Japan Entertainment News - January 2008
Dreams Come True for Sergio Mendes | January 31, 2008 |
 Dreams Come True vocalist Yoshida Miwa (42) represents Japan on the latest album from the legendary Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes (66). "Morning in Rio" is a follow up to 2006's "Timeless", a collaboration with various neo-soul and alternative hip hop guest artists, in particular will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. The new album is described as a celebration of 50 years since the birth of Bosa Nova. It features 13 guest artists from five countries, with Yoshida providing Japanese vocals for the track "Lugar Comum". The track will be released as a single worldwide except for North America. The album goes on sale worldwide in April, but has an advance release in Japan February 27. DCT recently released the single "Mata ne", the theme tune for the latest "One Piece" anime feature. It's good to see one of J-pop's finest artists fully back at work again following the death of her husband last October.
• Oscar-nominated actress Kikuchi Rinko (27) has dropped out of the cast of an upcoming movie. She is said to have torn muscles in both thighs in mid-December while preparing for her role in "Kamui Gaiden", due for release in 2009. The movie is being directed by Sai Youichi (58), Japan's most established film director of Korean descent, and filmed on location in Okinawa. Though shooting has already started, Kikuchi's wasn't due to start working until February. But it was decided that she wouldn't be able to be ready for the movie's demanding action scenes. Star Matsuyama Kenichi (22) has also suffered minor injuries during filming. Kikuchi recently appeared at the Japan premiere of Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" and is not said to be suffering any ongoing physical problems.
• Also injured is top Takarazuka star Hizuka Hana, who has dropped out of an upcoming production after breaking her ankle. She is the female lead in the Soragumi (Sky Troupe) and was due to appear in "Reimei no Kaze" at the Grand Theater in Takarazuka City from February 9. In her absence, her role will be played by Kazune Miou. The all-female theatrical revue is made up of five troupes, each with a top star for both male and female roles.
• Actor Kawakubo Takuji (26) was recently spotted staying at the home of former Morning Musume member Yaguchi Mari (25), according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Josei Seven". The two are said to have met at a party last summer and Yaguchi pursued Kawakubo relentlessly. He was seen entering her home, where she lives with her parents, after midnight and leaving the following morning.
• J-pop trio Globe have closed their fan club "house of globe". Made up of Komuro Tetsuya (49) his wife Keiko (37) on vocals, and Marc Panther (35), the group has been largely absent from the charts since the late 1990s. They announced on their official website yesterday that the fan club is being temporarily shut down and membership fees will be returned.
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Meet the New Boss | January 30, 2008 |
 Former NHK announcer Imai Yoshinori (63, photo right) has been named as the network's new vice chairman. He held a press conference yesterday with the new chairman, Fukuchi Shigeo (73, photo left). Imai, who officially takes on his new 3-year post from today, said he was as nervous as when he first started as a newscaster. He joined NHK as a journalist straight from Keio University in 1968, and later spent three years working at the Washington DC office. He started his TV career on "NHK News Wide" in 1986 and became a household name over the following decade. Fukuchi, the first NHK outsider to take on the top post in 20 years, began his term last Friday. The new management take over just when NHK has become embroiled in yet more financial scandals, and their main job will be to restore public trust in the network.
• "Kaabee" (Kabei - Our Mother), the latest movie from Yamada Yoji and starring Yoshinaga Sayuri (62), is the current box office hit. Over its opening three days, it was watched by more than 208,000 people across the country. The movie has been entered for the Golden Bear at the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival, which Yamada and Yoshinaga plan to attend.
• Singer-actress Shibasaki Kou (26) is releasing her first greatest hits album. "Single Best" will go on sale March 12. It includes all her 15 singles, which have combined sales of over 4 million. Also included is "The Back Best", a second CD of selected album tracks.
• At No.1 on the latest Oricon album chart is "Zard Request Best - Beautiful Memory". Zard, as vocalist Sakai Izumi came to be known when she was the only remaining member of the band, died in a fall at a Tokyo hospital last May. She tops the chart for the 11th time, putting her in joint first place for the most No.1's by a female vocal group with Dreams Come True. Meanwhile, at No.1 on the singles chart are rock band Radwimps with "Ordermade".
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TV Lawyer Wins Osaka Election | January 29, 2008 |
 Family lawyer and TV personality Hashimoto Toru (38, photo left) became Japan's youngest-ever governor when he won a landslide victory in Osaka on Sunday. Supported by the governing - but troubled - Liberal Democratic Party, he campaigned with the message that he wanted to bring the smiles back to the faces of Japan's second city. Like fellow celebrity turned Miyazaki prefectural governor Higashikokubaru Hideo (50, photo right), who stumped for him on Saturday, he will no doubt make the most of his non-political background and try to shine a spotlight on slush funds and other financial problems. After the results were in, he was in practical mode, saying that his major challenge is to eliminate debt issues by the prefectural government. Hashimoto, the father of seven children, has been a regular face on the variety show circuit in the last couple of years.
• Singer Takahashi Yuya (28) was handed an 18-month prison sentence at the Tokyo District Court yesterday. He will however be allowed to continue hospital treatment for depression and drug addiction, after having paid ¥6 million in bail. The son of top actress Mita Yoshiko (66), he was arrested back in November for drug possession and use, his third such arrest.
• Rock legend Jimmy Page (64) attended a PR event in Tokyo yesterday for the new Led Zeppelin hits album "Mothership" and a re-release of the live album "The Song Remains the Same". Asked to comment on speculation of an upcoming world tour following last year's hugely successful reunion concert in London, Page said, "Robert Plant also had a parallel project running and he’s really busy with that project, certainly until September, so I can’t give you any news." When asked what he thought of actress Sawajiri Erika, a Zeppelin fan who flew to London for the concert, he simply said "Unfortunately, I don't know her." But his reply was interpreted as "Betsu ni...", echoing Sawajiri's famous grumpy line and drawing roars of laughter from the assembled fans and media. A bemused Page said, "Judging from this reaction, maybe I should have met the lady!"
• Actress Kawakami Maiko (41) is romantically involved with younger actor Takasugi Mizuho (29), according to today's issue of women's magazine "Josei Jishin". A somewhat drunken Kawakami was spotted bringing Takasugi back to her Tokyo apartment after a New Year's party earlier in the month.
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Miyazaki Gov. in Fuji Drama Special | January 28, 2008 |
 Miyazaki Prefecture governor Higashikokubaru Hideo (50, photo left) really is a one-man publicity machine. The former comedian didn't even have to leave his new workplace to film his part in an upcoming Fuji TV drama special. Comedian Tsukaji Muga (36, photo right) of the duo Drunk Dragon visited the prefectural office at the weekend to film scenes for "Hadaka no Taisho" (The Naked General), in which the governor plays himself. Ironically, three people were arrested just last week for shooting nude photos in front of the building, just the kind of stunt the politician might have been involved in during his days as Sonomanma Higashi. But his first year in politics has seen him plugging Miyazaki products left, right and center, making countless TV appearances, and he continues to enjoy unwavering popularity among his constituents. In the Fuji drama, Tsukaji revives last year's role as the late artist Yamashita Kiyoshi (1922-71).
• Former Johnny's Jimusho idol Okamoto Kenichi (38) has been divorced since last year, according to the latest issue of "Shuukan Gendai" magazine. The former rhythm guitarist of the group Otokogumi married model Yoshie in 1992. Their son Keito was born the following year, and he followed in his dad's footsteps, becoming a member of the Johnny's group Hey! Say! Jump! last year.
• Actor Karato Ryou (38) spoke yesterday for the first time about his battle with cancer. Appearing at a PR event in Osaka for the movie "Koneko no Namida", he revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx eight years ago, shortly after getting his license as a pro kick boxer. He spent the next two and a half years in hospital, undergoing surgery five times, and his vocal cords were repaired using fat from his stomach. He was able to return to his acting carer in 2004 but kept his medical history a secret. He decided to open up about it yesterday as the film is set in his home town of Osaka and tells the story of boxer Morioka Eiji, who won a bronze medal at the 1968 Mexico Olmpics and died of cancer in 2004. The movie stars Takeda Shinji (35) and is directed by Morioka's nephew Morioka Toshiyuki.
• Popular magician Magii Shinji (34) and talento Yoshida Yuki (28) became parents for the first time on Saturday. Magii, known mainly for his corny party tricks, announced the arrival of their baby girl on his blog on Sunday. The couple got married in August 2006.
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3rd Time Lucky for Mihara Junko? | January 25, 2008 |
 Recently divorced actress Mihara Junko (43, photo right) just got back from a trip to Australia with a former band-mate of her ex-husband, according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Friday". The article published photos of the two at Narita Airport on their arrival back from Cairns, and speculated that they are planning to get married. A former top idol singer, Mihara married a racing driver in 1990, but they split in mid-1999. Within six months, she was married to comedian Koala (38, photo left), who later followed the advice of fortune teller Hosoki Kazuko and changed his stage name to Happy Happy. That marriage ended last year, and both parties insisted on telling their side of the story on TV variety shows. In both her marriages, Mihara got pregnant but suffered miscarriages. Her newest partner is musician Satoshi (32), who was in the band Edo Fish with Koala in 2003. Mihara's agency say he is just one of several boyfriends she's had since her divorce.
• Actor Nishimura Kazuhiko (31) and calligrapher Kunishige Tomomi (29) became parents for the first time yesterday. Nishimura announced the arrival of his baby boy on his blog.
• British actor Jude Law (35) was in central Tokyo yesterday for a party to commemorate the recent opening of an Alfred Dunhill store. Also at the party was kabuki star Nakamura Shido (34), who refused to answer questions about his ongoing divorce from popular actress Takeuchi Yuko (27).
• Just out of hospital after surgery for a compression fracture to a lumbar vertebrae, veteran actor Ogata Ken returned to work yesterday. He took part in the Japanese dubbing of the Hollywood movie "The Golden Compass", in which he took on Ian McKellen's role as the voice of Lorek the Ice Bear. Other cast members include newcomer Nishiuchi Mariya (14), Narumi Riko (15) and Yamaguchi Tomoko (43).
• A joint concert tour by U.S. bands Chicago and Huey Lewis & the News was announced yesterday. Chicago will be making their 11th visit and the first since 2003, while Lewis hasn't played in Japan since 1998. Both artists of course had their heydays well before that, with most hits dating back over 20 years. Between April 14 and 22 they will roll back the years with shows in Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo and Yokohama. Tickets go on sale February 16 from Udo Music.
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Tamuken Attacked by Passerby | January 24, 2008 |
 Yoshimoto comedian Tamura Kenji (34) was involved in a minor scuffle while filming in Osaka on Tuesday. TamuKen, as he is known to fans, and a crew of four were filming an interview in a shopping street when a 64-year-old male passerby got into an argument with one of the staff members. Tamura stepped in and got a kick for his trouble. After the police got involved, the man apologized to Tamura and no charges were pressed. With his trademark hairstyle, sunglasses, loincloth and shishimai lion, Tamura is one of the more visible comedians to have made a breakthrough in the last couple of years. He also owns a pair of successful yakiniku restaurants in Osaka and often talks of giving up showbiz to run the business full time.
• Another Yoshimoto comedian, Downtown's Matsumoto Hitoshi (44), is back at work after taking time off to recover from illness. He came down with a fever and lung infection earlier this month and missed the January 13 recording of an episode of Fuji TV's "Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ". But he was back on his feet yesterday to record an episode of the long-running "Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!"
• Talento Yamada Mariya (27) admitted on her blog that she and stage actor Kusano Touru (40) are planning to get married next month. The two started dating after they appeared together in a theatrical production, and their romance was first reported last August.
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Was it Just an Impulse for Tokita? | January 23, 2008 |
 It seems the dream is over for Yoshimoto comedian Tsutsumishita Atsushi (30). When we reported last year on his romance with fashion model Tokita Reiko (23), they were referred to as Beauty and the Beast! But it seems that a fairy tale ending just wasn't to be: Tokita revealed on her blog this week that they have split up after having grown apart. The couple met on the Akashiya Sanma-hosted show, "Odoru! Sanma Goten" variety show in October 2006, with Tokita telling the chubby Impulse member on air that she was a big fan. Sanma got them to exchange telephone numbers and an unlikely romance was born. Impulse, with Itakura Shunsuke as the boke, made their debut in 1998. Tokita made her debut in the teen magazine "Cawaii!" while she was in high school and is a regular cover girl for "JJ".
• Winners of the annual Blue Ribbon Awards were announced yesterday. Second only to the Japan Academy Awards, the winners are chosen by film journalists from the country's major newspapers. This year's winners are:
- Best Film: "Kisaragi"
- Best Actor: Kase Ryo (33, Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai)
- Best Actress: Asou Kumiko (29, Yuunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni)
- Best Director: Suo Masayuki (51, Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai)
- Best New Artist: Aragaki Yui (19)
- Special Award: Ueki Hitoshi (1926-97)
• On the international front, "Mongol", directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring the versatile Asano Tadanobu (34), has been nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar. It's being reported as the first Academy Award nomination for Kazakhstan, though the countries behind the production also include Russia, China and Mongolia. The movie is based on the early days of the great Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan, played by "Ichi the Killer" star Asano.
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Prosecutors Seek 2-Year Term for Singer | January 22, 2008 |
 The case against singer Takahashi Yuya (28) on drug charges began yesterday at the Tokyo District Court. The second son of actress Mita Yoshiko (66), he was arrested in the capital in mid-November. After getting high in a convenience store toilet, he was found with 0.1g of amphetamines in his possession when stopped by police. It is his third drug arrest and he has confessed to the charges, so it is likely that this time he will receive a prison sentence along the lines of the two years that prosecutors are seeking. After his first two arrests, the first dating back to when he was 18, Mita took responsibility and gave up work and lucrative commercial contracts. But she says she has now reached the limit of what she can do as a parent and has left the responsibility to his father.
• Bad news yet again for NHK. A day after the public broadcaster's chairman offered to resign, another minor scandal hit the news. A film crew replaced the number plates on several parked cars on Sunday while filming a drama in Chiba Prefecture. The Okayama Prefecture plates were used to create authenticity for the the drama's location. But when the crew went to remove the plates, they found one of the cars had been driven away. Driving with the wrong plates is a traffic offense. Meanwhile, just days before his term as chairman was due to end, Hashimoto Genichi offered to resign on Monday along with two managing directors over a case involving employee insider trading. The scandal erupted last week when it was revealed that three NHK employees bought shares in a restaurant operator minutes before the network ran a story about the company. At the weekend, NHK promised an investigation involving thousands of employees with access to the information.
• Oda Kazumasa's "Jiko Besuto" is the first album ever to stay on the Oricon charts for 300 consecutive weeks. Oda (60), who holds several records for the oldest artist on the charts, released the greatest hits compilation in April 2002 and it entered the chart at No.1. It currently sits at No.28. Meanwhile on top of the singles chart is five-member Korean vocal group Dong Bang Shin Gi (known in Japan as Touhou Shinki) with "Purple Line". They are the first non-Japanese Asian artists to top the chart.
• Former top idol singer Hori Chiemi (40) said on her blog yesterday that she broke a rib last week in a fall at her home.
• Aromatherapist and former Fuji TV announcer Ohashi Maki (31) revealed on her blog yesterday that she gave birth to a baby girl on January 13. Ohashi quit Fuji in 2001 and married an employee of major advertising firm Dentsu in 2002.
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X Japan Announce Concert Details | January 21, 2008 |
 Fans of the legendary X Japan got more details of the rock band's long-awaited comeback yesterday. The four surviving members of the band attended two events in Tokyo, with a visibly jet-lagged Yoshiki (42) having flown in Saturday from his home in L.A. "This is an important announcement and I wanted to make it in person," he said. The first event was a press conference at the Apple Store. Their new single "I.V.", which appears on the soundtrack of the horror movie "Saw4" and features the late guitarist hide (1964-98), will be released worldwide on iTunes on January 23.
But the big news that fans were waiting for was about their upcoming concerts. The band announced two shows on March 28 & 30 at Tokyo Dome, the venue for their farewell concert at the end of 1997, and an extra show at Ajinomoto Stadium on May 3. May 2 marks ten years since hide's death and the band plan to have his guitar on stage for the shows. There is also a plan for Luna Sea's guitarist Sugizo to play hide's parts, as the band was discovered by the X Japan axeman. The Dome concerts are titled "Kougeki Saikai 2008 I.V. - Hametsu ni Mukatte", which roughly translates as "Resume Attack 2008 I.V. - Facing Destruction". The first show will be called "Hakai no Yoru" (Destruction Night), and the second "Souzou no Yoru" (Creation Night). Yoshiki said, "Though I say it myself, the return of X Japan is a miracle, something I never thought would happen. But I don't want it to be like a school reunion. I want to play a tense and dangerous concert."
During the evening event, held at Shibuya's Tower Records, they recorded a radio show to be broadcast on FM Fuji on February 11. Yoshiki and vocalist Toshi (42) talked about going to karaoke together, perhaps in an effort to dispel rumors of animosity between them.
• Japan's candidate for a best foreign movie Academy Award failed to make the short list for a nomination. "Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai", Suo Masayuki's attack on his country's legal system and his first feature in 11 years, was aiming to be just the second Japanese film nominated in the category in the last ten years. Yamada Yoji's "Tasogare Seibei" (Twilight Samurai) got the nod in 2004.
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Amuro Namie Goes Back in Time for New Look | January 18, 2008 |
 90s pop darling Amuro Namie (30) is trawling through hits of the past for her new CD. She is covering or sampling one song each from the 1960s, 70s and 80s for the as yet untitled release. She performed two of the songs yesterday at a PR event for a top hair care brand: "New Look" is a cover of the Supremes hit "Baby Love" from 1964; and "Rock Steady" is a dance number that samples Aretha Franklin's 1971 hit. The third song, "What a Feeling", is still in production and is based on Irene Cara's hit from the 1983 hit movie "Flashdance". Amuro worked with top stylists Patricia Field (The Devil Wears Prada, Sex & the City) and Orlando Pita (Madonna, Julia Roberts) in making the promo video for the "Premium Vidal Sassoon" brand. Though past her heyday as an industry trend-setter, Amuro has kept her career on an even keel through a decade of marriage, motherhood and divorce. She is on a 64-show national concert tour until February 27 and the new CD is due for release on March 12.
• Popular former Fuji TV announcer Chino Shio (30) revealed yesterday that she is four months pregnant and expecting twins. Known by her nickname "Chinopan", she worked for Fuji TV from 2000 till the end of 2005. She married the grandson of former prime minister Fukuda Takeo (1905-95) in April 2006 and now works as a freelance announcer and talento.
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Things Picking Up at NHK | January 17, 2008 |
 National broadcast network NHK has seen a recovery in license fee revenues, according to the financial report submitted to the government yesterday. Total operational revenue for 2007 was ¥657.5 billion, of which ¥635 billion was from license fees, an increase of ¥220 million from the year before. Operational expenses also increased, to ¥647.2 billion. Revenues began dropping in 2005 when almost a million households refused to pay the fees following a series of scandals at the network. From October 1, NHK will stop visiting homes to collect fees and will broaden the scope of exemptions for the disabled. From February of next year, discounts will be given to businesses and expanded for families. Last year chairman Hashimoto Genichi (photo, 64) and executives tried to introduce a reduction of up to ¥100 in the license fee, but the decrease was by denied the management committee. No such proposal was mentioned this time.
• The latest romance rumor about popular actress Yonekura Ryoko (32) comes as a bit of a surprise. Previously connected with younger handsome guys like kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo (30) and soccer star Nakata Hidetoshi (30), this time she seems to have gone for a goofy comedian. Today's issue of women's weekly "Josei Seven" says she was spotted in Roppongi at the end of December with Tamura Atsushi (34) of the popular duo London Boots. Atsushi is said to have pursued Yonekura since she appeared last February as a guest on the variety show "London Hearts".
• Bunraku master Yoshida Bungo died of liver cancer at his Osaka home yesterday. He was 73. A veteran of the Japanese puppet theater, he started in the early 1950s and spent more than 20 years operating female puppets. While standing in for the ailing Kiritake Kanjuurou, he mastered the "tachiyaku" or leading male role and switched to his final stage name in 1982. He was briefly married to the American talento Edith Hanson (68).
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Oshio Manabu the Face of Bodymaker | January 16, 2008 |
 Actor and singer Oshio Manabu (29) made his first public appearance in almost two years in Tokyo yesterday. He was in the capital to promote the brand Bodymaker, a line of training goods for combat sports. He did about a month of intensive physical training to get in shape for the photo shoot for posters that show him topless, though for yesterday's event he wore a somber gray suit. In his first appearance since a movie PR event in March 2006, he spoke about his new baby. His wife, actress Yada Akiko (29) gave birth to their son Liam on November 19. Oshio said he chose the name, but that it has no special meaning. He seemed somewhat more relaxed in front of the media than he has been in recent years. He has yet to speak publicly about why he abandoned a promising acting career to pursue music. He and his family now live in the U.S.
• Chico Honma, a member of the band Los Indios, died last Christmas, it was reported yesterday. Real name Honma Yasuyoshi, he was 67. He is said to have died after falling from the balcony of his apartment in Tokyo's Nakano Ward. With their Latin American sound, Los Indios had a string of hits in the 1960s but have remained active. Their last big hit was 1980's "Wakaretemo Sukina Hito" with the singer Sylvia. Honma was the guitarist in the band, and also pioneered the use of such Latin instruments as the arpa in Japan.
• "Bara no Nai Hanaya", the latest Monday night drama series on Fuji TV, has got off to a good start. The show stars SMAP junior member Katori Shingo (30) as the widowed manager of a small flower shop and Takeuchi Yuuko (27), and is written by the Nojima Shinji (44), the man behind a string of major hits. The first episode got an average audience rating of 22.4% according to Video Research. The show's strong start follows the success of last season's "Galileo" in the same 9pm Monday time slot, called "gekkyu" and considered the best for drama.
• Also enjoying high ratings is the latest sumo basho. The 15-day events are always broadcast live every afternoon by NHK. But with the sport in decline in recent years, a rating of over 15% is now a rarity even in the closing stages. The highly anticipated return of yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu (27), after being suspended for two bashos, saw ratings reach a peak of 23.8% on Monday as the defeated Mongolian left the ring after the final bout of the day.
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The Judo Star and the Pinup Girl | January 15, 2008 |
 Olympic judo gold medallist Inoue Kosei (29) and talento Higashihara Aki (25) held a press conference today to announce their marriage. Their engagement was announced to the media yesterday and they filed their marriage registration this morning. They then appeared before the press at Inoue's alma mater, Tokai University. Inoue became a national hero when he won the gold medal in the 100-kilo weight class at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. As 3-time and reigning world champion, his quarter-final defeat in Athens four years later came as a huge shock to fans in Japan. He and Higashihara started dating not long after, having met on a TV show. Last year, Inoue failed to clinch a spot for this summer's Beijing Olympics but will be hoping to make the national team with the support of his new bride. To do that, he needs to win the national championships in April. Higashihara, who made her debut in 2003 as a poster girl for Asahi Beer, made her name as an announcer with Fuji TV for its coverage of K-1 events. More recently, she has been a presenter on the horse racing show "Umanade".
• Hip hop musician Kreva (31) recently got married, it was revealed yesterday. He got hitched on January 3 to a 32-year-old office worker after a relationship of more than four years. They have already held their wedding ceremony. Originally a member of the group Kick the Can Crew, in 2006 Kreva became the first solo hip hop artist to reach No.1 on the Oricon chart. His met his new bride when she was working as secretary to the president of a concert and event company.
• Some more cast announcements for the live-action adapatation of popular 70s anime "Yatterman". With the lead stars already named, the roles of the main villains fell to: Fukuda Kyoko (25) as the sexy and scantily clad Doronjo, Namase Katsuhisa (47) as the effeminate tech wizard Boyacky, and Yoshimoto comedian Kendo Kobayashi (35) using his Kansai dialect in the role of Tonzler. The movie, to be directed by Miike Takashi, is due for release in the spring of 2009. A new version of the anime started yesterday on the NTV and Yomiuri TV networks (discuss this show on our Japan Forum.
• Popular fashion model Hasegawa Jun (21) and Maki Daisuke (32), a member of top J-pop group Exile, have broken up. Maki, known by his nickname MakiDai, will be appearing in NHK's morning drama series "Hitomi" from March.
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King of Comedy Back to Work | January 11, 2008 |
 Comedian Takahashi Kenichi (photo left, 36) is back at work, according to a statement from his management agency. Arrested last July for molesting a high school girl on a crowded Tokyo subway train, the case was closed at the end of December without any prosecution. One half of the manzai duo King of Comedy, he denied the charges from the start but submitted to "jishuku", the Japanese custom of apology followed by reclusion when caught misbehaving.
&$149; Impersonator Ishiyama Tatsuhiro (42) is locked in a legal battle with rock star Yazawa Eikichi (58), whose fame he makes his living from. Ishiyama was sued by Yazawa to the tune of ¥10 million for using his name. But after reviewing the documents with a lawyer, he has decided to counter-sue. He's to give a press conference today to explain the case.
&$149; Folk duo Kobukuro are really riding on a wave of popularity these days. They recently took the award for last year's best record at the Japan Record Awards with "Tsubomi". And their 2006 album "All Singles Best" continues to see brisk sales. Having topped the 2.7 million sales mark, it's overtaken Chage & Aska's 1992 release "Super Best 2" as the best-selling album ever by a Japanese duo.
&$149; Photographer turned movie director Anton Corbijn (52) attended a press conference in Tokyo yesterday to promote his first feature film, "Control". The biopic of late Joy Division vocalist Ian Curtis, the critically lauded movie opens here in March.
&$149; TV Asahi announcer Nomura Maki (32) revealed on the network's website yesterday that she is seven months pregnant with her first child. She married an advertising company employee in 2004.
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News Week at Tokyo Dome | January 10, 2008 |
 Johnnys Jimusho idol group NEWS played their first solo Tokyo Dome concert in front of 55,000 fans yesterday. The show featured the group arriving on stage from the 30m-high ceiling in a gondola; a fountain that measured 50m wide, 8m tall and used 50 tons of water; and a surprise appearance from their "sempai" Kondo Masahiko (43) and Question?, his backing band made up of members from Johnnys Jr. The first of two shows, it was the first time for a Johnnys concert to be held at Tokyo Dome on a weekday. The shows were added to the schedule for their NEWS Pacific Winter Tour due to popular demand. The group performed 35 songs, including the latest single "Weeeek" and the first live version of "Taiyo no Namida", from their second album "Pacific" and due for release on February 27. The group are back in top gear after the loss of two members punished for underage drinking: Uchi Hiroki (21) in July 2005 and Kusano Hironori (19) a year ago. Having started out with nine mebers in 2003, they are now down to six. The youngest two, Tegoshi Yuya and Kato Shigeaki turned 20 last year and will be celebrating their coming of age this month. Kondo is in the 28th year of his career but this was the first time for him to appear as a surprise guest for a junior group. He performed his latest single, "Mezamero! Yasei", which is released later this month.
• "Kaabee", the latest movie from director Yamada Yoji (76) is to be entered for competition at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. Starring Yoshinaga Sayuri (62), the movie will be shown abroad as "Kabei - Our Mother". Set in 1940, it tells of a woman raising her two children while awaiting the return of her imprisoned anti-war husband. Yoshinaga, a hugely popular veteran actress who is considered an iconic Japanese mother figure, will be visiting the festival for the first time in 15 years. It will be Yamada's sixth entry at the festival, but he has failed to win a prize with his three competition entries: "Downtown Heroes" (1989), "Tasogare Seibei" (Twilight Samurai, 2003), "Kakushi-ken: Oni no Tsume" (The Hidden Blade, 2005). This year's festival will be held from February 7-17.
• American rock band Bon Jovi landed at Narita Airport yesterday for their 14th Japan concert tour. Flying in on three separate American Airlines flights, they were greeted by about 100 fans. The band play Nagoya Dome on January 11 before heading to Tokyo Dome for two shows (Jan. 13 & 14) and finally Kyocera Dome Osaka (Jan. 16).
• Talento Wakatsuki Chinatsu (23) seems to be constantly fighting off rumors. The latest is that she is planning to head off and spend an unspecified length of time traveling the U.S. She sent a fax to the media yesterday denying the rumor. She says that next month she plans to launch a new online store selling vintage clothing, and is going to the U.S. simply to buy items for the website. Wakatsuki is the author of Japan's most popular celebrity blog.
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Police Tickets a Bargain at ¥275,000 | January 09, 2008 |
 It seems that The Police have little faith in the charitable nature of Japanese people. With the British rock trio playing their first shows in this country since 1981, demand for tickets is sure to be as huge as it has been on the American and European legs of their world tour. While those shows brought in over $130 million in ticket sales, four front row seats for each of the 100 shows were auctioned off and the proceeds given to charity. Buyers got to meet the band and received signed instruments. The tickets sold for about ¥600,000 apiece and that money went to Water Aid, which helps provide safe water supplies in developing countries. For each of their February shows there will be two pairs of charity tickets, with ticket holders receiving goods such as a signed tour brochure and a visit to the band's dressing room. But rather than by auction, the tickets will be sold (by lottery if there is demand) at a fixed price of ¥550,000 per pair. Asked why the price was set at half of what buyers were prepared to bid by auction in other countries, local organizers said that fake auction bids tend to be a problem in Japan and that the fixed price was decided by the band and their management. Vocalist Sting (56) has in the past canceled an endorsement contract with a Japanese company due to their poor environmental record. Still, the ¥275,000 price per person is a record for a Japanese concert ticket and more than four times the ¥65,000 that fans paid to see The Rolling Stones in 2006. Anyone wanting to apply for tickets needs to send a postcard to Ticket Pia by January 21. The Police play Osaka's Kyocera Dome on February 10 and Tokyo Dome on February 13 & 14.
 More than 2,500 fans turned out to see Johnny Depp (44) in central Tokyo last night. The Hollywood superstar originally planned to arrive for his fifth visit to Japan on Monday. But he landed at Narita Airport yesterday afternoon, and just hours later was at the Roppongi Hills complex for the local premiere of "Sweeney Todd" along with director Tim Burton (49). Depp was in a plaid shirt, jeans, sunglasses and hat on arrival at Narita, and changed into a black suit for the evening event. He leaves Japan for London after this morning's press conference. In addition to the premiere, his intense schedule packed 16 media meetings into a brief 30-hour stay.
• Talento Sakashita Chiriko (31) announced yesterday that she is to get married today. In a fax sent to the media, she said that her fiancee is not in showbiz and so she wouldn't give his name or personal details. Sources say he is a 29-year-old cameraman working for a TV production company. The two were photographed on a date back by one of the weekly magazines back in 2004. They chose today, his 29th birthday, to register their marriage. They don't currently have plans for a wedding ceremony.
• Also engaged is former TBS announcer Yamamoto Fumio, and at 73, he is thought to be the oldest celebrity ever to get married. His fiancee is a 43-year-old divorcee and mother of two. Yamamoto, whose wife of 34 years died in 1995, was emcee for her wedding 14 years ago and the two met again last year.
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SMAP Enjoy the Kohaku Bounce | January 08, 2008 |
 Call it the "Kohaku Bounce". The latest weekly singles chart ranking from Oricon shows that exposure on NHK's annual New Year's Eve song spectacular does wonders for sales. It's no surprise to see superstars SMAP enjoying their third week at No.1 with "Dangan Fighter", the live performance of which drew the peak audience rating of 43.9% on Kohaku. But for the first time in Oricon's 40-year history, the No.2 and No.3 spots are also "Kohaku songs". In second spot is the enka ballad "Waremokou" (cover above) by Sugimoto Masato (58), a successful songwriter but almost totally unknown as a singer until last month. The single was released in February 2007 and never really made an impact on the chart until Sugimoto performed on Kohaku. He's followed at No.3 by Akikawa Masafumi (40), whose "Sen no Kaze ni Natte" enjoyed a similar boost last year. It went on to became last year's biggest-selling single, and the first ever million-selling classical single, after the opera tenor appeared on Kohaku at the end of 2006. The jump back up the charts proves that, in spite of its continually declining audience, an appearance on Kohaku can still make a career. (By the way, waremokou is the name of a wild flower, known in English as a burnet)
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Hamasaki Ayumi Deaf in Left Ear | January 07, 2008 |
 Not a good start to the year for Hamasaki Ayumi (29). The singer revealed on her official fan club website at the weekend that she has lost the hearing in her left ear. She says doctors told her last year that it was too late for surgical treatment of a problem that dates back almost to the beginning of her career. In 2000 it caused her to postpone part of a national concert tour. With this year marking the tenth anniversary of her debut, she remains upbeat and says she will continue singing as long as she can hear in her right ear. She just released her latest album "Guilty" on New Year's Day and has a 19-show concert tour starting in early April. The bad news came shortly after her ex-boyfriend, Tokio member Nagase Tomoya (28), was romantically linked with up-and-coming young actress Aibu Saki (22). Ayu and Nagase ended their 7-year relationship just last July.
• Last year's live-action adaptation of the popular Mizuki Shigeru manga "Gegege no Kitaro" made over ¥2.3billion at the box office, so it's no surprise that a sequel has been announced. Young idol Wentz Eiji (22) will again play the lead role of monster-boy Kitaro. Actress Inoue Mao (20) won't be back as the heroine, but the rest of the supporting cast return, with the addition of such top stars as Ogata Ken (70), Terajima Shinobu (35) and Sano Shiro (52) taking on ghoulish roles. Motoki Katsuhide (44) is again directing and the movie is due for a summer release.
• NHK's yearlong taiga drama kicked off on Sunday, with about average audience interest. "Atsu Hime", with young actress Miyazaki Aoi (22) in the title role, drew an audience of 20.3% for its opening episode. The historical drama tells of a young girl from Kagoshima who joins the Edo Period court of the Tokugawa shogunate. Miyazaki joined about 5,000 people on Sunday for the opening of a tie-up exhibition at a trade facility in Kagoshima City.
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My Little Ex-Lover | January 04, 2008 |
 Popular music producer Kobayashi Takeshi (48) and former My Little Lover vocalist Akko (34) divorced on New Year's Day. They had been separated for some time but decided to make the split official, though they will continue to work together. Akko, real name Akamatsu Akiko, retains custody of the two children born during their almost 12-year marriage. Kobayashi, Akko and guitarist Fujii Kenji (38) formed the band known to fans as "MaiRaba" in 1995, with Kobayashi formally becoming a member for the album "evergreen", which sold over 3 million copies. Fujii left the group in 2002. Kobayashi has produced hits for such artists as Mr. Children and Remioromen. In January of last year, he was romantically linked with singer Hitoto You (31), though he has denied he has any plans to remarry.
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The Numbers Are In | January 03, 2008 |
We reported yesterday on the various "Kohaku" highlights on New Year's Eve, and now the official audience figures are in. The second half of the show, always more popular than the first, managed a slight improvement on last year's record low of 37.6% but was still the second-lowest ever at 39.5%. Remember that this is in comparison to the show's heyday when over 80% of households nationwide tuned in. Admittedly, the nations public network hasn't seen a figure over 80% since 1972, and the 50% barrier was broken in 1989, the first year of the current Heisei Era. And with NHK being a non-commercial network, the figures are more a matter of pride than a financial concern. But with a battered reputation, pride is about all NHK has left and some very big names, including top rock names B'z and Yazawa Eikichi, had been bandied about for the latest show and when they failed to sign up, the worst was feared. In the end, the decision to focus more on the songs and some free publicity surrounding a few of the celebrities on the show probably saved the ratings from hitting an all-time low.
Meanwhile, on the other networks: "K-1 Premium 2007" on TBS got an audience of 14.7%; NTV's comedy-variety show "Downtown no Gaki Tsukai ya Arahende!!" managed 12.4%; "Yoiko Mujinto ¥0 Seikatsu" pulled in 11.8%; and "Hustle Matsuri 2007" on TV Tokyo struggled to get 4%. But Fuji TV had the worst time, managing a mere 3.2% for its drama "Ichiokubun no Ichi no Otoko".
• Young Johnny's idol singer Uchi Hiroki (21) is to make his TV comeback, two years and seven months after he was punished for underage drinking. He will appear in the Fuji TV drama "Isshun no Kaze ni Nare", which will air over four nights from February 25. Formerly a member of the groups Kanjani8 and NEWS, Uchi returned to the stage last summer for the musical starring Johnny's veterans Shonentai. As with Kusano Hiroyuki (19), who was also caught indulging in the booze, he is now a solo performer.
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The Battle of New Year's Eve | January 02, 2008 |
 With NHK's "Kohaku Uta Gassen" battling for ratings with comedy and ring sports every New Year's Eve, it was appropriate that one of the most anticipated appearances on the show was described as "Sengoku Rock". Referring to the medieval "warring states" period was rock star Gackt, who last year appeared as warlord Uesugi Kenshin in NHK's annual historical drama series "Fuurinkazan". He reprised the role for his Kohaku performance, the details of which had been kept under wraps until the show went live. With Gackt and his band all dressed in full battle armor, he was supported by a studio full of about 300 warriors.
• Many viewers, myself included, were expecting some kind of acknowledgment of the rumored romance between emcee and SMAP leader Nakai Masahiro (35) and pop diva Koda Kumi (25), but it never came. Fellow emcee Shoufukutei Tsurube (57) teased Nakai gently after he had introduced Koda on stage but he didn't take the bait. Indeed, when questioned by reporters after the show, Nakai said there was no truth to the rumors at all. Meanwhile, one real "power couple", talento Fujiwara Norika (36) and comedian Jinnai Tomonori (34), were guests on the show in what they said was their first and last appearance together.
• Over at the Tokyo Dome, some 55,000 fans were gathered for a day and night of Johnny's Jimusho entertainment. Kinki Kids performed on a huge stage for their more than three-hour show. The duo have played the venue on New Year's Eve for ten years in a row and 29 times in all, the most by any artist. The revolving stage, a 50m circle and 100m long in the shape of their latest album title "ϕ", was reported to be the first of its kind in the world. That show was followed by a countdown concert that featured 150 Johnny's artists, including Kinki Kids and Tokio. The show was televised live on Fuji TV from 11:45pm.
• Two of the networks went with the recent tradition of featuring combat sports. Takada Nobuhiko's "Hustle Matsuri 2007" was a mix of wrestling and slapstick entertainment on the TV Tokyo network, while TBS had the more straightforward "K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite", whose highlight bout was between veteran fighters Sakuraba Kazushi and Funaki Masakatsu (Sakuraba won by a "chicken wing armlock"!).
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