Japan Entertainment News - February 2008
Kando Uno Marriage of Convenience? | February 29, 2008 |
 It didn't take long for the rumors to start flying around Kanda Uno's recent marriage. Kanda (32) and pachinko company president Nishimura Takuro (38) held a hugely expensive and flamboyant wedding ceremony last October, with over 700 guests and at an expense of about ¥600 million. But rumors of constant bickering have hounded them ever since, even as they headed off for their honeymoon in Dubai last month. Last week, the weekly magazine "Flash" hinted at an affair when Kanda and resort company president Sadakata Kunisuke (40) were spotted sharing a flight to Paris. This week, with Kanda off working in Italy, it's Nishimura's turn. Today's issue of the magazine "Friday" has a story about him galavanting around Hokkaido with a top Tokyo hostess. They were among a group of three men and five women who visited an onsen in Hakodate last weekend. Nishimura and the 28-year-old "A-san", described as the No.1 hostess at a Roppongi club, are said to have a "relationship" that dates back five years. Japan Zone isn't surprised to see Kanda end up in this kind of situation, as it's always been clear that money and celebrity were her true loves. She's made a small fortune herself in the fashion and entertainment businesses, but it pales in comparison with her husband's wealth.
• "Friday" also reports that singer-songwriter Moriyama Naotaro (31) is living with a girlfriend, but perhaps not for long. The two have reportedly been going out for some time and vacationed together in Fiji last summer. But although she is said to resemble beautiful actress Matsushima Nanako, Moriyama has told friends he is considering ending their cohabitation arrangement. Not to end their relationship but so he can concentrate on his music career and come up with another mega-hit to match 2003's "Sakura".
• Singer Wada Akiko (57) is renowned for her tough talk when it comes to misbehaving celebs. Her target yesterday was sumo grand champion Asashoryu (27), who's latest scandal involved him verbally abusing a newspaper reporter who snapped photos of him in Honolulu airport. Unhappy about being seen in an aloha shirt and shorts, he told the reporter to "Drop dead!" By the time he arrived back in Tokyo he'd changed into a kimono more befitting a yokozuna. Wada said "He's bad by nature. I'd like to have a month with him. I'd take him on too, if I were a bit stronger." She said he could learn a lesson from African-American enka debutant Jero (26) and his humble manner.
• With a sparkler on her left ring finger, busty talento Megumi (26) attended a movie PR event in Tokyo yesterday. Asked whether she and Dragon Ash vocalist Furuya Kenji (29) have any plans for marriage, she said "I'll let you know when the time comes, so I'd be delighted if you'd just let us be."
• Idol group AKB48 have canceled a promotion for their new single following complaints from fans and fears that it conflicted with the antitrust law. Fans who bought a copy of "Sakura no Hanabira-tachi 2008" at their stage venue in Tokyo's Akihabara were to be given one of 44 posters featuring members of the group, and anyone who collected all the posters would be invited to a live event. This led to complaints among even the most dedicated fans about having to shell out for 44 CDs. Defstar Records announced yesterday that the plan had been canceled, saying it was in danger of being labeled an "unfair business practice."
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Fred McQueen in Japanese War Crimes Drama | February 28, 2008 |
 The offspring of Hollywood legends seem to be finding their place in Japanese movies these days. Yesterday we reported on the first Japanese feature starring Shirley MacLaine's daughter. Today it's the turn of Fred McQueen (51), son of the late Steve McQueen, who spoke recently to the SanSpo newspaper about his second Japanese movie role in "Ashita e no Yuigon" (Best Wishes For Tomorrow). The film is based on the novel "Nagai Tabi" (Long Journey) about a Japanese Class B war criminal who sets out to take responsibility for the execution of American airmen. Veteran Fujita Makoto (74) plays Lieutenant General Okada Tasuku, Fuji Sumiko (62, mother of actress Terashima Shinobu) his wife, and Robert Lesser (69) had the difficult role of defense counsel Featherstone. McQueen was drawn to the powerful story and, a huge fan of the late Kurosawa Akira, was particularly nervous given that Kurosawa protege Koizumi Takashi was directing and many of the Master's production staff were involved. McQueen, who only took up acting in 2003 after working as a firefighter and pastry chef, beat out 200 others for the role of tough prosecutor Burnett. He says that though he spent a lot of time researching for the role of a military officer, nerves made him forget his lines and positioning. It's just his third movie role, and the second in Japan after the 2005 submarine drama "Lorelei" (though his name doesn't appear in the credits). "Ashita..." opens in theaters on March 1.
• Pin-up idol Koizumi Maya (19) has lost the court case against her former high school. While a senior at a girl's high school operated by Toho Gakuen in the Tokyo suburb of Chofu in 2006, she released a photobook and did a swimsuit photo shoot for a weekly magazine. The school expelled her several months later saying she had broken a rule that prohibits students working in the entertainment business. She took the case to court last year hoping to be reinstated so she could graduate. But yesterday the Tokyo District Court dismissed the suit, ruling that Koizumi had blatantly ignored the school's policy and that the school had acted reasonably.
• Some big names have been announced behind the scenes of an upcoming TV Tokyo drama series. Prolific movie director Miike Takashi is to be the main man behind "Keitai Sousakan 7", while some of the show's 51 episodes will be taken on by other top directors such as Oshii Mamoru (Ghost in the Shell) and Kaneko Shusuke (Death Note). The series, which airs on Wednesday evenings from April 2, stars Kubota Masataka (19) as a high schooler who takes on an internet-based crime organization. The series' gimmick is the keitai (mobile phone) robot of the title, and major phone operator Softbank Mobile will release a tie-up model in mid-April. Kubota admits to feeling "a lot of pressure" about working with such big names. The cast also includes Ito Yuko (33) and Tsuda Kanji (42), and the theme song is performed by Shimatani Hitomi (27).
• A monthly magazine published by Yoshimoto Kogyo runs an annual survey of the talent agency's best-looking and ugliest comedians. Yamasato Ryota (30), Yama-chan of the duo Nankai Candies, has been chosen for the third year running as the ugliest star. The third award earns him a place in the Hall of Fame alongside 130R's HonKon (44) and Football Hour's Iwao Nozomu (32). Happier news for Inoue Satoshi (32) of the duo Jicho Kacho, who three-peated as Yoshimoto's best-looking star.
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Sachi Parker is the Witch of the West | February 27, 2008 |
 American actress Sachi Parker (51) has made her Japanese movie debut. In "Nishi no Majo ga Shinda" (The Witch of the West is Dead), she plays the title role, the English grand-mother of the young heroine Mai. Parker, the daughter of actress Shirley MacLaine and producer Steve Parker, has had roles in such major Hollywood movies as "Back To The Future" (1985), "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986) and "Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael" (1990), but hasn't appeared much since. As a child she lived with her family in Tokyo's Yoyogi Uehara and attended the local International School. She once co-anchored a show called "Manhattan Express" for the Fuji TV network that introduced New York life to the Japanese audience. At yesterday's event she spoke in fluent Japanese about how she had never dreamed of making a film in her old hometown, adding that she wanted her mother to see the movie. Directed by Nagasaki Shunichi and based on an award-winning children's book, the movie's cast includes newcomer Takahashi Mayu (13) as Mai, Takahashi Katsumi (47) and Kimura Yuichi (45). It opens in theaters in June.
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Jero, Enka's First African-American Star | February 26, 2008 |
 The media is in a flurry over a young African-American by the name of Jero (26) who's set to shake up the music industry. No, he's not a visiting rap star, but the first foreign singer to make a name in the traditional world of enka for many years. And in a clever marketing move, the Philadelphia native's heartfelt Japanese ballads are in stark contrast to his hip hop fashion. Real name Jerome White, Jr, he came to Japan in 2003 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, determined to fulfill a promise to his late Japanese grandmother to become an enka singer and appear on the annual "Kohaku Uta Gassen" song show. He achieved the former with the recent release of his debut single, which is set to be the highest-ever pop chart entry by a solo enka singer. According to Oricon, "Umiyuki" will be ranked No.4 in next week's general chart and No.1 in the enka-kayou chart. Though the song's title translates as "Ocean Snow" and conjures up images of the Japan Sea, Jero admits the only ocean he's seen was in California. But he is the real deal, with good looks, an excellent voice, and fluent Japanese, who tactfully includes natto and umeboshi among his favorite foods (both are commonly quoted examples of food that gaijin can't eat). He studied for a time at the Kansai Gaidai University school of foreign languages, and performed on NHK's "Nodo Jiman" amateur song contest in 2003, something that must have made his grandmother Takiko very proud. With his talent and marketability, his chances of fulfilling that second promise with a Kohaku appearance are looking good.
Check out a recent TV appearance by Jero in our Forum.
• Freelance announcer Itoh Rie (33) gave birth to her first child on Saturday. The news was announced yesterday on the TV Asahi early morning show "Yajiuma Plus", from which Itoh is taking maternity leave. Meanwhile, railroad otaku idol Toyooka Masumi (25) is expecting a baby. Five months pregnant, she plans to retire and become a full-time mother from the end of March. She married a 35-year-old company employee last November.
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X Japan Shows Sold Out in Seconds | February 25, 2008 |
 The final tickets for next month's three X Japan shows at Tokyo Dome are said to have sold out in a matter of seconds. The final batch of the 150,000 tickets for the hugely anticipated March 28-30 shows went on sale at 10am yesterday. Demand has been heavy on ticket sources such as the official fan site of group leader Yoshiki and sites such as J Rock Revolution aimed at overseas fans. Through the pre-sale, Japan Zone was fortunate enough to get hold of four tickets for the March 28 "X Japan - Night of Destruction" show. The group performed together last October for the first time in ten years, shooting a live video for the song "I.V." on the rooftop of the Aqua City mall in Tokyo.
• Talento and otaku favorite Nakagawa Shoko (22) apologized yesterday for a slip of the tongue. A regular panelist on the live TBS show "Sunday Japon", she was talking about the recent accident in which a fishing vessel was accidentally sunk by a Japanese Aegis-class naval destroyer. A tearful "Shokotan" said during the show that the incident was avoidable and referred to the "unnecessary deaths" of the father and son crew members, though they are still officially listed as missing. She apologized briefly at the end of the show and again on her popular blog. She said she had got carried away by her emotions and hoped the two would be found soon.
• Hollywood actor Hayden Christensen (26) arrived in Japan yesterday to promote his latest movie. "Jumper" opens in theaters on March 7.
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Remembering a Fallen Star | February 22, 2008 |
 In 1985, the Japanese showbiz industry tried hard to make the world forget about Dan Ikeda. And until news of his death was revealed yesterday, a full two months after he had passed away, they succeeded. The musician died at a Tokyo hospital of respiratory failure on Christmas Day and a small funeral was held for him, presided over by his widow Setsuko. He was 72. In his heyday, Ikeda was a top session musician whose big band, "Dan Ikeda to New Breed", accompanied artists every week on the hugely popular Fuji TV music show "Yoru no Hit Studio". Ikeda worked on up to eight weekly shows and appeared 13 times on NHK's annual "Kohaku Uta Gassen". But in 1985, angered that "Yoru" was moved to a later time slot and that TV in general was switching from from live to pre-recorded broadcasts, Ikeda quit as bandmaster. That November, he published a racy autobiography and was bold enough to include the real names of such established stars as host Inoue Jun and top idols Tahara Toshihiko and Matsuda Seiko. Having broken one of the industry's biggest taboos, Ikeda was unable to work on TV ever again and was forced to seek work at regional music events. Though he admitted to having been lonely, he insisted he never regretted writing about things that he considered "common knowledge." Born Ikeda Keisuke in 1935 in Seoul, South Korea, he moved back to Japan with his family after WWII. While in high school he worked as a folk dance instructor, known as a "dan-suke", which earned him the moniker that became his stage name.
• Hollywood star Nicole Kidman (40) was in Tokyo yesterday for the Japan premiere of "The Golden Compass", which opens at theaters on March 1. Five months pregnant, Kidman thanked fans on behalf of her baby for their messages of congratulation. Also attending the event was actress and former model Tamaru Maki (29). Asked about the rumors of a split with Terada Kazumasa (42), the president of fashion brand Samantha Thavasa, she denied there was even any relationship.
• One of the longest-running shows on Japanese TV is approaching its 2,200th edition. At the Tokyo International Forum yesterday, Fuji TV's Saturday evening show "Music Fair" recorded a series of four special episodes that will air from March 1. The show will reach the landmark figure on March 15. One the air for 44 years, the show regularly features the biggest names in the pop world. Singer Moriyama Ryoko (60) has appeared the most times (104) and yesterday performed a duet of her famous hit "Nada Sou Sou" with her son Naotaro (31). Other acts collaborating for the show included vocal group Gospellers and Ayaka (20).
• Defunct pop duo I WiSH got back together for a one-off concert last night. During the show at the CC Lemon Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, pianist nao (27) announced that he and vocalist ai (22) got married in December and are expecting a baby in May. Yesterday was ai's 22nd birthday. Though the duo split up in February 2005, they released a new CD on Valentine's Day. "Love Songs 4 You" contains four songs, including a new recording that completes a "love cycle" started by their first three singles.
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Taiyaki-kun is Back After 33 Years | February 21, 2008 |
 Japan's best-selling single of all time wasn't from B'z, Hamasaki Ayumi or even Koda Kumi. "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" is a kid's song that was released 33 years ago and had total sales of 4.55 million singles, a figure that has now earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Of course, in 1975 there were no CDs, so on March 5 the song is to be re-released coupled with another old Showa Era favorite "Ippon demo Ninjin." It will have the original sleeve design and coloring book, with the addition of a DVD featuring the animation that was shown on the "Hirake! Ponkikki" show.
The reason for the sudden revival? Last year Taiyaki-kun stuffed toys started appearing in UFO Catcher machines in game centers across the country and were an instant hit among people old enough to remember the character. The popularity spread to couples and youngsters, and the Pony Canyon record label saw they had a hit on their hands. They contacted Guinness in the UK about possibly having the song listed under a "Children's Songs" or "Food Songs" category only to discover that it would be recognized as Japan's No.1-selling single. Nobody had ever thought to submit it before. Pony Canyon declined to comment on the fact that the singer, Shimon Masato - now 64 and retired from showbiz - got a single payment of ¥50,000 and a white guitar for the recording. Though he had other hits, he hasn't appeared in public since 1998.
• Former talento Haga Kenji (46), currently on trial for extortion, was released on bail this week after his fourth court appearance at the Osaka District Court. It's not known who forked out the ¥20 million in bail money. On Tuesday evening, Haga returned to his Tokyo home with his wife Mayu (30), who he had seen only once in the eight months since his arrest last summer. He is due back in the Osaka court today for a hearing that is to include an appearance on the witness stand by actor Yoshikawa Ginji (42), who was arrested in the case last July but faced no charges.
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Prime (Minister) Time for Kimura Takuya | February 20, 2008 |
 Any TV drama series that stars Kimura Takuya is sure to be popular and almost guaranteed the best time slot. But in the upcoming spring series from TBS, Kimutaku not only has the prime 9pm Monday slot, he even gets to be Prime Minister. The as-yet untitled series tells of an elementary school teacher who gets thrown into the political arena and becomes Japan's youngest ever leader. After decades of political mismanagement, the Japanese people are likely to tune in in large numbers to see what the country's top star can do when put in charge. The series once again joins Kimura with writer Fukuda Yasushi and the team who made "Hero" one of the most popular TV dramas ever, with all 11 episodes getting an audience rating over 30%. Last year's movie spinoff was the most successful domestic feature at the box office.
 As one half of the Yoshimoto duo Football Hour, comedian Iwao Nozomu (32) may be popular but he's not supposed to get the girl. As the comedy agency's No.1 "ugly" star for three years running, his romantic misadventures are part of his appeal and marketability. So his connection with a popular 24-year-old porn actress is all the more surprising. The weekly gossip magazine "Flash" photographed Iwao and Itoya Mei on a date at a Tokyo izakaya earlier this month, after which they spent the night at Iwao's apartment. They have been spotted out together on several separate occasions, though their agencies say they are just friends. They met last year when Iwao cast Itoya in the segment he directed of a Yoshimoto omnibus movie. A junior college graduate, Itoya worked in a nursery before starting nude modeling and porn video appearances in 2006. She also has one of the AV (adult video) industry's most popular blogs.
• Islandic songstres Bjork was at the Nippon Budokan yesterday for her first concert here in seven years. Wearing the same colorful face paint as features on the cover of her latest album "Volta", she dispensed with talk intervals and costume changes, performing 19 songs for the 10,000 fans. She plays the same venue on Friday before heading to Osaka Castle Hall for one more show on Monday.
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Life Begins at 69 for Mickey Curtis | February 19, 2008 |
 Talento and sometime rockabilly singer Mickey Curtis (69) recently married for the third time, this time to a woman 33 years younger. His management announced the news yesterday, saying that the couple met in May of last year. Curtis was at an outdoor cafe when the woman's dog approached him. By the time they parted, he had her email address and took things from there. He proposed last Chritmas and they tied the knot at the end of January. Real name Kachisu Brian, Curtis was married to model and actress Yoshimura Mari (72) in the early 1960s, but domestic violence brought an end to that marriage after just two years. He was married again from 1971 to 2002, with a drawn-out and messy divorce following the drug arrest of his musician son Yuujin (Eugene, 35).
• Hip hop producer Pharrell Williams (34) was in Tokyo yesterday to help launch auditions for Japan's next R&B diva. The man behind hits for Beyonce and Usher and Madonna's upcoming album has teamed up with friend and fashion design leader Nigo (37) to organize the "Star Bape Search" (Nigo is the man behind the popular Bape, or A Bathing Ape, brand). Singers aged 15 to 26 are eligible to audition, with three rounds leading up to a final decision in June. The winner will be go into the studio with Williams and Nigo and release a debut single within the year.
• Asano Tadanobu (34) is to attend the upcoming Academy Awards, where "Mongol" has been nominated for a best foreign film Oscar. Directed by Sergei Bodrov, the movie is based on the early days of the great Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan, played by the "Ichi the Killer" star.
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Tokyo's Celebrity Marathon | February 18, 2008 |
 Though he was far from his peak condition, Miyazaki Prefecture governor Higashikokubaru Hideo (50) drew perhaps the strongest crowd support at yesterday's Tokyo Marathon. The former Takeshi Gundan comedian has been a strong runner for years, and had a personal best time of just under 3 hours and 6 minutes in 2004. But his hectic political and TV promotional schedule have left him with little time to train. A live TV appearance late on Saturday night meant that he ran the race on four hours sleep. He finished three quarters of an hour behind Diet member Suzuki Muneo (60) and five minutes after Tamabukuro Sujitarou (40) of the comic duo Asakusa Kid, a fellow Gundan member running the race for the second year. The best celebrity time was by actor Wada Masato (28) who finished one second under 2 hours and 58 minutes, while diminutive comedian Neko Hiroshi (30) also managed to finish in a respectable time of just under 3 hours 49 minutes. A dozen NTV announcers finished the race, started on a chilly morning by Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro (75), in times ranging from about 4 and a half hours to almost 7 hours. A total of 32,426 people entered the race.
- Wada Masato (28, actor) - 2 hrs 57'59"
- Neko Hiroshi (30, comedian) - 3 hrs 48'57"
- Okushi Erika (27, talento) - 3hrs 50' 54"
- Suzuki Muneo (60, politician) - 3hrs 57' 11"
- Suzuki Takashi (33, NTV announcer) - 4hrs 27' 33"
- Tamabukuro Sujitarou (40, comedian) - 4hrs 37' 44"
- Higashikokubaru Hideo (50, politician) - 4hrs 42' 27"
- Nishioka Sumiko (33, comedian) - 4hrs 45' 35"
- Kawada Hiroki (35, comedian) - 6hrs 27' 48"
- Katsumata Kunikazu (42, talento) - 6hrs 34' 04"
- Cunning Takeyama (36, comedian) - 6hrs 49' 09"
- Matsuno Akemi Takeyama (39, talento) - 6hrs 49' 09"
• Yamada Yoji (76) failed again to win the Golden Bear at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival, but Japanese features took several other lesser awards. Young countryman Kumasaka Izuru (32) took the event's Best First Film award for his movie, "Asyl — Park and Love Hotel". The jury said it was reminiscent of Kurosawa Akira's classic "Ikiru" and that the film's imagery had both "power and beauty". Kumasaka was dressed in a parka and jeans as he accepted his award and €50,000 prize, which he said will finance his next project. Other awards went to "Megane" (Ogigami Naoko, Manfred Salzgeber Prize) and "United Red Army" (Wakamatsu Koji, NETPAC Prize and CICAE Prize). Yamada's "Kaabee" (Kabei - Our Mother) was well received by local press but less so with critics. Star Yoshinaga Sayuri (62) had wanted to see her director lifted in the do-age victory celebration, but Yamada himself looked to the future, saying he wants to do more films set in postwar Japan. Meanwhile, Shochiku has confirmed the release of Kaabee in 17 countries.
• Though he doesn't usually perform solo, Nadagi Takeshi (37) became the first comedian to repeat as winner of the R-1 Grand Prix on Saturday, winning ¥5 million in the annual contest for one-man comedy. A member of the Yoshimoto five-member comedy group Plan 9, Nadagi became popular last year with the "Dylan and Catherine" routine that he does with romantic partner Tomochika. The characters are based on the Japanese dub of the "Beverly Hills 90210" TV show.
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Roseanna's Tearful Apology | February 15, 2008 |
 Talento Roseanna (57) gave a tearful press conference yesterday to apologize for the recent drug arrest of her son. Bowing deeply to reporters and TV cameras, she said she has no desire to see her son and is thinking of disinheriting him. Kato Raimon (29) was arrested on February 3 for possession of marijuana. He got married five years ago and has a 4-year-old son. But following his divorce last July he moved back to the family home, also shared by his sister Marion (26) and her family. It was a late-night quarrel between Raimon and Marion's husband that led the police to visit the house, which in turn led to the arrest. Roseanna said yesterday that she always believed her late husband Hide (1942-90) was by her side, but couldn't understand why he didn't stop their son's wayward behavior. Last night she performed at a scheduled concert, telling the audience she wanted to "forget about family matters", but she has canceled a concert in July to mark her 40th anniversary as a singer. She and Hide were a very popular folk duo in the 1970s.
• Talento Yamada Mariya (27) and actor Kusano Toru (40) tied the knot on Valentine's Day. They went to a Tokyo city office together to register their marriage. They will make their first TV appearance as a married couple of the Fuji TV "Sanma no Manma" variety show tonight.
• Actress Kuriyama Chiaki (23) has made the gossip magazines for the first time. According to today's issue of "Friday", she is romantically involved with actor Koshinaka Makoto (27), former vocalist of the defunct visual-kei rock band Λucifer. She was spotted visiting his Tokyo apartment earlier in the month. Her agency says she is taking guitar and vocal lessons and has made many musician friends recently, but denies any deeper relationship between the two. Kuriyama made her name as Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol.1" in 2003, and has since established herself as an actress and model. Λucifer (or Lucifer) was formed in 1999 based around the manga "Kaikan Phrase", with http://www.japan-zone.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgithe band members taking their names from the manga's characters. They released three albums and nine singles before breaking up in January 2003.
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Director Ichikawa Kon Dies | February 14, 2008 |
 Popular movie director Ichikawa Kon died Wednesday of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital. He was 92. The recipient of awards at such international film festivals as Cannes and Venice, he is perhaps best known outside Japan for 1965's art-documentary "Tokyo Orimpikku" (Tokyo Olympiad) and "Biruma no Tategoto" (The Burmese Harp), which was recognized at the Venice festival in 1956 and nominated for an Oscar the following year. Often photographed with a cigarette in his mouth, he continued to work into his 90s, his final project in 2006 being a remake of his 1976 hit "Inugamike no Ichizoku" (The Inugamis).
Born in Mie Prefecture in 1915, he joined an animation studio straight from high school and made his directorial debut shortly after the end of WWII. In 1948 he married Wada Natto, an assistant at the Toei Studio who also became the screenwriter for most of his works until her death from cancer in 1983. Ichikawa joined the major Toho studio in 1951, and in the mid-1950s made a series of adaptations of literary works. Among these were "Biruma..", "Kokoro" (The Heart, 1955) and "Kagi" (The Key), which received a Golden Globe and the Jury Award award at Cannes in 1960. His film of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics was a sensation and has been called one of the best sports documentaries ever made. He later moved away from making large-scale projects, returning only in 1976 to make "Inugamike...", the first feature by Kadokawa Pictures, which had risen from the ashes of the major Daiei studio. Ichikawa's other notable works include "Ototo" (Younger Brother, 1960) and "Sasame Yuki" (The Makioka Sisters, 1983). He was recognized by the government for his cultural contributions in 1994.
• A lawyer has sued publisher Shogakkan and mangaka Inoura Hideo for stealing the ideas used in a popular manga series. The "Big Comic Original" magazine has been running Inoura's "Bengoshi no Kuzu" for three series, with a fourth due to start this month. The strip was also adapted into a TBS drama series starring top actor Toyokawa Etsushi in 2006. But lawyer Uchida Masatoshi says that the story has copied major elements from his non-fiction books published in 2001 and 2005, and he filed a suit at the Tokyo District Court ordering Shogakkan to remove the series.
• Former top Takarazuka star Wao Yoka is to make her "Broadway" debut. She was introduced on stage after a performance of "Chicago" in New York on Tuesday, though she will be playing the lead role of Velma Kelly at the Akasaka Act Theater in Tokyo from October. It's Wao's first musical role since retiring from the famous all-female theatrical revue in 2006.
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Japan's Most Persuasive Celebrity | February 13, 2008 |
 Who do you think are Japan's most persuasive celebrities? A recent online survey shows that people polled overwhelmingly chose comedians with enough gift of the gab to carry their own regular TV shows. Master emcee Shimada Shinsuke (51) topped the rankings, and watching him on TV just about any night of the week it's hard to argue. His mix of humor and often twisted logic to argue his various theories about life and love leave guests in stitches but also get a lot of heads nodding. In the survey carried out over two weeks in January by Just Systems, Shimada ranked top by a mile over equally verbose comedians and TV regulars Akashiya Sanma and Tamori, with Kitano "Beat" Takeshi, Tokoro Joji and relative newcomer Tamura Atsushi of the duo London Boots also making the Top 10. In fourth place was actor and renowned playboy Ishida Junichi, followed in fifth by Japan's accomplished Olympic baseball coach Hoshino Senichi. Filling out the Top 10 were former prime minister Koizumi Junichiro and Mino Monta, the busiest man on Japanese TV, who surprisingly only squeaked in at No.9.
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Japan's Sole Grammy Winner | February 12, 2008 |
 Almost a total unknown even in his own country, taiko drummer Nakamura Koji (48) was the only Japanese artist to take an award at the Grammys over the weekend. With most other winners wearing tuxedos, Nakamura stood out in his traditional kimono. A member of the Paul Winter Consort, he shared the Best New Age Album award for "Crestone". The main recordings for the album were done in the natural acoustics of a lake high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado. The album features the pow-wow drum and cedar flute of a young singer of Apache heritage, as well as birds and animals native to the region. The photo shows, from the left, members Paul McCandless, Peter May and Nakamura. Formerly with the famous Ondekoza taiko group and a leader of the Shumei Taiko Ensemble, Nakamura moved to the US in 2004. Countryman Kitaro was also nominated in the same category, for the 12th time.
• Freelance announcer Yukino Tomoyo is expecting her first baby baby this summer. And at the age of 44, she says she wants to be an example to other women who decide to give birth later in life. She and the father, a 41-year-old real estate company owner and divorcee, plan to get married around the time of the expected birth in June. The couple met last summer and started dating within a week. They currently live together in Tokyo. Yukino made her name while with TV Asahi in the late 1980s as a presenter on the infamous late-night show "Tonight".
• The latest single from Johnny's Jimusho band KAT-TUN has entered the Oricon chart at No.1. "Lips" is the sixth consecutive chart topper from the 6-member band since they debuted in 2006. Meanwhile, Koda Kumi's "Kingdom" is on top of the album chart for the second week. Despite (or perhaps thanks to) the pop star's recent gaffe on live radio and the repercussions on her PR appearances, the album has already sold over half a million copies.
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Sonny Chiba Still a Street Fighter | February 08, 2008 |
 Veteran martial arts actor Chiba Shinichi (69) and an associate (49) have been questioned by police following a fight in central Tokyo on Wednesday night. The two were eating in separate restaurants in the Higashi Shimbashi district when Chiba heard from a friend that the other man was spreading rumors about his financial problems. The two got into an argument and then a fight in a nearby public square, and both are said to have suffered injuries. Police are investigating who instigated the violence, but as both men were reportedly drunk at the time a settlement out of court is the most likely result. Chiba was one of the first Japanese actors to find success in Hollywood, and was back in the spotlight again when he appeared in Quentin Tarantino's 2003 hit movie "Kill Bill, Vol.1". Last year he changed his stage name to JJ Sonny Chiba.
• Dressed in a black suit and white blouse rather than her usual revealing style, pop singer Koda Kumi (25) made a televised apology to fans yesterday evening (as reported here). In the recorded interview shown on Fuji TV's "FNN Super News", a tearful Koda said she had been surprised by the reaction to her flippant comment on live radio last weekend. But online bashing, especially from older female listeners, and the subsequent work-related consequences forced her into a leave of absence at a time when she should be heavily promoting her latest album.
• Artist and Kome Kome Club vocalist Ishii Tatsuya (48) was on stage with dozens of business and industry leaders in Tokyo yesterday. The event was the launch of a campaign to celebrate 150 years of the domestic steel industry, for which Ishii designed the image character Aira. He and science producer Yonemura Denjiro (53) will be the public faces of the campaign throughout the year. "Denjiro Sensei" regularly appears on TV to popularize science for children, and is putting on two days of science shows at the Roppongi Hills complex at the end of July as part of the campaign. Organized by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, the campaign slogan is "Steel for Life". Ishii has also written an image song, which will be released on February 26.
• Yesterday fallen talento Haga Kenji (46) and former world boxing champion Watanabe Jiro (52) had their second day in court in their ongoing extortion case. The accused were passive as their alleged victim gave evidence, but Haga had to wipe away tears when his wife Mayu (30) was called to the stand. Married only since October 2006, the couple hadn't been allowed to see each other since Haga's arrest last June. Asked about entries in her husband's bank books, which she kept charge of, Mayu said she didn't remember. When asked if she planned to stay married to Haga, she replied simply "Yes."
• Former idol singer Kokusho Sayuri (41) is turning back the clock on Valentine's Day. She has re-recorded her 1986 hit "Valentine Kiss" and will be supporting it with live appearances on TV and radio shows all over Tokyo. The song was voted the one most people wanted to hear on Valentine's Day in a survey by chart company Oricon last year. Kokusho was member #8 of the top '80s idol group Onyanko Club and is now an actress.
• Popular young actor Matsuyama Kenichi (22) was at the Tokyo International Forum last night for the Japan premiere of "L Change the World", the latest movie spinoff from the "Death Note" manga. The movie, directed by Nakata Hideo, opens on Saturday.
• Kansai TV has submitted a request to be allowed to broadcast again, a year after it was exposed for faking data on a popular TV show. In January 2007, the company was found to have made up data used on the long-running "Hakkutsu! Aru Aru Daijiten II" and was expelled from the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters the following April (that story).
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Koda Kumi is Sorry. No, Really | February 07, 2008 |
 J-pop queen Koda Kumi (25) is to make a videotaped appearance on the Fuji TV show "FNN Super News" this afternoon to apologize for her recent verbal slip on live radio. Last weekend's comment, an insult to women over the age of 35, has led to a loss of work and a self-imposed home confinement. For the music industry's current biggest-grossing artist with a new album just hitting the shelves, that's no laughing matter. Koda and her Avex label management have been busy with damage control, issuing written apologies via the media and online. It can only be hoped that in today's TV appearance, Koda will avoid the self-indulgent tears that are so often used as a show of repentance. But it's more likely that we'll see the usual waterworks.
• Rock singer Ayanokoji Sho, vocalist of the band Kishidan, became a father this week when his wife had a baby girl. The couple, who he met in London, got married in December 2006 and held a large wedding reception last June with Glay and Utada Hikaru among the 300 guests. In the last couple of years, Ayanokoji has been performing mainly as his alter ego, DJ Ozma.
• Actress Tanaka Minako (40) announced this week that she is expecting her first child in June. She married actor Okada Taro (33) last year. Tanaka is currently filming the TBS drama "Mikon Rokushimai 2" and plans to attend a PR event on February 14.
• Former pro wrestler turned actress Noumi Kayo (31) and PaniCrew member Hourii (35), who married last April, are to hold their wedding reception in Tokyo later this month. They will then head off for a weeklong honeymoon in the Maldives. Noumi made the announcement yesterday at a PR event for a B-movie she is making with fellow former wrestlers including Cutie Suzuki (38) and Ozaki Mayumi (39).
• Romance has bloomed once again in the TV world, according to the latest issue of women's weekly "Josei Seven". Takeuchi Emi (31), a presenter on the late-night TV Asahi news show "Houdou Station", and former Fuji TV announcer Sakurai Kenichiro (34) were spotted on a recent date in Tokyo. Both networks refused to comment on the story, saying it was "a private matter." Sakurai has been working behind the scenes in Fuji's sports department since he caused a traffic accident back in 2001. He married a company employee in 2002 but they split up last year.
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Okamura Yasuyuki in Drug Arrest | February 06, 2008 |
 Rock musician Okamura Yasuyuki (42) is the latest celebrity in a recent string of drug arrests. The arrest, his third for drugs, was announced yesterday on his official website. The singer-songwriter made his debut in 1986 and has released some 25 singles. His best-known hits, such as "Ikenai Koto Kai" and "Daisukji" date from the late 1980s. He plays several instruments and has also worked as a producer. Renowned for his vibrant live performances, he says he considers himself a Japanese version of Prince. He was first arrested for drugs in 2002, and while on probation in April 2005 he was arrested again when drug tests proved positive. He admitted he had shot up in a Shibuya record store several days before and he was given an 18-month prison sentence. He started a nationwide tour last October but injured his left calf during a show in November. The tour was due to restart with three concerts scheduled for later this month, but all are now canceled and Okamura's fan club has been disbanded.
• The next Hollywood project for actor Watanabe Ken (48) was announced yesterday. He'll be heading to China next month to start filming on "Shanghai", directed by Mikael Hafstrom. Set on the night before the start of the Pacific War, the movie also stars John Cusack (41) and Gong Li (42). Watanabe will be busy over the next few months - he is also filming the children's vampire flick "Cirque du Freak" with Salma Hayek and John C. Reilly.
• Sony Computer Entertainment has announced the first in its new "Playstation3 The Best" series of software titles. The five re-released titles, which go on sale March 19 for ¥3,800 each, are: "Ridge Racer 7", "FolksSoul - Ushinawareta Densho", "Resistance - Jinrui Botsuraku no Hi", "Ninja Gaiden Σ", and "Kidou Senshi Gundam - Target in Sight."
• Enka singer Mori Masako (49) made her return to work yesterday. After being hospitalized last September with acute pneumonia, she was back on stage for the first time to sing "Ettou Tsubame" in a regular NHK kayou (ballad) concert. She will re-start her national tour on February 22 in Tokyo.
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High Hopes for Otona Mode | February 05, 2008 |
 Victor Records and the music industry are expecting big things from rock band Otona Moodo (translates as Adult Mode, but we'll just call them Otona Mode). The band have three indie-label albums and several TV commercial tie-ups under their belt, but make their major-label debut tomorrow with the release of the single "Kaze ni Natte". Their label are backing them up with major radio exposure - 32 networks nationwide will have the song as a "power play" this month. The band's five members, who come from places as far apart as Hokkaido, Kanagawa and Aichi prefectures, met while at music college in Tokyo in 2004. They started performing mainly in the hip district of Shimo-Kitazawa and released their debut single in February 2006. More recently they worked on "Sora", the debut album by up-and-coming idol Aragaki Yui (19). The coming week will see them perform in-store events at Tower Records in Tokyo and Osaka and a gig at the Liquid Room in Ebisu on February 25. The growth of their fan base has been helped by the boyish good looks of vocalist Takahashi Keita (22) and their melodic musical stylings, which have drawn comparisons to an early Mr. Children.
 Another release with big expectations is the first album in two and a half years from Utada Hikaru (25). "Heart Station" is not out until March 19, but media were given a look at the album cover this week. It features a photo that is a bit more natural than Hikki's usual look and was taken during a 4-hour studio session last Christmas Eve. Now in her mid-20s and a divorcee, she has clearly grown up. Her most recent release, last year's single "Flavor of Life", was downloaded some 7.5 million times, as a "chaku-uta" for mobile phones among other things. The first single from the new album, "Heart Station/Stay Gold", will be her 20th and goes on sale February 20.
• From one queen of J-pop to another. Currently the best-selling J-pop artist, Koda Kumi (25) is biting her tongue the last couple of days. She got herself into trouble at the weekend while hosting the All Night Nippon radio show, making a caustic comment to the effect that once women reach the age of 35, their amniotic fluids go rotten. The throwaway remark drew protests from listeners and Koda and her handlers are taking the criticism seriously. One of her TV commercial sponsors has withdrawn the campaign, and she has canceled a scheduled TV appearance on the "Tetsuko no Heya" talk show. At a time when she should be out promoting her new album "Kingdom", she's riding out the storm at home. The album has entered the latest Oricon chart at No.1 anyway.
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"20th Century Boys" Cast Named | February 04, 2008 |
 The main cast members have been announced for the live-action manga adaptation "20th Century Boys", on which filming started yesterday. Yesterday also saw the first look at the movie's original poster art (left). Urasawa Naoki's popular science fiction mystery story, which first appeared in the weekly magazine "Big Comic Spirits" in 1999, is being made into a trilogy of movies directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko (52). The first two chapters are being shot simultaneously over the next six months, and the first chapter is scheduled to open in theaters on August 30. It's expected to be the biggest adaptation movie of the year. And with locations in seven countries and a budget estimated at ¥6 billion, some big name actors were expected. Karasawa Toshiaki (44) will play the lead role of Kenji, a man who must search his childhood memories for the secrets of a mysterious cult leader known only as "Friend." The key roles of Kenji's childhood friends will be played by Toyokawa Etsushi (48) as Otcho and Tokiwa Takako (35) as Yukiji. The obvious title theme for the movies is T. Rex's 1973 hit "20th Century Boy", which Urasawa lists as an inspiration for the story. As children, Kenji and his friends write a "book of revelations" that tells of a hero who stands up to an evil organization bent on destroying the world. 30 years later and those events start to play out in real life, but with Kenji - now a convenience store manager but with hero and rock-star dreams - cast not as the hero but as one of the villains. 20 million copies of the manga have been sold in Japan.
• Musician Kato Raimon (29) has been arrested for possession of marijuana. According to police reports, several grams of the drug were found in a rucksack in his car outside his Meguro Ward, Tokyo home. It is believed that his family turned him in. Kato is best known as the second son of folk duo Hide and Rosanna, made up of the late Demon Hide (1942-90, real name Kato Hideo) and his Italian wife, who were very popular in the 1970s. He is a member of the band Smorgas.
• Management for Iida Kaori (26) announced yesterday that the former Morning Musume leader became a mother last month. She had a baby girl on January 22. Iida married former 7House member Kenji (29) in July of last year. She plans to continue her musical career.
• Fans of Kawamura Ryuichi (37) got a rare treat yesterday at the Nippon Budokan, when the Luna Sea vocalist performed a "marathon live" show that included all 71 songs recorded during his ten years as a solo artist. When Kawamura got to song No.65, "Sunset", the 12,000 fans went wild when he was joined on stage by Luna Sea guitarist Inoran (37).
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Haga Kenji, Watanabe Jiro Extortion Case Starts | February 01, 2008 |
 A haggard looking Haga Kenji (46, left) and a defiant Watanabe Jiro (52, right) were at the Osaka District Court yesterday for the first hearing in their extortion case. The one-time popular talento and renowned playboy and the former world boxing champion have pleaded not guilty to the charges for which they were arrested last year. Haga is accused of swindling an associate out of some ¥370 million in 2001 by selling shares in a medical consultancy at triple their actual price. When the company failed to go public and went bankrupt, the man came looking for his money back. Haga then enlisted the help of Watanabe and others to use death threats and force the man to relinquish the debt and accept a payment of just ¥10 million. This all played out at a time when Haga was promoting himself as having dug his way out of serious debt by building up a successful jewelry business. In 2006, he held a press conference to announce his engagement to get married in Hawaii, and proudly said he had repaid all his debts. Seeing this on TV, the extortion victim decided to go to the police, and eight months later Haga was arrested. In his first appearance in seven months, he looked much thinner and his permed hair was down to his shoulders. His wife Mayu will appear in court as a witness at the next hearing, scheduled for February 7. Watanabe has a history of similar trouble with the law. In 1995, he was arrested for making death threats against debtors to his import business, but police failed to prosecute the case. In 1999, he was arrested for giving a gun to a friend accused of murder, and he served four and a half years in prison.
• The two teenage daughters of actress Matsuzaka Keiko (55) will make their showbiz debut alongside their mother in an upcoming TV series. The English language education series on NHK will focus on the book "Anne of Green Gables", which has been popular in Japan for many years. Matsuzaka and her daughters Monet (15) and Marisa (13), who were both born in New York and attend an international school in Tokyo, filmed the series on location on Prince Edward Island in Canada, where the book is set. The series will air on NHK's education channel on Tuesday nights from April. Matsuzaka is married to jazz guitarist Takauchi Haruhiko.
• Hollywood's back on top at the Japanese box office. After 2006 saw domestic movies beat out foreign imports for the first time in 21 years, it was business as usual last year. In its data released yesterday, Eiren (the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan) said that total box office receipts fell 2.2% last year to ¥198 billion yen, with local movies bringing in 47.7% of the revenue, down from 2006's 53.2%. Blockbuster sequels provided the main impetus, with the Top 3 being: "Pirates of the Caribbean: World's End" (¥10.9 billion), "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (¥9.4 billion), and "Spiderman 3" (¥7.1 billion). The biggest local hits were the Kimura Takuya vehicle "Hero" (¥8.1 billion), the Pokemon feature "Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkrai" (¥5.0 billion), and the nostalgic "Always: Zoku Sanchome no Yuhi" (¥4.6 billion).
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