetsuro died late Sunday night of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital. He was 84. Born in the Okubo area of Tokyo in 1922, his real name was Tamba Shosaburo. He was one of the busiest stars of the postwar Japanese movie industry, making his debut in 1952 at the late age of 30 but still managing to cram over 300 movies into his long career. The best known include "Suna no Utsuwa" (The Castle of Sand, 1974) and "Ningen Kakumei" (The Human Revolution, 1973). But the one that stands out for western movie fans is his role as Tiger Tanaka in the 1967 James Bond flick "You Only Live Twice" (photo). His final appearance was in the currently showing "Nihon Chinbotsu" (Japan Sinks), and he also played a major role in the 1973 original.
A fluent English speaker, he worked as an interpreter at the U.S. military's GHQ in Tokyo while studying at Chuo University. He made his debut with a big role in the Shin Toei studio production "Satsujin Yogisha" (Murder Suspect), but would be stuck in supporting roles for the next decade. The 1963 Fuji TV series "Sanbiki no Samurai" (The Three Samurai) finally brought him stardom. The rest of the decade saw him play a series of yakuza and gang bosses in what was the most popular genre of the 60s. His best work came in the 70s, including the definitive TV detective series "G-Men 75". In his later years, he turned to the spiritual world and started proclaiming himself to be a medium and making several documentaries in the 1980s. Dapper up until the end, he always appeared immaculately dressed and wearing his signature sunglasses. But in his final public appearances, years of battling heart disease were clearly taking their toll and he looked increasingly gaunt. He was hospitalized at the beginning of this month with pneumonia and appeared to be making a recovery when he suddenly suffered heart failure. His son, actor Tamba Yoshitaka, said, "He passed away peacefully. It was very much like him to spend his last hours without bothering anyone."
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Yoshiki Goes to Hollywood
September 25, 2006
Former X Japan leader Yoshiki is to make his Hollywood debut. He has written the opening music and ending song to the thriller "Catacombs", produced by Gregg Hoffman, the man behind the 2004 horror hit "Saw". Based on a true story about the youth parties in the catacombs beneath 14th century Paris, it stars Shannyn Sossamon. "I don't usually like scary movies, but the artistry of this project appealed to me," said the L.A.-based former X Japan drummer and pianist. He has worked on movies in the past, such as the anime "X" and the South Korean film "Boku no Kanojo wo Shokai Shimasu", but this is his first truly international project. The ending theme, "Blue Butterfly", is sung by Nina, an American vocalist with Yoshiki's band Violet UK. The unit has been around for several years, but planned projects - including a debut album scheduled for release a year ago - have yet to come to fruition.
• On Saturday, folk legends Yoshida Takuro (60) and the band Kaguyahime recreated a famous concert from 31 years ago. The all-night "Tsumakoi Concert" in August 1975 was a highlight of the folk scene's heyday, but this time the 8-hour show was done before 10pm. Some 35,000 fans, mostly middle-aged, made the journey to relive their youth at the same Shizuoka Prefecture venue. The show opened with the artists performing together, something they had never done before.
• NTV has announced that it won't be showing any more Yomiuri Giants games live this season. With the team well out of the pennant race and audience ratings continuing their slump, the network reached the agreement with the team. The games will only be viewable on satellite and cable channels.
• NTV announcer Funakoshi Masashi (44) did not appear in his regular slot on the network's early-morning "Zoom In! Saturday" following his recent "sekuhara" (sexual harrassment) case. The network said he has been punished but they have yet to decide when he can return to work.
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Matsu is Ninogawa's Muse Once Again
September 22, 2006
For theater director Ninagawa Yukio (70), the role of Joan of Arc was made just for Matsu Takako (29), an actress he has wanted to work with again for many years. He has cast Matsu as the star of his latest production, "Hibari" (The Lark), in which she will play the 15th century heroine. The play was written by French playwright Jean Anouilh in 1953. Ninagawa and Matsu first worked together in 1995, when he cast the high school girl as Ophelia in his version of "Hamlet". Three years later, with Sanada Hiroyuki playing the Danish prince, they took the production to London. It helped cement Ninogawa's reputation as one of the world's leading Shakespeare interpreters. Over the last nine years, he has tried several times to come up with a suitable project for his favorite actress, but she has been constantly busy, including several theater runs alongside her father, Matsumoto Koshiro in "The Man From La Mancha", and a wide range of TV dramas. "Matsu-san is one of the very few Japanese actresses who can perform at the top level of international theater," he said. "This play and the role of Joan of Arc could have been written just for her." Hibari is scheduled to open at the Bunkamura Theater Cocoon next February.
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Rare Glimpse of Yusaku
September 21, 2006
Fans of the late great actor Matsuda Yusaku can finally get a glimpse of how he landed his final movie role in Ridley Scott's "Black Rain" (1989). Paramount Home Entertainment Japan announced this week that they will launch a remastered version of the movie on DVD on November 2, with only the Japan version including footage of Matsuda's audition. The DVD also includes interviews with Uchida Yuya, Ono Miyuki and Guts Ishimatsu about their memories of Matsuda and the making of the movie. The classic "U.S. cops versus Japanese yakuza" flick was largely set in Osaka and starred Michael Douglas and Takakura Ken, as well as a young Andy Garcia. But Matsuda stole the show, with his role as the psychotic yakuza, Sato. But just a day after the movie had its Japan Premiere, Matsuda died of cancer at the age of 39, and Black Rain remains as his biggest legacy outside his homeland.
• The movie sequel "Death Note, The Last Name" will open in theaters at the same time in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, a first for an Asian movie. Since its release in June, "Death Note" has been a huge hit across East Asia, pulling in ¥2.8 billion at home and over ¥200 million in Hong Kong, a record for a Japanese movie. It is also set to open in South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. The schedule for the sequel, as well as its world premiere in Hong Kong on October 28, were announced at a "geurilla" PR event in Tokyo yesterday. Star Fujiwara Tatsuya (24) drew screams from about 700 fans gathered in front of Shinjuku station. The event also featured a huge statue of Ryuk, the Death God, whose character is voiced by kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (34). Nakamura's recent drunk driving incident is just one of several casting a shadow over the project. The movie is based on a hugely popular manga illustrated by Obata Takeshi, who was arrested in June for possessing an army knife in his car. And cinematographer Takase Hiroshi died on September 7 from a stroke at the age of 50.
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Melody's Need For Speed
September 20, 2006
Hawaiian-born Japanese singer melody (24) has landed a role in the new version of EA's best-selling street racing game "Need For Speed: Carbon". Having only made her breakthrough with last year's hit "Realize", she will be receiving huge exposure through a game franchise that already has sales of over 38 million in 75 countries worldwide. The fourth release in the series is due to go on sale in November, and in Japan in December. Melody is one of the "electro" artists that are included in the game's soundtrack to accompany the so-called Japanese Tuner Cars, but will also have a voice role. meanwhile, the Exotic Cars rev to the tunes of artists like hip hop star Pharell and Roots Manuva from the UK's "grime" scene. And Muscle Cars, needless to say, perform best when the music is loud and heavy, from bands like Eagles of Death Metal and Wolfmother.
• The 19th Tokyo International Film Festival is without a head judge. Academy Award and Palme D'Or-winning French director Claude Lelouch (68) has pulled out just a month before the festival is due to open, citing a schedule overrun on his latest movie project. Festival chairman Kadokawa Tsuguhiko (63) announced yesterday that about 95% of the event's lineup has been finalized, but the news of Lelouch's withdrawal drew the most media attention. The Tokyo Fest has been gradually building up its reputation as one of the top dozen or so events of its kind in the world. So the news comes as a big blow, though other major events have overcome such difficulties. Hollywood actress Jodie Foster withdrew as head judge of the Cannes Festival in 2001, also due to a conflict with her filming schedule.
• Madonna (48) paid a visit to the Louis Vuitton store in Tokyo's swish Roppongi Hills yesterday. The store is holding an exhibition of photos and video featuring the Queen of Pop, who finishes her worldwide Confessions Tour this week in the capital. She was with Steven Klein, the photographer who created the opening video sequence for her current live show, and smiled and waved for the 300 or so fans who had gathered to get a glimpse. She stayed for about thirty minutes and even bought herself a pair of sunglasses and a black leather jacket. Also visiting the exhibition yesterday were local musicians Aikawa Nanase and rapper Verbal. Madonna's final shows are at Tokyo Dome tomorrow and Friday, while the exhibition will run until October 2.
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Yoon Sona's Big Day
September 19, 2006
Popular Korean Talento Yoon Sona (30) got married to entrepreneur Shin Jae Hyung (36) in Seoul at the weekend. The couple invited over 1,000 guests to the lavish ceremony and reception at the ShinRa, one of the city's top hotels. Many of Yoon's friends and fellow celebrities were invited from Japan. The couple are off to the Maldives at the weekend for a weeklong honeymoon, after which they will settle down in Seoul, where Shin runs businesses connected with the movie industry and restaurants. Yoon plans to continue working in Japan and will shuttle back and forth.
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Weekend Roundup - No, No, No Comment
September 18, 2006
No comment! That was the response from celebrities at three different PR events over the weekend. Appearing at a publicity event for an upcoming NHK drama series, actress Sakai Miki (photo, 28) refused to confirm or deny rumors that her romance with New York Yankees star Matsui Hideki (32) is back on again. First reported as a couple in 2004, in June they were said to have made up after an earlier split. Neither has spoken to the media about it since. Ditzy talento Ogura Yuko (22) was once again well shielded by her management staff from questions about her rumored romance with comedian Hamaguchi Masaru (34). Reporters were not allowed to ask questions and were kept out of the area where she met with fans. When news of the relationship first broke at the end of August, her staff abruptly ended a press conference as soon as it came up. And staff running a photo book launch by actor Koide Keisuke (22) were equally touchy when the questions started about his recently revealed relationship with actress Saeko (19). Of course, all this "protection" serves a double purpose in that it also helps create juicier news stories and generate a bit of extra publicity.
• Fuji TV are to release a DVD compilation of the spring drama series "Top Caster", but minus one entire episode. The drama, which starred Amami Yuki and Yada Akiko, told the story of a newscaster who made a different scoop in each of the 11 episodes. The problem was with episode 3, which featured a character who closely resembled popular fortune teller Hosoki Kazuko (68) and was exposed as a fake. The best-selling author complained and the network later apologized.
• Madonna (48) is back for her first Japan tour in 13 years. She played to 60,000 fans at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on Saturday and Sunday. Her two shows at Tokyo Dome on Wednesday and Thursday will bring an end to this, the last leg of her Confessions Tour, which has made the Queen of Pop over ¥15 billion.
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Young Love, On & Off Set
September 15, 2006
Koide Keisuke (22) and Saeko (19) are the latest young showbiz couple. The up and coming stars are not only popular actors but are also students at two of Japan's top universities. Koide, who made his breakthrough in last year's hugely popular NTV series "Gokusen", is a senior at Keio University. Over the past year he has appeared in a number of hit series, including Fuji TV's "Waterboys" and TBS's "Byakuyakou", and movies such as "Pacchigi!". He lived abroad while an elementary school student and is proficient in English and Chinese. Saeko, who is currently appearing in the movie "Back Dancers", started studying Human Sciences at Waseda University in April. The pair met when they played lovers in this year's TBS spring drama "Oishii Puropozu". They will be together again next month in "Nodame Cantabile", Fuji TV's adaptation of a popular manga, which will air in the prime Monday 9pm time slot.
• A recent survey by a magazine aimed at young people hoping to get into showbiz has revealed that readers are in less of a hurry to find stardom than before. Asked how long they would wait before giving up hope of making their debut as a "gravure aidoru" (pin-up girl), the average age has usually been in the teens. But the recent breakthroughs by such idols as Hoshino Aki (at the age of 23), Inoue Waka (at 20) and Kudo Risa (at 21) has led to over 70% of respondents saying they'd keep trying until their 20s (up to 20: 45%, up to 25: 25%). In the case of modelling, the current crop of magazine cover girls who've crossed over into TV, such as Ebihara Yuri and Oshikiri Moe, are in their mid-20s. So most survey repondents said they'd wait till 25 or 30 before giving up on a modeling career. In contrast, male respondents overwhelmingly chose "no age limit" for beginning an acting career.
• Former NTV announcer Nagai Minako (41), now a freelancer, has announced that she is pregnant. It will be the second child for Nagai and her husband, the U.S.-born Hori Kazutomo Robert (41), CEO of Internet company Cybird.
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Hollywood Dream Come True
September 14, 2006
Actress Kimura Yoshino (30) is to make her Hollywood debut. She will star alongside Ishibashi Ryo (50) in the follow-up to last year's "Masters of Horror" series. That series of 13 one-hour horror movies featured some of the giants of the genre, including Dario Argento (Suspiria) and Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), with Japan represented by Miike Takashi (Killer1 and One Missed Call). This time around, Japan's representative will be Tsuruta Norio, the man behind "Ringu 0: Birthday" and "Yogen" (Premonition). "Dream Cruise" will feature Ishibashi as Ushijima and Kimura as his wife Yuri, in a tale taken from the short-story collection "Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara" (Dark Water). The title story was used for a movie of the same name. Ushijima is the client of Tokyo-based American lawyer Jack, to be played by an as yet unnamed Hollywood actor, who is also involved in an affair with his wife. Ishibashi has appeared in foreign movies before, including last year's Hollywood remake of "The Juon". Kimura has lived abroad and speaks good English. The movie is to start filming near Tokyo this autumn and is scheduled for release next year.
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Orange Range Near ¥25 Billion
September 13, 2006
Orange Range have recorded the theme song for the upcoming TBS drama "Nichiyo Gekijo - Tetsuban Shojo Akane!" It's the hugely popular Okinawan band's third drama theme and 15th single, to add to the 4 albums and 3 DVDs since their debut in 2000. The new single, "Sayonara", is just their third love song and if it does as well as either of the previous two, million-seller "Hana" and "Love Parade" (half a million), it'll push their total sales over the ¥25 billion level. A remarkable achievement in a time when CD sales are in a prolonged slump. Orange Range are currently in the middle of a national tour.
• 2006 Miss Universe runner up Chibana Kurara (24) is to be a regular reporter for the NTV late-night news show "News Zero". The Sophia University graduate speaks English, French and Spanish and has long dreamed of being a journalist, though she had a job lined up at a publishing company before coming so close at this year's beauty pageant.
• The line up of stars scheduled to appear at the upcoming John Lennon tribute concert keeps growing. John Lennon Super Live 2006 has been organized by his widow, Yoko Ono (73), and will be held on November 4 at the Nippon Budokan, It will feature pop duo Sukimaswitch, singer Cocco (29), making a comeback after five years, as well as singer Sano Motoharu (50), actress Miyazawa Rie (33) and others.
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Mangaka Commits Suicide
September 12, 2006
Inumaru Rin, the manga artist and essayist who created the popular NHK anime character Ojaru Maru, committed suicide in Tokyo on Sunday. She was 48. She jumped from the roof of her 14-story apartment building in Tokyo's Musashino suburb. Residents of the 5-story apartment building next door heard a loud noise and called police, who found her body on the roof. She left a suicide note to her mother, saying "I can't work". Ojaru Maru, popular with young children since 1998, continues to be broadcast on the NHK Education channel. It's the network's second longest-running anime series.
• Sawajiri Erika (19) is the first actress in almost 12 years to make No.1 on the Oricon chart with her recording debut. She's using the name Kaoru Amane, her character in the TBS drama series "Taiyou no Uta", which is also the title of the single. She's also the first artist in almost 19 years to top the charts using a character name. Meanwhile, second on the chart is "Tarako, Tarako, Tarako", the theme song used in the latest Kewpie TV commercial. The song is sung by Kigurumi, a pair of elementary school kids who are the youngest artists ever to enter the charts in the Top 10.
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Japan's Air Guitar World Champion
September 11, 2006
A Japanese comedian is the new Air Guitar World Champion. Ochi Yosuke (34), one half of the little-known Yoshimoto manzai duo Dainoji, beat over a dozen other finalists at the event in Finland to become the first Japanese winner. Wearing aviator shades and a lurid tiger print sweatshirt, he gave an inspired performance of "Are You Gonna be My Girl?" by Aussie rock band Jet. Ochi received a custom made Finnish guitar called Flying Finn and an amplifier, designed and donated by the Queen guitarist Brian May. Interviewed by Japanese media, Ochi said he had never played the guitar and practiced for the event for "about two days". See the video of his performance:
• Japanese fans will be the first to have a chance to grab a copy of the first greatest hits album by British rockers Oasis. "Stop the Clocks" will go on sale here on November 15, five days before its release in the U.K. and Europe. Though guitarist Noel Gallagher has always insisted there would be no greatest hits album unless the band were breaking up, the new release marks only the end of their recording contract with Sony BMG. Gallagher reluctantly got involved, he said, to avoid the label releasing a "shit" album. The jacket is yet another nod to the Beatles, designed as it is by Peter Blake, the man behind the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover. The album's 18 tracks were chosen by fans worldwide and include "Supersonic" and "Lyla", the theme song for the Japanese movie "Sugar & Spice - Fumi Zekka". The album also includes their latest single, "Acquiesce", which goes on sale October 25.
• Utada Hikaru (23) finished her first national tour in six years with a show yesterday at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo. She encouraged the 12,000 fans to get as loud as the 60,000 watching SMAP across town at the National Stadium. She seemed on top form and showed no signs of the huskiness that affected her performance in Saitama last month. She played to a total of 190,000 fans at 23 dates in 12 cities in support of her latest album "Ultra Blue".
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Female Firsts
September 08, 2006
Actress Inamori Izumi (34) is to be the first female lead in the 29-year history of samurai drama series on TV Tokyo. A PR event was held in Tokyo yesterday for "Chushingura - Yozeiin no Inbo", which will air over ten episodes on Tuesday afternoons from January 2. Inamori plays Yozeiin, the wife of Asano Takuminokami, in a new take on the famous Chushingura samurai story of loyalty and revenge. She and other cast members visited the Sengakuji temple in central Tokyo where ronin (masterless samurai) Ako Roshi, a central character in the story, is interred. Chushingura is a staple of traditional theater and has inspired dozens of movies.
• Avant garde artist Kusama Yayoi (77) is the first Japanese female to receive the Praemium Imperiale, awarded by the imperial family's Japan Arts Association in New York. The five winners, including American minimalist composer Steve Reich, were announced yesterday at the Rockefeller Center. The awards will be presented in Tokyo on Ocober 18. Kusama had been previously shortlisted three times for both painting and sculpture. She first moved to the U.S. in 1958, establishing herself in the New York art scene the following year. In the late '60s she took part in so-called "happenings" which got a lot of attention in the popular press. She moved back to Japan in the 70s and soon after was hospitalized for psychological problems. In 1977 she took up long-term residence at the Seiwa Hospital in Tokyo, where she set up a studio and has continued her work as an artist.
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Golden Combi
September 07, 2006
Veteran movie director Yamada Yoji (74) is teaming up with actress Yoshinaga Sayuri (61) for the first time in 34 years. "Kaabee" (provisional title) is a drama set in Japan in 1941 immediately before the start of the Pacific War. It tells of a woman bringing up two daughters alone after her husband is arrested for a white-collar crime. Yoshinaga is often regarded as the quintessential Japanese "haha" (mother), and this will be her 112th movie. She last worked with Yamada in 1972 when he was in the middle of the 48 movies that made up the "Otoko wa Tsurai Yo" series. She played the "madonna" role, the female romantic foil to star Atsumi Kiyoshi's Tora-san, twice in the series. The movie is based on an autobiographical story by Nogami Teruyo (79), who worked as a scriptwriter with the late Kurosawa Akira. It is scheduled for theater release in 2008.
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It's a Boy!
September 06, 2006
The news was just announced: A baby boy was born to Princess Kiko at 08:27 by Caesarian section at the Aiiku Hospital in central Tokyo. He weighed in at 2558g.
It's the first male heir born to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 41 years. Regardless of how it may dent the hopes of those who wanted to see a change to allow a female heir to ascend the throne, it has to be seen as good news for Japan.
Kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (33) appeared in public yesterday for the first time since apologizing for driving while drunk in July. Dressed in a black suit, he apologized again for the incident at a PR event for "Shido-ryu Mori no Ishimatsu", a show scheduled to open on October 2. He wasn't asked about his wife, actress Takeuchi Yuko (26), or their baby son, or about actress Okamoto Jun (23), who was reported to be in the car at the time of the incident. Nevertheless, he took no chances after the event, avoiding reporters backstage and slipping out a side door.
• "Nagai Sampo" (A Long Walk), the latest directorial effort from actor Okuda Eiji (56), has won the Grand Prix and two other prizes at the Montreal World Film Festival. The movie opens in Japan in December.
• Sayaka (19) is coming back into the spotlight. The daughter of pop legend Matsuda Seiko (44) had a falling out with her mother and has been on a hiatus from showbiz since May. Using her real name of Kanda Sayaka, she plans to make a comeback in December in a stage production starring Daichi Mao (50).
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Silly Award Season Opens
September 05, 2006
It's that time of year again. Regular readers will know that we always bring you the results of the silly awards given out every year. One of the most established is the "Best Jeanist" awards, given to celebrities who look best in jeans. Kimura Takuya (33) and Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (32) of the Johnny's group SMAP and pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (27) have won the award so many times that they're now in some denim hall of fame and no longer eligible. And this year's winners? Johnny's is represented by Kamenashi Kazuya (20, left) of KAT-TUN, while the pop diva is Koda Kumi (23, second from left). The other recipients were actress Shaku Yumiko (28, right), Olympic gold medalist Arakawa Shizuka (24, center), and Yokohama Mayor Nakada Hiroshi (41, second from right).
• Meanwhile, National Beauty Week was launched yesterday, with Nagasawa Masami (19) and "Kill Bill" star Kuriyama Chiaki (21) sharing the "Actress Beauty Award". The "Theme Beauty Award" went to enka singer Sakamoto Fuyumi (39) for her elegant kimono and tied-up hair. The weeklong PR event is based around yesterday's slightly more traditional "Kushi no Hi" (Comb Day) which was created in 1978. For your information, today is "Sekitan no Hi" (Coal Day)!
• Hollywood stars Keanu Reeves (42) and Sandra Bullock (42) were in Roppongi Hills yesterday to promote their latest movie. "The Lake House" (called "Irumaare" in Japanese) is their first project together since 1994's "Speed". About 1,000 mostly female fans turned out for the Japan premiere, letting out screams of "Kyaaa!" when Reeves introduced Bullock as a "wonderful actress and my good friend" and gave her a kiss. He also thanked the many fans who wished him a happy birthday, which was on September 2. The movie opens here on September 23.
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Weekend Roundup
September 04, 2006
The latest spin-off from Fuji TV's "Odoru Daisosasen" series sees Yashima Norito (35) land his first drama leading role. Known in English as "Bayside Shakedown", the series first aired on Fuji in 1997 and was a big hit. But it was the huge box-office success of two follow-up movies in 1998 and 2003 that turned it into a major phenomenon and re-launched the career of its star Oda Yuji. But rather than rely only on Oda, two further movies have focused on side characters. May 2005 saw the release of "Negotiator: Mashita Masayoshi", starring Yusuke Santa-Maria (35), and Yanagiba Toshiro (45) was "The Suspect: Muroi Shinji", released in August of the same year. The latest spin-off is a TV series called "The Lawyer: Haijima Hideki", which will air from October 28. Yashima has become popular in the last couple of years mainly through the Fuji variety shows "Trivia no Izumi" and "Miracle Type".
• Actress Ueto Aya (22) was reduced to tears when talking about her role in the show "Taiyo no Fune". A follow up to a 2004 production at the Nippon Budokan, the ¥1-billion show is directed by and tells the story of fashion designer Yamamoto Kansai (62). Ueto's tears started when she talked about how moved she had been by the family bonds between the veteran showman and his daughter, actress Yamamoto Mirai, and her relationship with her husband, actor Shiina Teppei. The cast of 2,000 includes Matsuoka Masahiro (29) of the Johnny's group Tokio as the young Kansai and such major names as former wrestler and politician Antonio Inoki (63) and actress Kudo Yuki (35). The show's theme song is by Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi (49). The production will be held on January 13 &14 at Tokyo Dome.
• Beyonce was in Tokyo for her 24th birthday yesterday. She told a press conference at a city hotel that the choice of location and date to launch her new album "B'Day" was a thank you to Japanese fans who have supported her since her days with Destiny's Child.
• The latest figures from Video Research show that the average TV audience for Yomiuri Giants night games hit another all-time low last month. Traditionally, Japan's most popular team, its ratings managed only 6.8% in the Kanto region for August, a month which saw the Giants spend time at the bottom of the Central League.
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Taking Korea by Storm
September 01, 2006
Johnny's Jimusho is finally making another move into Asia. Five-member group Arashi (which means Storm) announced after finishing their Japan tour at the Yokohama Arena yesterday that are to be the first Johnny's artists to play a solo concert in South Korea. They will play two shows at the Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on November 11 and 12. The dates will follow their first overseas shows later this month in Taipei, Taiwan (September 16/17), Guangju, South Korea (Sept. 22) and Bangkok, Thailand (October 7), but the shows in Guangju will be a collaboration with Korean artists. Arashi visited Korea at the end of July to promote the tour, and hundreds of local fans turned out to catch a glimpse. The Asia tour comes 22 years after Kondo Masahiko (42) played in Hong Kong at the height of his career as one of the biggest Johnny's idol stars. It marks another step forward in Korea's opening up to Japanese artists. Until 2000, they were not allowed to play venues holding more than 2,000 people. In the summer of that year, Chage & Aska became the first performers to play a major show, and have since been followed by such top names as Tube and Amuro Namie. In January 2004, the ban on Japanese-language CDs was lifted, further boosting interest in J-pop artists. But to date, the only Johnny's artists to play in Korea have been V6, who took part in collaborative events.
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Sakamoto Ryuichi (54) is taking a new artist under his wing for the first time. The Academy Award-winning musician and composer is to produce the debut single by fellow New York-based singer Kotoringo (28, real name Miyoshi Rieko). "Konnichiwa, Mata Ashita" (Hello, See You Tomorrow) is the theme for the latest Gekkeikan TV commercial and will be released as a single on November 28. Over his long career, Sakamoto has worked with a wide variety of artists from around the world, but has never produced a newcomer (other than perhaps his daughter Miu, who made her debut single with Sugizo of the band Luna Sea). Kotoringo (a combination of 'kotori', or little bird, and 'ringo', apple) studied at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston, where she won a Piano Department Achievement Award. After graduating, she moved to New York where she performed as a pianist and singer until deciding to make a demo tape last autumn. A copy of the tape made its way to Sakamoto at the J-Wave radio station. "She is a composer of lovely and freewheeling music, and her voice sometimes has the purity of a young girl," he said. "But she also has amazing ability on the piano. The "imbalance" between the two is her charm." The description could just as easily be applied to Sakamoto's ex-wife, Yano Akiko. (Gekkeikan is a Kyoto company that has been brewing sake for over four and a half centuries.)
Talento Haga Kenji (44) is finally settling down. Long regarded as one of Japan's leading playboys, his well-publicized romance with talento Umemiya Anna (34) ended in 1999 just when the media were expecting them to announce their engagement. It was no secret that her father, actor Umemiya Tatsuo, disapproved of their relationship and it only made matters worse when they published a book of nude photos together. (Anna was soon to go through marriage, motherhood and divorce). After the split, Haga's life went into something of a tailspin and he found himself hundreds of millions of yen in debt. But he started his own jewelry design and sales business and has found success and prosperity once again. And now he has found his true love, in the form of Yamada Mayu (29). "To be honest, I thought I'd never be able to get married," he said. "I'm so glad I met her." He announced yesterday that they are now engaged, but currently have no plans for a wedding ceremony (there is a rumor however that one of the TV networks is planning a live broadcast of their wedding ceremony in Hawaii at New Year). Haga proposed earlier this month, presenting Yamada with an engagement ring he designed himself two years ago. He says the 7-carat diamond ring would have a sale value of between ¥50-70 million. The Okinawa-born Haga, whose real name is Toma Mikio, had his showbiz breakthrough in 1982 when he was one of the young assistants on the Fuji TV afternoon variety show "Waratte Iitomo."
Actress Sugita Kaoru (41) is in trouble yet again, according to the Josei Jishin women's weekly. The latest episode in her off-screen antics is an affair with an older married man with children. Late one night earlier this month, she was seen having a lover's tiff with the man on a bridge in central Tokyo. Clearly drunk, she was screaming at the man for having slept with his wife. The pair then went to a bar where they made up, kissed and ended up at a love hotel. Sugita admits that she was drunk at the time and has tried to shrug off the incident, saying "I have no memory of it. I went into the love hotel because I thought it was a castle." The man is described as in his 50s and an employee of a major media company. The former child star has long had a reputation as a drinker and playgirl. Single until last year, she was often cited as an example of a "make-inu" (lit. loser dog) who could never find happiness in life. She took everyone by surprise when she married a rich heir in March after a whirlwind relationship, instantly transforming into a "celeb" wife. But the marriage lasted only a few months and they divorced in August amidst accusations of violence and infidelities by Sugita.
Actor Tamba Tetsuro died late Sunday night of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital. He was 84. Born in the Okubo area of Tokyo in 1922, his real name was Tamba Shosaburo. He was one of the busiest stars of the postwar Japanese movie industry, making his debut in 1952 at the late age of 30 but still managing to cram over 300 movies into his long career. The best known include "Suna no Utsuwa" (The Castle of Sand, 1974) and "Ningen Kakumei" (The Human Revolution, 1973). But the one that stands out for western movie fans is his role as Tiger Tanaka in the 1967 James Bond flick "You Only Live Twice" (photo). His final appearance was in the currently showing "Nihon Chinbotsu" (Japan Sinks), and he also played a major role in the 1973 original.
A fluent English speaker, he worked as an interpreter at the U.S. military's GHQ in Tokyo while studying at Chuo University. He made his debut with a big role in the Shin Toei studio production "Satsujin Yogisha" (Murder Suspect), but would be stuck in supporting roles for the next decade. The 1963 Fuji TV series "Sanbiki no Samurai" (The Three Samurai) finally brought him stardom. The rest of the decade saw him play a series of yakuza and gang bosses in what was the most popular genre of the 60s. His best work came in the 70s, including the definitive TV detective series "G-Men 75". In his later years, he turned to the spiritual world and started proclaiming himself to be a medium and making several documentaries in the 1980s. Dapper up until the end, he always appeared immaculately dressed and wearing his signature sunglasses. But in his final public appearances, years of battling heart disease were clearly taking their toll and he looked increasingly gaunt. He was hospitalized at the beginning of this month with pneumonia and appeared to be making a recovery when he suddenly suffered heart failure. His son, actor Tamba Yoshitaka, said, "He passed away peacefully. It was very much like him to spend his last hours without bothering anyone."
Former X Japan leader Yoshiki is to make his Hollywood debut. He has written the opening music and ending song to the thriller "Catacombs", produced by Gregg Hoffman, the man behind the 2004 horror hit "Saw". Based on a true story about the youth parties in the catacombs beneath 14th century Paris, it stars Shannyn Sossamon. "I don't usually like scary movies, but the artistry of this project appealed to me," said the L.A.-based former X Japan drummer and pianist. He has worked on movies in the past, such as the anime "X" and the South Korean film "Boku no Kanojo wo Shokai Shimasu", but this is his first truly international project. The ending theme, "Blue Butterfly", is sung by Nina, an American vocalist with Yoshiki's band Violet UK. The unit has been around for several years, but planned projects - including a debut album scheduled for release a year ago - have yet to come to fruition.
For theater director Ninagawa Yukio (70), the role of Joan of Arc was made just for Matsu Takako (29), an actress he has wanted to work with again for many years. He has cast Matsu as the star of his latest production, "Hibari" (The Lark), in which she will play the 15th century heroine. The play was written by French playwright Jean Anouilh in 1953. Ninagawa and Matsu first worked together in 1995, when he cast the high school girl as Ophelia in his version of "Hamlet". Three years later, with 
Fans of the late great actor Matsuda Yusaku can finally get a glimpse of how he landed his final movie role in Ridley Scott's "Black Rain" (1989). Paramount Home Entertainment Japan announced this week that they will launch a remastered version of the movie on DVD on November 2, with only the Japan version including footage of Matsuda's audition. The DVD also includes interviews with Uchida Yuya, Ono Miyuki and Guts Ishimatsu about their memories of Matsuda and the making of the movie. The classic "U.S. cops versus Japanese yakuza" flick was largely set in Osaka and starred Michael Douglas and 
Hawaiian-born Japanese singer melody (24) has landed a role in the new version of EA's best-selling street racing game "Need For Speed: Carbon". Having only made her breakthrough with last year's hit "Realize", she will be receiving huge exposure through a game franchise that already has sales of over 38 million in 75 countries worldwide. The fourth release in the series is due to go on sale in November, and in Japan in December. Melody is one of the "electro" artists that are included in the game's soundtrack to accompany the so-called Japanese Tuner Cars, but will also have a voice role. meanwhile, the Exotic Cars rev to the tunes of artists like hip hop star Pharell and Roots Manuva from the UK's "grime" scene. And Muscle Cars, needless to say, perform best when the music is loud and heavy, from bands like Eagles of Death Metal and Wolfmother.
Popular Korean Talento Yoon Sona (30) got married to entrepreneur Shin Jae Hyung (36) in Seoul at the weekend. The couple invited over 1,000 guests to the lavish ceremony and reception at the ShinRa, one of the city's top hotels. Many of Yoon's friends and fellow celebrities were invited from Japan. The couple are off to the Maldives at the weekend for a weeklong honeymoon, after which they will settle down in Seoul, where Shin runs businesses connected with the movie industry and restaurants. Yoon plans to continue working in Japan and will shuttle back and forth.
No comment! That was the response from celebrities at three different PR events over the weekend. Appearing at a publicity event for an upcoming NHK drama series, actress Sakai Miki (photo, 28) refused to confirm or deny rumors that her romance with New York Yankees star 
Koide Keisuke (22) and Saeko (19) are the latest young showbiz couple. The up and coming stars are not only popular actors but are also students at two of Japan's top universities. Koide, who made his breakthrough in last year's hugely popular NTV series "Gokusen", is a senior at Keio University. Over the past year he has appeared in a number of hit series, including Fuji TV's "Waterboys" and TBS's "Byakuyakou", and movies such as "Pacchigi!". He lived abroad while an elementary school student and is proficient in English and Chinese. Saeko, who is currently appearing in the movie "Back Dancers", started studying Human Sciences at Waseda University in April. The pair met when they played lovers in this year's TBS spring drama "Oishii Puropozu". They will be together again next month in "Nodame Cantabile", Fuji TV's adaptation of a popular manga, which will air in the prime Monday 9pm time slot.
Actress Kimura Yoshino (30) is to make her Hollywood debut. She will star alongside Ishibashi Ryo (50) in the follow-up to last year's "Masters of Horror" series. That series of 13 one-hour horror movies featured some of the giants of the genre, including Dario Argento (Suspiria) and Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), with Japan represented by Miike Takashi (Killer1 and One Missed Call). This time around, Japan's representative will be Tsuruta Norio, the man behind "Ringu 0: Birthday" and "Yogen" (Premonition). "Dream Cruise" will feature Ishibashi as Ushijima and Kimura as his wife Yuri, in a tale taken from the short-story collection "Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara" (Dark Water). The title story was used for a movie of the same name. Ushijima is the client of Tokyo-based American lawyer Jack, to be played by an as yet unnamed Hollywood actor, who is also involved in an affair with his wife. Ishibashi has appeared in foreign movies before, including last year's Hollywood remake of "The Juon". Kimura has lived abroad and speaks good English. The movie is to start filming near Tokyo this autumn and is scheduled for release next year.
Inumaru Rin, the manga artist and essayist who created the popular NHK anime character Ojaru Maru, committed suicide in Tokyo on Sunday. She was 48. She jumped from the roof of her 14-story apartment building in Tokyo's Musashino suburb. Residents of the 5-story apartment building next door heard a loud noise and called police, who found her body on the roof. She left a suicide note to her mother, saying "I can't work". Ojaru Maru, popular with young children since 1998, continues to be broadcast on the NHK Education channel. It's the network's second longest-running anime series.
A Japanese comedian is the new Air Guitar World Champion. Ochi Yosuke (34), one half of the little-known 
Actress Inamori Izumi (34) is to be the first female lead in the 29-year history of samurai drama series on TV Tokyo. A PR event was held in Tokyo yesterday for "Chushingura - Yozeiin no Inbo", which will air over ten episodes on Tuesday afternoons from January 2. Inamori plays Yozeiin, the wife of Asano Takuminokami, in a new take on the famous Chushingura samurai story of loyalty and revenge. She and other cast members visited the Sengakuji temple in central Tokyo where ronin (masterless samurai) Ako Roshi, a central character in the story, is interred. Chushingura is a staple of traditional theater and has inspired dozens of movies.
Veteran movie director 
Kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (33) appeared in public yesterday for the first time since apologizing for driving while drunk in July. Dressed in a black suit, he apologized again for the incident at a PR event for "Shido-ryu Mori no Ishimatsu", a show scheduled to open on October 2. He wasn't asked about his wife, actress Takeuchi Yuko (26), or their baby son, or about actress Okamoto Jun (23), who was reported to be in the car at the time of the incident. Nevertheless, he took no chances after the event, avoiding reporters backstage and slipping out a side door.
It's that time of year again. Regular readers will know that we always bring you the results of the silly awards given out every year. One of the most established is the "Best Jeanist" awards, given to celebrities who look best in jeans. Kimura Takuya (33) and Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (32) of the Johnny's group 
The latest spin-off from Fuji TV's "Odoru Daisosasen" series sees Yashima Norito (35) land his first drama leading role. Known in English as "Bayside Shakedown", the series first aired on Fuji in 1997 and was a big hit. But it was the huge box-office success of two follow-up movies in 1998 and 2003 that turned it into a major phenomenon and re-launched the career of its star 
