Japan Entertainment News - February 2007
Kano Sisters to Go to Court | February 28, 2007 |
 The "Gorgeous Kano Sisters" drama has escalated. Though her elder sister Kyoko (44, photo center) earlier this month reported to police that she stole jewelery worth ¥400 million, a lawyer for Oyama Harue (photo left) stated yesterday that she took only what belonged to her when she moved out of her Tokyo home in January. She has also insisted that the items she took are worth far less than her elder sister claimed. On hearing that her sister had decided to file a criminal complaint and sue her for the return of the items, she replied that she would answer the case in court. It was widely speculated that the whole affair was simply a stunt by the never publicity-shy sisters to promote a new book by Kyoko, but it now looks like the matter will go to the courts. Such a court case would probably reveal to the public for the first time much of the financial dealings of the Kano Sisters, the funding of whose extravagant lifestyle has always been something of a mystery. Another mystery is the man in Harue's life, described as a Belgian whose family is connected with the jewelery business, and whom she met in France two years ago. He is said to have been living off her in her Tokyo home, but she was hoping to marry him.
• Actor Takamatsu Hideo died of a heart attack at his home on Monday morning. He was 77. A popular character actor in many TV dramas such as "Judo Icchokusen", which ran on TBS from 1969 to 1971, he was working right up until his death. He started working last Thursday on location in Ibaraki Prefecture for a new TV Tokyo drama. Complaining that he was feeling unwell, he returned to his Kanagawa prefecture home by express bus on Sunday night. His wife, former fashion model Yoko (71), awoke on Monday morning to find his body cold and lifeless. A TV Tokyo spokesman said the network has yet to decide whether to re-shoot or even continue making the drama.
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Japan Misses Out on Oscars | February 27, 2007 |
 Ah well, maybe next year. Japan failed to produce its first acting Oscar in 49 years last night as Kikuchi Rinko (26) lost out to Jennifer Hudson (25) for the best supporting actress award. The relatively unknown Kikuchi has had a dream ride with her new found fame and success in the movie "Babel" and remained pretty upbeat. "The awards are over now, so I've completely 'graduated' from Babel. The Oscars were really fun and a great experience. Through this movie I've learned so much and the world has opened up for me." She's already working on her next Hollywood project, co-starring with Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody in "The Brothers Bloom".
Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood's gritty WWII film "Letters From Iwo Jima" was pipped for the best picture award by Martin Scorsese's "The Departed", the remake of Hong Kong flick "Infernal Affair", which also won Scorsese the best director Oscar on his sixth nomination. Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren won the best actor and actress awards, with Alan Arkin recognized as the best supporting actor.
 Filmed entirely in Japanese with a Japanese cast, "Letters..." failed to become the first totally foreign-language movie to win best picture and of its four nominations it took only the award for best sound editing. But the movie's star, and 2004 best supporting actor nominee, Watanabe Ken (47, shown with wife Minami Kaho) got his moment in the spotlight. Together with veteran French actress Catherine Deneuve, he presented a feature on the 50-year history of foreign films at the Oscars. He spoke in confident English that no doubt made him the envy of many a Nova student! Another Japanese who missed out this year was makeup artist Tsuji Kazuhiro (37), who was nominated for his work on the Adam Sandler movie "Click".
• Guitarist Ohmura Tasshin (31) has quit the rock trio Kururi. The band will continue as a duo with Kishida Shigeru (30) on vocals and bassist Sato Masashi (30), who is also president of their record label "Noise McCartney Records". Another former member of the band is drummer Christopher Mcguire (31), who was later briefly with Kid Dakota in the U.S.
• Actress Itaya Yuka (31) has married stylist Furuta Hirohiko (40). The two first met about 12 years ago, but started dating in 2005.
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End of an Era | February 26, 2007 |
 Veteran rakugoka Sanyuutei Enraku (74) left his audience in tears yet again in Tokyo yesterday. But while they are usually tears of laughter, yesterday his fans were filled with mixed emotions. The former host of popular NHK show "Shoten" was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage in October 2005 and made his comeback to the stage a year later. He said that he would use yesterday's performance to decide his future. It was standing room only at the National Engei Hall and some members of the audience could be seen wiping tears from their eyes during his 45-minute act. But Enraku announced after the show that he was bringing his 53-year career to an end, saying "It's no good, no good at all. I'm going to retire as a storyteller." He added that he would be embarrassed to ask people to pay money to see him when he can no longer perform at his best. He will most likely continue to make occasional appearances as a guest performer, and plans to continue as leader of the Enraku Ichimonkai school of rakugo. All but one of his apprentices are in their 50s and 60s and have become stars, and he has said he would like to continue until Ouraku (29) also reaches the top level. Enraku has been undergoing dialysis treatment for nine years and his poor health forced him to retire after 23 years as the host of Shoten last year. He had been a performer on the show since its start in 1966.
• Johnny's Jimusho idol Takizawa Hideaki (24) fell on a staircase and fractured his nose last Friday. But the show must go on, so he and partner Imai Tsubasa (25) performed two scheduled concerts as Tackey & Tsubasa in Nagoya over the weekend. Takizawa missed Friday's recording of the TBS show "Zubari Iuwayo!" and had to wear a face mask for the concerts. His injury is expected to take a month to heal.
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Mori Saga Continues | February 24, 2007 |
 Enka singer Mori Shinichi (59) has been trying to make up with composer Kawauchi Kouhan (86) but with no success. Kawauchi is furious with Mori for singing an altered version of his 1971 hit "O-fukuro-san" and has refused to let him perform any of his songs or to even meet with him. Mori and his staff tried to meet with Kawauchi without an appointment at his Tokyo hotel yesterday but were turned away. Mori left a letter and said he would return every day until Kawauchi agreed to meet him. Kawauchi checked out of the hotel last night. (See earlier stories for more details)
• The online music business continues to show solid growth in Japan. Last year's revenues from music downloads totalled ¥53.4 billion, an increase of 56% over 2005. Of the total, about 90% was downloaded to mobile phones. This was the first time the total exceeded that of CD single sales, which were at ¥50.8 billion, and it is fast catching up on revenues from DVDs and other music video recordings, which were ¥56.8 billion. Excluding download sales, the total revenue from music-related software was &408.4 billion, continuing an 8-year slide from 1999's high of ¥607.4 billion.
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Madonna, Leo Flogging Tokyo Real Estate | February 23, 2007 |
 Madonna (48) has been chosen as the latest international celebrity to promote a new luxury apartment complex in Tokyo. In a sign that Tokyo's property market is indeed on the up, the singer will appear in TV, web and newspaper advertising for a new 33-floor high rise in the Ariake bayside area. The TV commercials are directed by fashion designer and long-time Madonna collaborator Steve Klein. The Brillia Mare Ariake complex is being built by a trio of companies including Tokyo Kenbutsu, whose spokesman said Madonna suited the area's "international image". They won't be revealing the amount paid to the Material Girl, but the advertising budget is thought to be about 3% of the development's total sales value. There are 1,081 apartments in all, so assuming a conservative average price of ¥50 million, that adds up to more than ¥1.6 billion ($13.5 million) in advertising alone. Madonna is likely to get a decent chunk of that. But with the project not due for completion till March 2009 and Ariake being built on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay, what happens if an earthquake wipes out the whole area in the meantime?
 Tokyo Kenbutsu used French actor Jean Reno to help sell apartments in Kinshicho three years ago, while Orix Real Estate are currently using the star appeal of Leonardo DiCaprio (32) to sell their "Re-Tokyo Project". As for local talent, Mitsui Fudosan have enlisted the enduring popular appeal of SMAP and actress Kuroki Hitomi, and Hollywood-based Watanabe Ken has been signed up by Nomura Fudosan to plug a development in the Tokyo sleeper town of Urayasu that goes on sale next month.
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Kano Sisters Turn on the Tears | February 22, 2007 |
 The "Gorgeous Kano Sisters" know that there's no such thing as bad publicity. Yet they insisted yesterday that all the fuss about the missing sister is not a stunt. Harue, the younger sister of Kano Kyoko (44) who said she had trusted her 1000%, is said to have absconded with some ¥500-million worth of her jewelry. Kyoko even reported the matter to police earlier this month. Harue, who worked as a manager for the other two celebrities, went missing earlier in the year along with the borrowed items. The media wanted to talk about nothing else at a PR event for the sisters' latest book, "Love & Sex". All the fuss certainly won't hurt book sales, though Kyoko insisted that it would harm its image. Yeah, right. As younger "sister" Mika wept beside her, she also added that the stress had caused her to lose 5kg in two weeks. Could there be a diet book on the way, too?!
• Another TV network has had to fess up to a "netsuzou" scandal. TV Tokyo president Sugaya Sadahiko (68) apologized to viewers, sponsors and comedienne Yamada Hanako (31) for faking the content of one of its shows. Sugaya will take a 20% cut in salary for one month, while four executives were punished. The show, broadcast on January 6, featured Yamada on a yoga diet, and included what it said was blood samples showing how her circulation had improved, though it was actually a director's blood that was shown. TV Tokyo, which was caught in a similar case in January 2005, has severed ties with Human View, the production company responsible for the show.
• In Tokyo yesterday promoting his latest movie was Hollywood star Nicholas Cage (43). With him was "Ghost Rider" director Mark Steven Johnson. At a press conference, Cage was joined on stage by talento Moto Fuyuki (55), who calls himself a Nicholas Cage lookalike. But standing next to one another, he had to admit the resemblance was non-existant.
• Guns 'n' Roses are following up last year's summer festival appearance with a full Japan tour. Their first Japan tour in 14 years will kick off at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba Prefecture on April 14-15, followed by Nagoya's Rainbow Hall on the 18 and two dates at Intex Osaka on April 21-22. After achieving mega-success in the late 1980s and early '90s, the band broke up in 1993. Vocalist Axel Rose (45) put together a new lineup in 2001 and the Japan shows will be the first of a world tour in support of the upcoming album "Chinese Democracy".
• Singer Suga Shikao (40) cancelled a radio appearance yesterday due to acute bronchitis. He was scheduled to appear on the local radio station FM Sendai, but has been advised to rest. he has a couple of concerts coming up at the end of the month in Tokyo to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his debut.
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Singer, Songwriter Fall Out | February 21, 2007 |
It seems that enka singer Mori Shinichi (59) has bitten the hand that feeds him. Songwriter Kawauchi Kouhan (86) is furious that Mori has been performing a version of his best-known hit, "O-Fukuro-san", that is different from the one he wrote. The weird thing is that the hit dates back to 1971 and Mori recorded the new version, with a verse added at the beginning, as long ago as 1977. He held an emergency press conference before a televised NHK concert yesterday, and insisted that nothing had ever been said about the matter and that he left such things in the hands of his staff. Kawauchi retorted that he has been protesting about it for six or seven years. After watching a video of Mori performing on last New Year Eve's "Kohaku Uta Gassen", he insisted on a meeting with the singer and his staff last weekend. Mori cancelled at the last minute saying he had a cold. This was the last straw for Kawauchi, who insists he will never meet Mori again or allow him to perform any of the more than 30 songs he wrote for him. He has even made this formal with JASRAC, the organization that protects artist copyright, and says he is prepared to take legal action if Mori performs his songs. The singer had planned to perform "O-Fukuro-san" yesterday, but made a last-minute switch. The song, whose title means "Mother", is dedicated to Mori's own mother, who commited suicide in 1973. The added verse is an apology for being a bad son and a futile request to be scolded one more time. A bad start to the year for one of enka's top stars, who also had a rough time in 2006 when he had a messy split with Masako, his wife of almost 20 years.
• Singer-songwriter Onitsuka Chihiro (26) is coming back after an absence of more than two years. She plans to release a new single at the beginning of summer, to be followed up by her first original album with Universal Music. Her 11th single, and to date her only release with the label, was in October 2004. She has been on hiatus since failing to renew her management contract with Sony Music Artists the following January. She was the victim of a stalker in July of 2005. It wasn't until a magazine article in September 2006 that she gave any indication that she was still writing songs. Her latest recording is being produced by the renowned Kobayashi Takeshi (47), best known for his work with Mr. Children and married to My Little Lover vocalist Akko.
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Exile Grab 1000th Top Spot | February 20, 2007 |
 The 1000th single to top the Oricon weekly chart is "Michi" by pop group Exile, which entered at No.1. The ballad was up against some strong competition to grab the landmark top spot. Popular duo WaT teamed up with TV kids' character Gatchapin Mukku to record the No.2 hit, "Kimi ni Okuru Uta". Tenor Akikawa Masafumi (39) has managed to stay in the Top 3. Not only was his "Sen no Kaze ni Natte" the first classical recording to top the chart, it's also the first by a male solo artist to stay in the Top 3 for six weeks running since Fukuyama Masaharu's "Niji" in 2003. The 32nd single from Morning Musume, "Egao Yes Nude", has entered the chart at No.4. They have now made the Top 10 for ten years running, a record for a girl group. Kuraki Mai (24) has seen every one of her 26 singles enter the Top 10, extending her record for a solo female artist. Her latest, "Season of Love", entered at No.6. One spot below is the Japanese debut single from American model Leah Dizon (20). She's been busy on a recent trip to Japan, making appearances in record stores and on TV. The half French-American, half Chinese-Philippina model's self-promotional savvy has worked particularly well in Japan, and she had one of the best-selling photo books of last year.
• Kano Harue, the mysterious "second sister" of the "Gorgeous Kano Sisters", says she has nothing to hide. She visited the Akasaka police station in central Tokyo on Saturday to answer claims that she had absconded with some ¥500-million worth of jewelry belonging to Kano Kyoko (44). She says she only knew about the matter after it was reported in the media last week. Harue, who works as a manager for the other two celebrities, went missing earlier in the year along with the borrowed items, and Kyoko reported the matter to police on February 7. media will be watching for a first public comment from Kyoko on Wednesday, when she is scheduled to hold a PR event for her latest book, "Love & Sex". Wait a minute...there couldn't possibly be a connection between the timing of theses two things, could there?!
• Saturday's live partial broadcast of the wedding between actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32) managed a high 22% audience rating. It was shown only on Yomiuri TV in the Kansai region, where rain kept many people home. Similarly cold and rainy weather in the capital on Sunday meant good ratings for the first Tokyo Marathon, which reached a peak of 31.3% in the Kanto region. In Kansai, where the weather had cleared up, the figures were less than half.
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The Big Wedding | February 19, 2007 |
 The big story over the weekend was of course the wedding of actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32) on Saturday. Ikuta Jinja shrine in Kobe was surrounded by some 425 security personnel, while 2,000 fans turned out hoping for a glimpse of Fujiwara's spectacular "junihitoe" or twelve-layered kimono, and Jinnai's "sokutai" or old ceremonial court dress. But the traditional Heian Era outfits were only shown on news and variety shows. The ceremony was attended by 112 family members and close friends. A visibly tense Jinnai hardly had a chance to take it all in before heading back to a hectic work schedule. On Sunday, he had three performances at Yoshimoto's theater in Tokyo at 1pm, 4pm and 7pm, and even fitted in a guest appearance at the premiere of the movie "Parfum" at NHK Hall in Shibuya between the second and third shows. And Fujiwara is no slouch, either. She heads off to do TV location work in India tomorrow. The couple will move into a new home in the capital next month.
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Fujiwara, Jinnai - Almost Live | February 16, 2007 |
 Saturday's big wedding ceremony will be broadcast "almost" live. Yomiuri TV viewers in the Kansai region will be able to watch live coverage of actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32) speaking to the media after they tie the knot at Ikuta Jinja shrine in Kobe. But with this being the biggest showbiz wedding of recent years, other stations in the NTV network are busy negotiating for broadcast rights. Fujiwara plans to wear the spectacular "junihitoe" or twelve-layered kimono, while Jinnai will don the "sokutai" or old ceremonial court dress. The traditional ceremony will be shown in pre-recorded segments, following which the couple will hold a live press conference for about half an hour from 4:20pm. About 400 security personnel will be on hand to keep the shrine and surrounding areas clear of fans and unauthorized media.
• Stevie Wonder (56) didn't seem too upset that only about 10 fans turned out to greet him at Narita Airport. On his 15th visit to Japan, he will play a 6-date tour starting at the Saitama Super Arena on February 17/18. He was over an hour late for a press conference at his Tokyo hotel last night, but made up for it by giving a quick performance on his keyboard. He talked about how much he loved Japan, adding "I think I must have been born in Japan in a previous life".
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Gorgeous...and Gone | February 15, 2007 |
The "Gorgeous Kano Sisters" can never stay out of the news for long. This time it seems that Harue, the mysterious "second sister" (above left, in a rare photo), has disappeared and taken some of their expensive booty with her, according to women's weekly magazine "Josei Seven". The sisters, who are not actually related, were a trio when they first appeared on the scene. But Harue stopped appearing as a talento in the mid 1990's, before they really broke through. She started helping out behind the scenes as a manager three years ago. She has been out of reach since the beginning of the year and is said to have taken some ¥500 million worth of jewelry belonging to Kano Kyoko (44, photo center), who finally reported the matter to police on February 7.
• Popular fashion model Oshikiri Moe (27) and "ikemen" (handsome) NHK announcer Aoi Minoru (26) are to take on the challenge of studying English on the public network's late-night "Eigo de Shaberanaito". The pair will take over from actress Shaku Yumiko (28) and announcer Matsumoto Kazuya (39), who are leaving the show in April. Along with comedian Patrick Harlan, the presenters talk with Japanese stars about their experiences with English and interview visiting foreign celebrities. For Oshikiri it's a chance to make up for a less-than-great job she did on the show last year as a guest interviewer with stylist Patricia Field. She also had the experience of not being able to communicate in English while in New York two years ago for the fashion magazine CanCam. She has been studyng at a conversation school since but still considers herself a beginner. The six-foot-two Aoi is very popular among young feamle viewers.
• Golden Globe winner Jennifer Hudson (25) is in Japan for the first time to promote the movie "Dreamgirls". Already the winner of 25 awards for her role as singer Effie White, she is a strong candidate to take the best supporting actress Oscar. Her main rival is thought to be Japanese actress Kikuchi Rinko (25), with whom she shared an earlier newcomer's award. Hudson recently made history when she was announced as the first African American singer to grace the cover of U.S. fashion magazine Vogue. Dreamgirls opens in Japan on February 17.
• Gravel-voiced J-Wave DJ Chris Peppler (49) and talento Kimishima Yukari (27) have been married for several months, it was revealed yesterday. Appearing on a live NHK show, Peppler admitted to presenter Arudo Yumiko that they tied the knot in October of last year.
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Masato Wins Yazawa's Heart | February 14, 2007 |
 K-1 fighter Masato (27) and actress Yazawa Shin (25) announced yesterday that they got married on Sunday. They made the announcement in front of about 150 reporters and 20 TV cameras. Though they had been dating for six years to the day, it was the first time they had been photographed together. They chose to register their marriage in February after consulting with several fortune tellers, and Sunday in particular as it was an auspicious "tai-an" day in the shinto calendar. Masato's next fight is in the April final qualifiers for the World Max tournament. The middleweight, who has a 43-5-2 record, said, "If I lose, people will say it's because I got married. So I have to win!" He was the first Japanese to take the world crown in 2003. His good looks have also earned him movie and TV roles. Yazawa, whose given name Shin means "heart", made her acting debut in 1997's hit movie "Bounce Ko Gals". The couple will wait until after the World Max finals in September before having a wedding ceremony.
• Mangaka Sugi Emiko died on Friday of stomach cancer at a Yokohama hospital. She was 47. She made her debut in 1977 and was known for such works as "Gettchu" and "Adam & Eve no Houteishiki". According to the publisher Shogakkan, her manga sold over 18 million copies.
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Go! Go! Go! to Nagatacho | February 13, 2007 |
 From Goldfinger 99 to Diet member?! Go Hiromi (51) may be an idol singer well past his prime, but he could have one more surprise up his sleeve. Sources within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) say that Go is considered a prime candidate to help revive the party's slumping popularity in July's Upper House election. One of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s, he is seen as drawing votes from middle-aged women, a weak area for the LDP. If he runs, it will be under the proportional representation system. Go has expressed interest in politics in the past, but so far has stuck to mainly supporting the campaigns of showbiz friends. But now that he's in his 50's, he has more chance of being seen as a serious candidate. No doubt the LDP are heeding the lesson of the recent gubernatorial election in Miyazaki Prefecture, where comedian Sonomanma Higashi (47) won as an independent. Go has been married twice, to actress Nitani Yurie from 1989 to 1998 and to Nami, the daughter of a New York entrepreneur, from 2000 to 2005. But it was the marriage that never happened, to fellow idol Matsuda Seiko, that many consider his greatest romance. Among his recent endorsements is cosmetic surgeon Takasu Clinic, which helps explain his youthful appearance and why he can still get away with his "Go! Go! Go!" catchphrase. He splits his time between Japan and a home in New York.
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High-Security Wedding | February 12, 2007 |
No chances are being taken with the security for this weekend's super showbiz wedding between actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32). There have been concerns that the original number of 200 security personnel may not be enough, given the huge public and media interest in the event. There's also the fact that the venue - Ikuta Jinja shrine in Kobe - is in the middle of a commercial district and normally gets a lot of visitors. Yesterday was an auspicious "tai-an" day in the Shinto calendar and over 100 people turned out to watch a regular, non-showbiz couple walk the red carpet from Sakuramon gate to the "honden" or main shrine. So event organizers and police are to sit down again on Tuesday to go over security details. Fujiwara has already said on her official site that the wedding will not be open to the public and the couple won't be making an appearance.
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Norika's Last Fling | February 09, 2007 |
 Yesterday, actress Fujiwara Norika (35) gave fans one last glimpse of that fabulous body before she gets married. Appearing at a PR event at the Shin Takanawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo for new pachinko machines that feature her likeness, she showed up wearing a sexy dominatrix outfit that started an instant buzz among reporters. She wore the shortest of miniskirts, a top that revealed her midriff, and knee-length stiletto boots. It's been some time since she went for the sexy look, and the timing was clearly chosen to generate maximum publicity. The former Miss Japan is set to marry Yoshimoto comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32) on February 17 at the Ikuta Jinja shrine in their native Kobe. Meanwhile, Jinnai is dealing with a hectic pre-wedding work schedule. He leaves his Tokyo hotel before dawn every morning to catch the first shinkansen to Osaka, where he hosts the Yomiuri TV morning variety show "Narutomo!". Then he heads back to the capital where he is appearing in Yoshimoto theatrical events and other variety shows.
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Kumiko Re-Married to Ex | February 08, 2007 |
 At 52, actress Akiyoshi Kumiko can still get her man, or should that be boy. The actress famous for her off-the-wall comments revealed yesterday that she re-married her second ex-husband last year. At 26, the Japanese-American graphic creator, named only as A-san, is a year younger than her son from her first marriage. Their marriage at the end of 2004 lasted less than a year. But at a PR event for her latest theatrical production yesterday, Akiyoshi told reporters that they got hitched again a year ago. She admitted that the whole thing was a bit embarrassing for her and she had hoped to keep it secret. She said their first marriage had been based on "passion and instinct". But when she discovered soon afterwards that her mother had cancer, her priorities changed drastically. A-san supported her even after their split and they decided to get back together shortly before Akiyoshi's mother died in February 2006. One of the more eccentric characters in Japanese showbiz, Akiyoshi was pregnant when she married for the first time, in 1979 to composer Iwaku Shigeru (57), making her a showbiz pioneer of the term "dekichatta-kon" (shotgun wedding). They had one son but divorced in 1989. In her 34-year career Akiyoshi has appeared in dozens of movies and over 100 TV dramas. She published a book of nude photos in 1991.
• Romance has bloomed between popular singer Kimura Kaera (22) and Rip Slyme MC Su (33), according to the latest issue of weekly magazine "Josei Seven". They are said to live in separate apartments in the same building. The magazine says they started dating in the autumn of 2005. Apart from music they also share an interest in surfing. Su was married once in 2000 but the couple are not said to be thinking of marriage yet.
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New Movie From Kitano Takeshi | February 07, 2007 |
 The multi-talented Kitano Takeshi (60) has his movie director's hat on again. Having given up the ultra-violent genre that brought him fame on the world stage, he is getting back to his variety show roots with his latest movie project, titled "Kantoku Banzai". It is said to include a wide range of styles, ranging from homage to Ozu Yasujiro to horror, romance to science fiction. Producer Mori Masayuki said, "Movies these days are all based on a bestseller or topical story. Kitano's movies are different. He does his own thing. He's opening up new frontiers." It's Kitano's 13th movie and the first since the oddball "Takeshis'" in 2005. Mori said that "If that movie was like the moon, this one is the sun. He really enjoyed making it and it will make you laugh out loud." The film was recently completed and is scheduled to appear in theaters in June.
• Veteran Yoshimoto comedian Miyagawa Daisuke (56) was hospitalized late Monday night following a cerebral hemorrhage. He had experienced numbness in his left arm and leg and will need to be hospitalized for a month. A further couple of months of rehabilitation is expected, but the condition is not thought to be life-threatening. He had been recording a variety show in Osaka on Monday alog with his wife and comic partner Hanako (51) and their daughter Sayumi (28), also a comedienne. The three walked to a local hospital after the filming.
• Actress Sudo Risa (30) recently gave birth to her first child, a baby girl. She married Kawashima Michiyuki (37), vocalist and guitarist of the popular techno-rock duo Boom Boom Satellites, last November. Sudo plans to continue her acting career.
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Wedding Bells for a Cat | February 06, 2007 |
 Diminuitive funny man Neko Hiroshi (29) is engaged to be married. During a press conference at his management agency last night the 147cm-tall comedian told reporters his new fiancee is the same age but 12cm taller. He said she works in social welfare. Real name Takizaki Kuniaki, he started out in comedy in 2001 using the name Tarantula. He went through dozens of name changes before settling on Neko (Cat) Hiroshi, despite the fact that he is allergic to cats. Needless to say, given his comedy image as a hyperactive feline, he described his fiancee as looking like a"Siamese cat", and he proposed to her last autumn by asking her to "Please be my owner." Her family were said to be unhappy about the fact that he performed topless and the pair even split up as a result. But he changed to wearing a t-shirt, they got back together, and now plan to get hitched within the year. Though the announcement only came yesterday, the couple actually got engaged on December 10, the same day as actress Fujiwara Norika (35) and comedian Jinnai Tomonori (32).
• Police have issued prosecution documents on singer Matsuzaki Shigeru (57) for causing a traffic accident while driving without a license. The perennially-tanned singer passed his driving test in the U.S. in 1989 and had been using an international license ever since. But due to a change in the law made in 2002, he was no longer legally entitled to do so. The accident happened last November, when he opened his car door only to knock a passing motorcyclist off his bike.
• Kansai TV has lost its 9pm Sunday slot on national TV following the recent scandal about faked data on its popular "Hakkutsu ! Aru Aru Daijiten" show. The slot, which earned the network about ¥3 billion in annual ad revenue, will be taken over by the Fuji network Systems production company.
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NTV's Ohsugi in Suicide Jump | February 05, 2007 |
 NTV announcer Ohsugi Kimie jumped to her death from the balcony of her 8-storey Tokyo apartment on Friday, less than four months after becoming a mother. Married twice, the first time from 1996 to 2001 and again in 2002, she became the oldest TV announcer to have a baby at the age of 43 and had been on maternity leave. Her second husband, ten years younger, is an employee of a major advertising firm. Ohsugi was said to be suffering from fibromyalgia - a chronic painful condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue - since having her baby boy. The condition had been worsening to the point where she often couldn't write or hold a telephone, though she did leave a suicide note. She had a hospital appointment on the morning of her suicide and had earlier expressed her intention to return to work in the spring.
• Celebrities were out in force over the weekend to help celebrate setsubun, the annual ceremony that marks the coming of spring. In the "mamemaki" ritual, people throw roasted soybeans to expel demons and welcome in good luck for the coming year. Most of the country's major shrines held events, with many inviting famous names to help draw the crowds.
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Suo Seeking Justice in Japan | February 03, 2007 |
 Director Suo Masayuki (50) expressed his anger at the Japanese legal system to the foreign media this week. Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club in downtown Tokyo, the man best known for the 1995 hit romantic comedy "Shall We Dance?" talked about his first movie in 11 years, "Soredemo Boku Wa Yattenai" (I Just Didn't Do It). Starring Kase Ryo (32), who was also at the luncheon event, it's a far more serious movie, telling the story of a young man, Kaneko Teppei, who is arrested and tried for groping a schoolgirl on a crowded train. A common story in recent years, the catch is that Kaneko is innocent. This fact is lost in the standard police procedure of coercing a detainee to sign a written confession in return for leniency, a process supported by not a few Japanese judges. Kaneko refuses and becomes a victim of a legal system where over 90% of cases result in a guilty verdict. As Suo has said before on the media, the number is an anomaly by international standards. He said: "Normally the ideas for my films come to me as wonderful discoveries of life; things that take me by surprise, that delight and inspire. This time, what I discovered was a sense of outrage within myself. What resulted is not so much a movie I wanted to make as a movie I simply had to make."
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A Dream Come True | February 02, 2007 |
 Pop duo Dreams Come True are to be just the second act to perform a solo concert at the National Stadium. The only other group deemed big or important enough to play the 60,000 venue was SMAP in 2005 and 2006. The stadium is used for field sports, such as national soccer games, and athletics meets and has very strict conditions for holding non-sporting events. DCT's management were in negotiations with stadium managers for about 18 months. The two shows, on September 22 and 23, will be the last in their 10-show "DoriCamu Wonderland 2007" tour that will also include the Sapporo, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Osaka Domes. They do the tour only every four years, and this will be the fifth in an 18-year career during which they have played to over 4 million fans. The tour starts on August 4 in Sapporo. Formerly a trio, DCT is now made up of vocalist Yoshida Miwa (41) and Nakamura Masato (48).
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Monkey Magic | February 01, 2007 |
 Comedian Monkekee (38) is engaged to talento Yamakawa Erika (24). Management agencies for the couple made the announcement to the media yesterday, saying they will give a press conference at a Tokyo hotel on February 2. The pair had worked together many times on variety shows, but romance started when they both took part in a group vacation to Guam in April of last year. Monkekee, real name Omori Akira, was formerly known as Osaru (Monkey) and was one half of a comedy duo with Koala. They split in 2000 after Koala married idol singer Miura Junko and moved to her agency. Monkekee changed his stage name in 2004 following the advice of hugely popular fortune teller Hosoki Kazuko. Yamakawa, who can be seen in TV commercials for cosmetics maker DHC, was previously linked with Ungirls member Yamane Yoshiaki.
• Kuwata Masumi (38) is doing a new kind of pitching. The former Yomiuri Giants ace has his first job as a narrator in the TV commercial for Kevin Costner's latest movie. "Shugoshin" (The Guardian) features Costner as an aging rescue swimmer, and Kuwata's decision to take on one last challange in his career by joining the Pittsburg Pirates was thought to have parallels in the movie. The CM will also feature singer Wada Akiko and comedian Amano Hiroyuki. It airs from February 3 to 9 and the movie opens here on February 10.
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