Japan Entertainment News - November 2006
Kumi's the Talk of Japan | November 30, 2006 |
 Singer Koda Kumi is officially the talk of Japan. The flamboyant Kyoto native's revealing stage outfits have earned her the label "erokakkoii", a newly-coined phrase that is a mixture of erotic and cool, and certainly haven't hurt her image with both female and male fans. Publishing company Shogakkan chose her to be their Notable Person for 2006 in their annual awards to mark major trends for the year, held this week at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Koda's been around since 2000, but she made her big break last year with the help of a series of chest-revealing, hip-hugging outfits and has managed to consolidate that this year with a slew of hits and eye-catching publicity events. She started off the year by releasing a new single every week for 12 weeks, all of which made it into the charts. She also earned herself an appearance on NHK's Kohaku Utagassen, the New Year's Eve song spectacle.
• Irish rock band U2 played their first show in Japan for eight years at the Saitama Super Arena last night. They had the 20,000-seat venue jumping to the strains of "Vertigo" and a slew of other hits. The 22-song set included the first live performance of their latest single "Windows in the Skies". They have two more shows, tonight and December 4, and yours truly will be there rocking out with the Dublin boys.
• One can only hope that the rumored romance between Ishida Junichi (52) and sweet sixteen-year-old Fukuda Saki is no more than a silly publicity stunt. The young actress herself laughed off the whole thing when her minders tried to stop reporters asking her about it, saying "He's older than my father. He and I laughed about it."
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How Does He Do It?! | November 29, 2006 |
 It's official! Mino Monta (62) is the world's hardest working man on television. Alistair Richards, COO of Guinness World Records, was at the TBS studios in Tokyo's Akasaka yesterday morning to officially recognize Mino for his record-breaking work rate. The man who never seems to stop talking paused long enough to down a glass of champagne, though he joked that his wife warned him not to drink in the mornings because of his afternoon work schedule. The master emcee and housewive's favorite has two live shows every weekday, one from 5:30 in the morning on TBS and an afternoon show on NTV, and another at 5:45 on Saturday mornings. Altogether his live shows add up to 21 hours and 42 minutes of on-air time - not including commercial breaks! He made his breakthrough more than 30 years ago as a Bunka Housou radio presenter, and he still does a Saturday afternoon show on the public network. He also has four weekly recorded TV shows, does TV commercials, and is the president of a water meter company that was established by his father.
• Actor Osawa Takao (38) and singer/songwriter Hirose Kohmi (40) announced yesterday that they have divorced. They had been married since 1999. Hirose began composing at the age of five and while in the U.S. had the same voice training teacher as Michael Jackson. She debuted in 1992 and had a huge hit with the single "Romance no Kamisama" the following year. Osawa started out as a fashion model before switching to acting in 1994. He has apperared in several smash hit movies, including "Sekai no Chushin de, Ai wo Sakebu" (2004), as well as last year's Steven Segal movie "Into the Sun".
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Women of the Year | November 28, 2006 |
 Women's fashion magazine Vogue yesterday announced its "Woman of the Year" award winners. Among the women chosen as having had the best 2006 were young actresses Sawajiri Erika (20) and Nagasawa Masami (19), who between them have been sweeping the newcomer awards for the last couple of years. Sawajiri, the daughter of a Japanese father and French-Algerian mother, received a host of awards for her role in last year's "Pacchigi!". She played the lead role in this year's TBS drama series "Taiyo no Uta", releasing a chart-topping album under her character's name of Kaoru Amane. Nagasawa made her screen debut as early as 2000, but had her breakthrough with 2004's hit romance "Sekai no Chushin de, Ai wo Sakebu". At 29, Hoshino Aki (photo) represents hope for "older" women who are hanging on to their dream of becoming a pin-up girl. She has become a regular face on variety shows and TV commercials. Other winners included actresses Nakatani Miki (30) and Momoi Kaori (54) as well as Miss Universe runner-up Chibana Kurara (24).
• Talento Watanabe Megumi (42) recently married a model 14 years younger. The former member of the Yomekin Trio on Fuji TV's popular afternoon show "Waratte Iitomo" married Hoshino Yoshinori (30), a popular model in men's magazines, on November 22.
• Billy Joel (57) arrived at Narita Airport from Hong Kong yesterday and will kick off his first Japan tour in eight years tonight at Tokyo Dome. He told reporters that the set list is not fixed and will depend on the response from fans.
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No End to Wedding Rush | November 27, 2006 |
 The latest celebrity to make a wedding announcement is actress Igawa Haruka (30). She held a press conference at a Tokyo hotel yesterday to formally announce her marriage to fashion designer Matsumoto Atou (44). Igawa wore a black dress chosen by her new husband, who established the Ato menswear brand in 1993. Asked if the age difference bothered her, Igawa said Matsumoto works out every day and looks much younger than his age and at 180cm, he is relatively tall. The couple first met in the autumn of 2005 at a dinner party but didn't even talk. It took another couple of encounters before they started dating in April, but marriage was in their minds from the start. They have been living together at Matsumoto's Tokyo home since the summer and registered their mariage on November 22. In Japanese, the date 11/22 can be read "ii fufu" or "good husband and wife". Every year, a showbiz couple is chosen as the ideal "fufu", but this year's choice - kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (34) and actress Takeuchi Yuko (26) - are already on the verge of divorce. So it can only be hoped that Igawa and Matsumoto will fare better. Igawa said she is not pregnant but is hoping to have three or four children.
• Meanwhile Razor Ramon HG swapped his black leather outfit for a white tuxedo yesterday. Sumitani Masaki (30), best known for his outlandish Hard Gay character, and former idol Anna (22) held their wedding ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Tokyo. Emcee for the occasion was fellow Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32), himself rumored to be on the verge of marriage to actress Fujiwara Norika (35).
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Sugita Storms Live Show | November 24, 2006 |
 I thought talento Sugita Kaoru had been too quiet recently. Well she lived up to her fiery reputation by invading the studio of NTV's live afternoon show "The Wide" yesterday. The show had been looking at her ongoing divorce proceedings and showed a video of her arguing with the lawyer for a publishing company and being restrained by a security guard. Sugita happened to be in the Nippon Television Network building filming a different show when she saw the live broadcast. She burst into the studio saying she was "looking for a fight with (presenter) Kusano Hitoshi" (62). She complained that the video was "over the top" and misleading and then she left the studio. A former child star, Sugita has a history of drunken, abusive and sometimes violent behaviour. But her outspoken manner has also brought her many fans. She took the showbiz world by surprise with her sudden marriage to wealthy heir Ayukawa Junta (45) in January of last year. But the marriage ended quickly and acrimoniously.
• 400 students of Keio University got a rare treat yesterday when Hollywood star Watanabe Ken gave a special lecture as part of the school's Mitasai festival. The actor spoke of his experiences making the Clint Eastwood-directed "Letters From Iwo Jima" and said he wanted to help the students understand the horror of war. He told them he hoped they would watch both his film and its companion piece, "Flags of Our Fathers", and see the infamous WWII battle from both sides.
• Meanwhile, on the same campus, 20-year-old Takeuchi Yoshie was chosen as this year's Miss Keio. Over the last 23 years, the contest has been a launching pad for several showbiz careers, including that of popular Fuji TV announcer Nakano Minako (26). Takeuchi has already had offers from four networks and looks set to join the eight other contest winers who have gone on to be Tv announcers or weather ladies.
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Kurikei Meets Beethoven | November 23, 2006 |
 Crystal Kay (20) is to team up with Beethoven for her next single. She has been chosen to sing the theme tune to next January's anime version of Fuji TV's drama series "Nodame Cantabile". The single has yet to be titled but with feature segments of the first movement from Beethoven's 7th Symphony. The series is an adaptation of a popular manga that sold over 18 million copies. The live-action version currently airing stars Ueno Juri (20) and Tamaki Hiroshi (26) and has had respectable audience ratings. The soundtrack has reached No.7 on the Oricon chart, the highest ever ranking by an album of classical music. Full name Crystal Kay Williams, the half-Korean half-African American, Yokohama-born singer is known to fans as 'Kurikei' or just 'Kuri'. She made her debut at the tender age of four, singing a TV commercial theme, and appeared in her first commercial with her singer mother when she was just six. She released her first single at 13.
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Return of Mona | November 22, 2006 |
 Newscaster Yamamoto Mona (30) is to make her TV comeback earlier than expected. Forced to step down after less than a week on the TBS "News23" show in October following the revelation of an affair with a married politician, she has been given a helping hand by none other than Kitano "Beat" Takeshi (59). His Office Kitano has hired her to appear on NTV's New Year's Day special "Owarai Ultra Quiz", which ran from 1989 to 1996 and is being revived after an almost 11-year absence. Japanese TV is harsh in its treatment of celebrities caught up in scandals but usually allows them to return to work after a period of penitence. Since she lost what was to be her breakthrough job, Yamamoto is said to have been attending English conversation and cookery classes.
• Celtic's Japanese midfielder Nakamura Shunsuke (26) scored from a spectacular free kick to defeat powerhouse Manchester United in the Champions Legaue in front of home fans early this morning, Japan time. He is the first Japanese player to reach the last 16 of Europe's top club championship. United missed a last minute penalty, and the 1-0 final score ensured that Celtic would finish no lower than second in their group. United now need a result against Benfica in two weeks to qualify. Nakamura also scored a free kick against the English Premier League leaders earlier in the group stage but was on the losing end of a 3-2 scoreline.
• Talento and mangaka Ebisu Yoshikazu (59) is getting remarried. He went through a period of depression after losing his wife to pulmonary hypertension in 2001. Two years later, the weekly women's magazine Josei Jishin set up an omiai, or arranged meeting with a view to marriage, with four women. Ebisu met his new fiancee (40) at that time, and he says he knew at first sight that he wanted to marry her. He is known to be a huge fan of kyoutei (motorboat racing), and her home in Osaka is close to the local racing venue. Their first date was at the Tamagawa Kyouteijo in western Tokyo.
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Oasis Top the Charts | November 21, 2006 |
 The latest single from Mr. Children is their 25th straight chart-topping hit. "Shirushi" entered the Oricon singles chart at No.1, putting the band in second place to rock unit B'z, who have done it an amazing 38 straight times. In the album charts, "Stop the Clocks", the first greatest hits collection from Oasis, is at No.1. Surprisingly, it's only the third time ever that a western artist has had two consecutive chart-topping albums, and the first time in more than 11 years. And the soundtrack for Fuji TV's drama "Nodame Cantabile" has reached No.7, the highest ranking for an album of classical music. The series is based on a best-selling manga.
• Hollywood actor Watanabe Ken (47) is the face of the new Nissan Skyline. He appeared at a launch event for the company's flagship sedan in Ginza yesterday. He took the opportunity to send encouragement to baseball pitcher Matsuzaka Daisuke (26), who may soon also be headed for a new career in the U.S. A new Nissan TV commercial featuring Watanabe airs from today.
• And continuing the theme of music and TV commercials, popular rock/hip hop group Dragon Ash are to do a CM tie-up for the first time. Their new single, "Rainy" will be used in the CM for snowboard brand kissmark, which will feature vocalist Kj (27) showing off some of his moves. The single goes on sale December 6.
• And finally, guitar legend Eric Clapton (61) was back "home" yesterday. His latest Japan tour, which opened in Osaka, arrived at the venerable Nippon Budokan, one of his favorite venues. Stopping between songs only to greet the 10,000 fans with "Domo arigato", Clapton played a 17-song set that included the classic blues number "Five Long Years". Two new dates have been added at the Budokan on December 8 & 9. That will bring his total to 70 shows at the venue, putting him third behind local legends Yazawa Eikichi and Matsuda Seiko, who have played there 82 times each.
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Tarantino, Miike Team Up Again | November 20, 2006 |
 Quentin Tarantino (43) is to have a cameo role in the new movie by Miike Takashi (46). A hugely prolific director with 34 movies in the last 11 years, Miike has tried his hand at comedy, violence and horror. For his latest project, "Sukiyaki Western Django", he is turning for inspiration to the 'spaghetti westerns' of the 1960s, with Franco Nero's "Django" (1966) being one of the most influential. Tarantino, whose role is described simply as a 'mystery man', will be in Japan later this month to film his scenes. Filming began at the Syonai Eigamura open set in Yamagata Prefecture at the weekend. The movie stars Itoh Hideaki (31) and, borrowing heavily from old Japanese history, involves a rivalry between the "Genji Gang" and the "Heike Gang". The Japanese cast members, including "Memoirs of a Geisha" star Momoi Kaori, Sato Koji and Kimura Yoshino, spent two months in intensive language training to handle the script, which is all in English. The theme song, "Sasurai no Jango", is sung by veteran enka star Kitajima Saburo (70). Miike recently had a guest appearance in "Hostel", the splatter movie produced by Tarantino, who has heavily influenced his work. "I wanted Tarantino to be in this project as I see him as the 'anti-Hollywood', someone who's trying to change Hollywood," he said. Django is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2007 and is sure to feature in film festivals worldwide.
• Another U.S.-Japan tie up is between hip hop star Kanye West (29) and the 5-man unit Teriyaki Boyz, led by fashion leader Nigo (35). West is due to visit Japan later this month to take part in an event organized by fashion brand Fendi and produced by Nigo. West will be performing and will feature the new song "I Still Love H.E.R.", though the single isn't due for release till January 24. He first met Nigo three years ago on his maiden visit to Japan and was originally supposed to take part in last year's Boyz debut album, "Beef or Chicken". That plan fell through due mainly to West's rapid success.
• Up and coming actress Mimura (22) announced that she married conductor Kim Seikyo (36) on November 15. Sources say the couple are already living together in Tokyo. Kim is decribed as the new Ozawa Seiji in classical music circles. The couple met on the set of last year's movie "Kono Mune Ippai no Ai wo", in which Mimura played a violinist and Kim a conductor.
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Wakatsuki Hospitalized | November 18, 2006 |
 It seems the ailment that bothering popular talento and pin-up girl Wakatsuki Chinatsu (22) is more serious than it seemed. As we reported here about ten days ago, she recently underwent checks at a hospital after suffering from stress and exhaustion. A regular on six TV shows and two on the radio, she had to suddenly cancel her recording of two Fuji TV horse-racing shows. She had been resting at home since the beginning of the month but her condition is said to have remained the same, and doctors have advised her to check into hospital for treatment of up to a week. The last couple of months of the year are the busiest for many celebrities, with a whole host of year-end special programs being recorded.
• Major record label Avex has announced that it is establishing a fully-owned Chinese subsidiary. The company that has such top stars as Hamasaki Ayumi and Koda Kumi on its books will be aiming to develop local talent from its new Avex China office in Beijing. The company begins operations from today.
• Actor Nakaya Noboru died at a Tokyo hospital of chronic lung disease on Thursday. He was 77. A veteran of stage, movies and TV, he was married to actress Kishida Kyoko from 1954 to 1978. He was a founding member of En, one of Japan's leading theater troupes.
• Flamboyant comedian Michael (34) has been taking a break since the end of October. It turns out the reason is that he's looking after his mother, who had a stroke in September. He made his showbiz debut in 1990 in the musical "Starlight Express" and later was a member of an idol group, a dancer and a choreographer before turning to comedy in 2002.
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Divorce for Hirosue Ryoko? | November 17, 2006 |
 Actress Hirosue Ryoko is planning to file for divorce from her husband of three years, according to the Josei Seven weekly magazine. It claims she and their young child have moved out of the home she shares with model-turned-designer Okazawa Takahiro (29). Her management agency has completely denied the rumors. The couple married in December 2003 and they had a son, Hiroshi, the following April. Hirosue returned to her career at the end of 2004. She appears in tomorrow's Fuji TV drama "Tokyo Tower" and her latest movie "Presents" opens on December 9.
• Christmas with Michael Jackson? The troubled superstar (48) hasn't given up on his Japanese fans and will be in Tokyo on December 19 for a one-off event described as a "Christmas Party". Tickets come in two colors, 1,400 gold tickets at ¥200,000 apiece, that come with food and drinks; and 200 platinum tickets at a whopping ¥400,000 each, which also include a group photo with the King of Pop, who is not officially scheduled to perform.
• SMAP leader Nakai Masahiro (34) and actress Nakama Yukie (27) are to be the emcees of this year's Kohaku Uta Gassen. An invitation to appear, and particularly as a presenter, on NHK's annual song spectacle remains one of the biggest honors in Japanese showbiz, despite the fact that the show's once dominant audience ratings have dropped in recent years. One reason for the decline is thought to be the decision in 2001 to have NHK announcers present the show. Ratings got a boost last year when Nakama, recently chosen as Japan's most popular female celebrity, co-presented with "Mr. Showbiz" Mino Monta. The ever-popular Nakai will take on the job for the first time since 1998. There were rumors that recently retired baseball star Shinjo Tsuyoshi (34) might get the call, but NHK clearly decided to play it safe. With his huge fan base, he is still likely to get an invite to appear in some capacity. The coming weeks will see official announcements of the show's lineup.
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Another Big Couple | November 16, 2006 |
 There seems to be no end to the showbiz wedding rush! The latest big couple are actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and popular comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32). They have yet to make a formal announcement but their agencies have acknowledged their relationship and did not refute the prediction of a wedding early next year published in this week's issue of women's weekly magazine "Josei Seven". The magazine says that Fujiwara and her mother attended a live performance by Jinnai in Tokyo earlier this month. Jinnai later went to Fujiwara's home in the capital to formally meet her mother. The couple, both from Hyogo Prefecture, started going out just a few months ago after appearing together in the NTV drama "59-me no Propose" in July. Fujiwara is a former Miss Japan and model and stands 3cm taller than her new fiance. She made her acting debut in 1995 and has since appeared in a wide range of TV dramas. She's also a fan of combat sports and has been an announcer many times for Fuji TV's popular K-1 broadcasts. Last year she visited Afghanistan and held an exhibition of photos she took in the war-torn country. She has previously been in serious relationships with actor Kato Masaya (43) and Skoop on Somebody vocalist Take (37). Jinnai joined the Yoshimoto Kogyo talent agency in 1992 and started out as one half of a manzai duo, but found more success as a "pin geinin" or solo comedy act from 1995. He is known as an avid fan of the Hanshin Tigers baseball team.
 Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood (76) met Japanese fans in Tokyo for the first time yesterday. He was at the Nippon Budokan for the world premiere of his latest directorial project, "Letters From Iwo Jima". He shared the red carpet and later the stage with the movie's star Watanabe Ken (47) and other Japanese cast members, including Itoh Tsuyoshi (43), Kase Ryo (32) and Ninomiya Kazunari (23), a member of pop group Arashi. It is Eastwood's fourth time in Japan but the first time he has spoken directly with local fans. The movie tells the story of the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima form the Japanese side, and is a companion piece to the earlier-released "Flags of Our Fathers".
• There are rumors of romance between retired soccer star Nakata Hidetoshi (29) and model Shirayuki (20). The two recently visited Tahiti together, where they spent a couple of nights at an exclusive resort. Quizzed by the media, Shirayuki said they are still just good friends.
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Tamura's Final Fling | November 15, 2006 |
 Tamura Masakazu may be 63 but he can pull the chicks! Or at least so we're expected to believe in "Last Love", in which he wins the heart of the gorgeous - and much younger - Ito Misaki (29). The pair were on location in New York recently filming scenes in Central Park. Tamura, the biggest name in TV dramas and perhaps best known for his role as the Colombo-like detective Furuhata Ninzaburo, spent several months mastering the saxophone for the movie. He plays a NY-based jazz musician who loses his wife and gives up his career to return home to Japan. The Big Apple is a familiar location for Tamura, who starred in the 1988 Fuji TV drama series "New York Love Story", and revived that role for a special in 2004. Those dramas were directed by Fujita Akiji and produced by Nakayama Kazuki, who have teamed up again for this latest movie project. The son of screen legend Bando Tsumasaburo (1901-53) and known for never needing more than one take, Tamura made most of his 40-plus movies in the 1960s and early 70s. But "Last Love" is his first movie since 1993 and only his third in the last 27 years. "I've done a fair bit of TV comedy in recent years, but it's been a long time since I did a serious love story," he said. "It's true that I've been on the run from the movie business. I've become worried about how I look on the big screen, and on TV I don't have to meet the audience."
• Matsuda Ryuhei (23) is to take over a drama role originally meant for troubled kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (34). Nakamura stood down from the NHK drama "Hagetaka" following recent scandals and rumors of a divorce from actress Takeuchi Yuko (26). Matsuda is the son of the late screen legend Matsuda Yusaku and has worked mostly in movies. This will be his first major role in a TV drama series.
• Three male announcers with Asahi Housou in Osaka have been punished for sexual harrassment in three separate cases. Two of the employees were suspended for three months while one received a reprimand. The revelation comes after similar cases at NTV in September and Fuji TV last month.
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Oshio, Yada Hitched | November 14, 2006 |
 The wedding rush continues. The latest showbiz couple to announce their marriage is actress Yada Akiko (27) and actor/singer Oshio Manabu (28), who registered their marriage at a Tokyo city office yesterday. Oshio, who sings under the name Liv, made the first announcement on his official fan club website immediately afterwards. Yada's management agency, who anticipated the usual speculation by saying that she is not pregnant, then sent a fax to the media. The couple started going out after co-starring in last year's TBS drama "Yume de Aimashou". Last December the media speculated whether their New Year trip to Hawaii and California was to get married in the sun (including that trip, they have been to Hawaii three times already). The couple, seeming pretty annoyed by the attention, made no attempt to hide their relationship but refused to speak to reporters. Even now that they've tied the knot, they have no intention of holding a press conference and there are no plans for a wedding ceremony. Yada has been working a lot less since their romance became public and has not done any TV work since the "Top Caster" drama series in the summer. Oshio has put his acting career on hold and is said to be working on an album as Liv.
• Comedian Murata Nagisa was found dead of a brain haemorrhage at his Tokyo home on Sunday. He was just 35. A member of the popular comedy duo Folk Dance DE Narukozaka in the 1990s, he went solo in 1999. Last year he formed the manzai duo Hana Engine. They were returning from a regional radio show last Friday when Murata complained to his partner that he was feeling unwell. When he failed to answer his cell phone the following day, his agency contacted the caretaker at his apartment building, who found him face down in his futon.
• Shinjo Tsuyoshi (34) has his first job since retiring as a champion baseball player - he's set to appear on next Monday's edition of the popular SMAPxSMAP variety show. Ever stylish, Shinjo is likely to draw as much attention to his choice of fashion as much as anything else.
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Weekend Roundup - A Star is Born | November 13, 2006 |
 14-year old Ishibashi Anna is the newest idol on the block. She was chosen from over 38,000 hopefuls at the 31st Hori Pro Scout Caravan, an annual event held to find the young female stars of the future. She joins a long list of celebrities who have made their debuts this way with the major Hori Pro talent agency, including Sakakibara Ikue (47), Imori Miyuki (38), Fukuda Kyoko (24) and more recently Ishihara Satomi (19). Hori Pro describe Ishibashi as being the brightest hope of the last few years and having a "perfect face", and say they plan to turn her into a top actress. Still a second-year student at a public junior high school in her native Fukouka Prefecture, she won a trophy, ¥1 million in cash and a trip to New Caledonia. But more importantly, she has a major role in next February's TV Asahi drama series "Shissou Holiday".
• Kanda Uno (31) is clearly an old-fashioned girl at heart. At a press conference this morning to formally announce her engagement to business tycoon Nishimura Takuro (36), she told how she and her fiance had held the traditional "yuinou" or ceremonial exchange of nine engagement gifts. Dressed in a gorgeous red furisode (long-sleeved) kimono and gold obi, she also showed off her new 5-carat diamond engagement ring to the media at a posh Italian restaurant in downtown Tokyo.
• Talento Iijima Ai (34) has cancelled appearances on several of her five regular weekly shows with what is described as "a cold". It may be just a coincidence that the popular former porn star revealed on her blog at the weekend that she was once swindled out of a considerable sum of money by her management. She didn't reveal the amount or other details, though she did mention the figure of ¥100 million. Sources say the incident dates back about two years.
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Uno's Rich Wedding | November 10, 2006 |
 It seems that Kanda Uno (31) is finally about to tie the knot. The media have been hounding her for years about her marriage intentions with a string of boyfriends, but the former ballet dancer has always been coy. The daughter of a bureaucrat, she has long had the reputation as being an expensive girlfriend who enjoys the high life, and so it's only fitting that her latest partner is extremely wealthy. Nishimura Takuro (36) is the CEO of the Nittaku group of leisure companies that includes pachinko and real estate businesses and has annual sales of over ¥200 billion. Kanda herself has proven to be a shrewd businesswoman, milking her celebrity for all its worth in starting up her own fashion business. She built a ¥500 million home in Tokyo on her earnings from an original pantyhose line. She recently put on a fashion show her range of wedding dresses and no doubt will soon be wearing one of her own designs up the aisle. She is scheduled to give a press conference at a fashionable Italian restaurant in Akasaka on November 13 and, as Kanda's and Nishimura's families recently met formally at a Tokyo hotel, an official wedding announcement is a given. Sources say that, unlike with many celebrity wedding announcements (including Kanada's good friend Umemiya Anna, now divorced) no babies are on the way yet. As Kanda has another big project keeping her busy till the end of the year, a wedding ceremony next spring - possibly on her birthday on March 28 - is most likely.
• Murata Koichi, a leading illustrator with Studio Ghibli, died at a Mitaka hospital on November 7. He was 67. Real name Kiyo Teru and from Niigata prefecture, he worked on many anime projects with directors Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao.
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One More Time For Izam | November 09, 2006 |
 Here we go again! The latest showbiz couple to announce a shotgun wedding are popular pin-up girl Yoshioka Miho (26) and singer Izam (34). It seems that Yoshioka is three months pregnant, which may at least put to rest any doubts people have about Izam's sexual orientation. The once cross-dressing singer of visual-kei rock group Shazna failed to convince many people with his brief marriage to talento Yoshikawa Hinano (26). They got hitched in September 1999, but it lasted only seven months. With their relationship regarded as no more than a publicity stunt, the couple were ridiculed as "playing house". And though Izam and Yoshioka are said to have been dating for a year, the engagement comes at a time when Shazna are reforming. So this marriage is likely to be viewed as suspiciously as the first. Izam (real name Hine Yoshikazu) has shed the girly image (as in the photo above) and made his debut as a movie director this summer. Yoshioka started as a race queen at the age of 20 and made a breakthrough with the catchphrase "kakete miho" in a TV commercial for hair restoration maker Aderans. She is considered the original "iyashi-kei" idol. She and Izam are still living separately and are said to be looking for a new home in Tokyo. They plan to have a wedding ceremony next year.
• This year's Best Smile awards go to actress Kuroki Hitomi (46) and Olympic champion hammer thrower Murofushi Koji (32). Sponsored by the Japan Dental Association, the award ceremony was held yesterday, November 8, which when written 11-8 can be read "ii ha" or "good teeth" in Japanese. Naruhodo...
• Actress Konishi Manami (28) has landed her first leading role in a TV drama. She will play a young medical resident in January's TBS series "Kirakira Kenshui" (Sparkling Resident), a comedy based on a popular blog that receives over 30,000 views per day. Konishi's romantic interest will be played by singer Wentz Eiji (21) in his first major role. Wentz, whose father is American but who speaks hardly any English, is one half of the popular pop duo WaT.
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Best Formalists | November 08, 2006 |
 The Best Formalists for this year are actress Yonekura Ryoko (31) and Italian model and man about town Girolamo Panzetta (44). Naturally enough, both turned up at the ceremony to give out the awards, sponsored by the Japan Formal Wear Association, in suitably formal attire. Panzetta wore a tuxedo, while Yonekura was stunning as always in a cream-colored backless dress and ¥12 million-worth of Tiffany jewelery. Asked if she had any comment about the romance between her former boyfriend, kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo (28) and talento Sato Eriko (24), Yonekura said, "Not really. I'm envious, I guess. I'll do my best, too!" Panzetta is regarded as the pioneer of the "choi-waru" look, describing middle-aged guys who like to look a "little bit bad".
• Also sporting the Tiffany look yesterday was actress Koyuki (29), who was the official guest at the opening of this year's illuminations at Roppongi Hills. In a flowing pink dress and wearing Tiffany bling of diamond ring, necklace and bracelet worth ¥100 million, she pushed the button to light up the 400m of illuminated trees. Also at the event were model Oshikiri Moe (26) and actor Nagai Masaru (28).
• Comedian Shimizu Kyoichi died last Saturday at his home in Osaka from a blood clot in his lung. He was just 41. A former member of the Yoshimoto manzai duo Pinokkio, he recently had been appearing in Yoshimoto's theater revues.
• Talento Wakatsuki Chinatsu (22) recently underwent checks at a hospital after suffering from stress and exhaustion. The popular young celebrity appears on six regular TV shows and two more on the radio. She had to suddenly cancel her recording of two Fuji TV horse-racing shows last weekend. She is expected to return soon for the busy year-end recording rush.
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Flying Start for Death Note Sequel | November 07, 2006 |
 Sequel movie "Death Note - The Last Name" had the best opening weekend of any domestic movie this year. In the three days since it opened in theaters on November 3, it pulled in ¥1.2 billion at the box office and was seen by almost a million people. As it was a three-day holiday weekend, the figures are not an exact comparison, but Studio Ghibli's latest anime release "Gedo Senki" (Tales From Earthsea) made about ¥950 million in its first three days in July. Death Note stars Fujiwara Tatsuya (photo right, 24) and Matsuyama Kenichi (photo left, 21) were in Tokyo's Shibuya CinePalace yesterday to greet fans who helped raise the total audience above the one million barrier. Distributors Warner Entertainment Japan say they expect the two movies to make them a total of over ¥10 billion. Revenue will also get a boost from a Death Note tribute album, due to be released on December 20 and featuring artists such as Orange Range who are fans of the original manga series. Read our Death Note feature article.
• Actress Sudo Risa (30) is the latest to announce a "shotgun wedding". Her management agency faxed the media yesterday saying that she registered her marriage on November 5, an auspicious "tai-an" day in the traditional Japanese calendar. She is expecting a baby next February. There was no info about her new husband except to say that the couple met about six years ago. A friend of the actress say they started dating in 2004. A stage and TV veteran of 20 years, Sudo recently appeared in the theatrical production "Jailbreakers", staring Tokio's Matsuoka Masahiro (29). She has appeared in popular TV drama series including "Yamato Nadeshiko" and "Densha Otoko".
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World Rakugo | November 06, 2006 |
 Veteran rakugoka, led by Katsura Utamaro (70), had them rolling in the aisles last week, not in Tokyo or Osaka but in New York. The host of long-running NTV entertainment show "Shoten" and three others put on a performance of the traditional Japanese comedy in their own language for a full house of about 280 at the Japan Society in Manhattan. Thanks to his storytelling skill and with a little help from English subtitles on a screen behind him, Utamaru had the audience of Japanese and locals in stitches as he regaled them for 30 minutes with his story "Shirimochi". "There were some foreign audience members who were laughing the whole time. It was great!", he enthused. He was supported by Sanshotei Yumetaro (58), Sanshotei Charaku (64) and Hayashiya Imamaru (64). Rakugoka rely on just two props, a folding fan and a towel, as they sit seiza-style on a cushion and give their well-honed renditions of stories that often go back generations. Utamaru will visit Mexico next May with fellow performer Sanyutei Rakutaro (56), and in November he has a show scheduled in India.
• Former sumo Yokozuna Musashimaru (35) is to make his Hollywood debut in next year's movie "Ocean's 13" with George Clooney (45) and Brad Pitt (41). It is the first time for a member of the Sumo Council to appear in a movie. He and fellow former Grand Champion Akebono recently filmed a scene where they play themselves in their sumo heyday, fighting in a sumo basho (tournament) in Las Vegas. "It was fun," said the Samao-born oyakata (stablemaster).
• Multiple Grammy award winner John Legend (27) will play his first ever Japan dates next January. Supporting his recently released second album, "Once Again", he wil play Osaka's Nanba Hatch (Jan. 10), Tokyo International Forum (Jan. 11) and Nagoya Diamond Hall (Jan. 13).
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It's a Wrap on Nana 2 | November 04, 2006 |
 Filming has recently finished on "Nana 2", the sequel to last year's hit movie based on the popular manga of the same name. Scheduled to open on December 9, it again stars singer Nakashima Mika (22), who shares the top billing this time with up-and-coming starlet Ichikawa Yui (20). Nakashima is the only surviving member of the original cast, which included young stars like Miyazaki Aoi, Narimiya Hiroki, Matsuda Ryuhei and Matsuyama Kenichi. But director Otani Kentaro is confident it will surpass the more than ¥4 billion it pulled in at the box office. Despite the recent evening chill during the final shoot by the Arakawa River in Tokyo, Nakashima donned her leather and miniskirt punk look, while Ichikawa was in a summer yukata. Both were in tears when Otani presented them with bouquets to mark the end of filming. The story of female friendship is similar to that of the first movie, about a chance encounter of two girls with the name Nana. Ichikawa started out as a in-up girl and made her movie debut in ther 2003 horror hit "Juon" (re-made as the Hollywood hit The Grudge). She has also appeared in several TV dramas and released a few pop singles. Nakashima is one of the most popular young female vocalists in Japan. Her debut album True (2002) was a million seller and she's already released 20 singles.
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Kato Cha Hospitalized | November 03, 2006 |
 Popular comedian Kato Cha (63) has been hospitalized and has had to cancel TV appearances. The exact nature of his condition has not been publicized but is thought to be a circulatory problem. He was admitted to a Tokyo hospital on October 30 and has been undergoing tests. He is expected to spend a significant time in the hospital. Several years ago he was diagnosed with hardened arteries and possible angina and has been undergoing treatment. He is scheduled to appear with Nakamoto Koji (65) and Takagi Boo (73) as the Kobucha Band in a dinner show tour next month. Both are fellow former members of The Drifters, Japan's most famous comedy group of all time. The Drifters reigned Japanese TV from the late 1960s to the mid-80s. As a comedy band, they opened for the Beatles at the Budokan in 1966 and a few years later their show "Hachiji Da Yo! Zen'in Shugo" became a TV phenomenon. With rankings rarely below 40%, the irreverent comic variety show set new standards for live TV crudity. It was the show parents tried to prevent their children from watching but with little success. After the show's demise in 1985, members Kato and Shimura Ken started their own series and they remain two of TV's most recognizable faces, especially when in character.
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Yuko's Jump in Commercial Value | November 02, 2006 |
 Actress Takeuchi Yuko (26) is being inundated with new commercial offers. It's probably no coincidence that her impending divorce from playboy kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (34) comes at a time when she is getting back to work. Her management are casting her in the divorce story as the victim (which she very well may be) of Nakamura's womanizing, and a typical working single mother. The couple have a son of just 9 months. Takeuchi is currently appearing in four TV commercials, for which she is thought to have received about ¥50 million apiece. And given her recent publicity and the fact that it will likely boost her image among women, recent offers for new commercials are likely to make her over ¥100 million each. A similar phenomenon was seen after the divorces of such stars as singer Amuro Namie and actress Iijima Naoko. The TV wide shows have benn showing a video of the making of Takeuchi's new movie "Saidokaa ni Inu" (Dog in the Sidecar), which recently started production and is due for release in autumn 2007. See yesterday's story for more on her divorce.
• Aichi Prefecture police arrested a 26-year-old company employee for online ticket fraud. Over a period of 18 months, the Toyama Prefecture resident offered tickets, such as for popular Johnny's group Arashi, for sale through a mobile BBS site. Through about 50 such swindles he made around ¥1.5 million.
• Actor and singer Matsudaira Ken has finally become a father at the age of 52. His second wife, former idol singer Matsumoto Yuriko (38), gave birth to a baby boy on October 31. The couple married at the end of last year. matsudaira was for many years best known for his samurai roles until he had a huge hit in 2004 with the pop single "Matsuken Samba II".
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Speed Divorce for Shido, Yuko | November 01, 2006 |
 Kabuki actor Nakamura Shido really does seem to be messing his life up. And it looks as though his beautiful wife of less than a year and a half has had enough. The last few months have seen Nakamura (34) involved in a drunk driving incident and a series of alleged affairs. At a time when his stage and screen career are about to take off, it looks like the one taking off is actress Takeuchi Yuko (26). They are already separated and have started discussing a divorce settlement. Their marriage in June 2005 made them one of showbiz's big couples, though the fact that Takeuchi was pregnant at the time was a warning sign. She gave birth to a son last November and the rumors of her husband's philandering started soon after. According to sources, Takeuchi filed for divorce through her lawyer at the beginning of October. It seems that she and her son have basically been living at her management office since the time of Nakamura's drunk driving incident in July. At the time, young actress Okamoto Aya (23) was in the car with him. He made very public apologies but was soon seen out on the town with stage co-star Takaoka Saki (33).
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