Japan Entertainment News - April 2008
The Sushi Prince Does New York | April 30, 2008 |
 As one half of the hugely successful Johnny's Jimusho duo Kinki Kids, Domoto Koichi (29) may be something of a prince of J-pop. But in New York he's now better known as the "Sushi Prince." He was in the Big Apple yesterday for the U.S. premiere of the movie "The Sushi Prince Does New York," which was held at the Walter Reade Theater in the Lincoln Center. Somewhat surprisingly given his status in Japan, it's Domoto's first movie in 13 years and his first starring role. The action comedy, a mix of sushi and martial arts, was first conceived by director Tsutsumi Yukihiko when filming another movie in New York in 2003. He and his staff tried to come up with an idea that would be a hit in the U.S., but the payoff so far is not encouraging. Last year's not very successful TV Asahi drama series (average audience rating only 7.5%) was actually developed more as a prequel to the movie. The cast also includes fellow Johnny's singer Nakamaru Yuichi (KAT-TUN), Ihara Tsuyoshi ("Letters from Iwo Jima") and Shaku Yumiko. You may notice that the casting of Nakamaru and the movie's catchphrase, "nigitte yaru," are also in keeping with the N.Y. theme. The movie opened in Japan on April 19.
Check out the movie trailer and the original promo at the end of the drama series on our Japanese Movies forum.
• It was announced yesterday that popular group Morning Musume are to perform their first ever concert in Shanghai on June 28. They have been invited as the first Japanese artists to take part in the promotional buildup for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The nine-member group, which added two Chinese to the lineup last year, are already scheduled to perform in Taiwan on May 24 and in South Korea on June 1.
• Up and coming comedienne Torii Miyuki (27) revealed at a PR event yesterday that she got married last year. Seemingly her marriage last spring to an older man not involved in show business was a surprise even to her management agency. Torii has recently making a name for herself on comedy shows such as "Enta no Kami-sama" with her white nightgown and eccentric style.
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Matsumoto Jun Visits USC | April 29, 2008 |
 Matsumoto Jun (24) got a rapturous welcome from fans and students at USC yesterday. He was at the University of Southern California for a special screening of his latest movie, a remake of the Kurosawa Akira classic "Kakushitoride no Sanakunin." The venue was chosen for its connection between Kurosawa's original and USC alumnus George Lucas's "Star Wars." Among the audience were future filmmakers and actor Anthony Daniels (62), who played the role of C3PO. At a discussion following the screening, the 300 attendees gave it a big thumbs up. "MatsuJun" said of his role as Takezo, "I put a bit of Spiderman, a bit of Captain Jack Sparrow, of all sorts of Hollywood heroes into the part. I wanted to capture the essence of Hollywood." A member of the idol group Arashi, who are somewhere in the middle of the Johnny's Jimusho hierarchy, he's probably better known in the U.S. as an actor, especially since a subtitled version of his 2005 TBS drama series "Hanayori Dango" was aired here. But among those welcoming him yesterday were 36 members of the Arashi Secret Agency fan club. The movie opens in Japan on May 10.
• Former members of 80s idol group Hikaru Genji seem to be getting a lot of press these days. Morohoshi Kazumi (37) donned his roller skates for the first time in 13 years yesterday when he took part in a preview of the "Voyage/Tabidachi" stage show at the Shibuya Muscle Theater. he said he's been practicing seven hours a day to get back the skills that once were the hallmark of his group. Another member, Ohsawa Mikio (39), got married to a former model at the weekend, while Akasaka Akira (34) was arrested on drug charges in October of last year.
• Restaurateur and former comedian Ohshima Naoya (36) and former talento Takeda Kayoko (30) are engaged after a relationship of two years. The couple plan to hold a wedding reception at a Tokyo hotel on May 18. Ohshima was a member of the now defunct comedy group Dronz, who made their name in 1997 on the variety show "Susume! Denpa Shonen" but broke up in 2003. He now works as an actor and runs a nabe restaurant in the Ebisu district of Tokyo. Takeda is the great-great-granddaughter of Yoshihara Shigetoshi, the first ever governor of the Bank of Japan.
• Korean vocal unit Touhoushinki have entered the latest Oricon singles chart at No.1 with "Beautiful You/Sennen Koiuta." It is the 23rd single release from the five-member group in the three years since they debuted in Japan.
• Rock trio C-C-B played their first concert in 18 years in Tokyo yesterday. The band, who broke up in 1990 and are best known for the hit "Romantic ga Tomaranai," started a nationwide tour at the Omotesando FAB venue.
• A couple of celebrities announced new arrivals yesterday. Brazilian-born bossa nova singer Ono Lisa (45) said on her blog that she recently gae birth to her third child. Meanwhile comedian Tanaka Naoki (37) of the duo Cocorico is a father for the second time. He announced by fax that his wife, talento Kohinata Shie (28), had another baby boy on April 24.
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Former Hikaru Genji Star Remarries | April 28, 2008 |
Actor and former idol singer Ohsawa Mikio (39) and former model Sayaka (24) registered their marriage on Saturday, just four months after they first met. Ohsawa, a former member of 1980s Johnny's Jimusho idol group Hikaru Genji, later gave a solo press conference. He told reporters that he proposed in mid-February while they were on a trip to Macao, saying before doing the world's highest bungee jump (233m), "If I jump, will you marry me?" Ohsawa was married to actress Kitajima Mai (35) from 1996 to 2005 and he has since been raising their son (11). The 172cm-tall Sayaka worked as a model in Italy and is qualified as a power yoga instructor. Ohsawa said she advised him on the development of his new fashion brand Street Star, which he will launch in June. He wore one of his self-designed t-shirts on Saturday.
• TV Asahi announcer Dou Mariko (26) and her Sony Records employee husband held their wedding reception at a Tokyo hotel on Saturday. About 100 guests attended the event, while musician Hyde of the band L'Arc En Ciel and comedian Tamori passed on their wishes to the newlyweds via video appearances. Dou and Tamori are co-presenters of the long-running "Music Station." Dou and her husband tied the knot in December 2007.
• The reason Hyde couldn't be present at that event was that he and L'Arc En Ciel are touring overseas. They played in Taipei on Saturday, following their show in Shanghai a week before. And they announced at the weekend that their upcoming show in Paris will be broadcast live in cinema complexes here in Japan. The May 9 concert at the Le Zenith Arena will be shown at cinemas in five major cities, including Tokyo and Osaka, from 3am, May 10 local time. It's believed to be the first time for an overseas concert to be broadcast live.
• Actor-singer Terao Akira (60) and actress Momoi Kaori (57) were among the hundreds recognized by the government yesterday for their contributions. They received the Medal with Purple Ribbon, while actor Sugi Ryotaro (63) was awarded the Medal with Green Ribbon, both awards being for contributions to the arts and academia. A total of 738 individuals and 17 organizations were recognized. In receiving his award, Terao followed in the footsteps of his late father, actor Uno Juukichi (1914-88), who was recognized in 1981.
• Musician Tsugaki Hiromichi (53) is the latest celebrity to be arrested for stimulant drug use. He failed a urine test after he was questioned by police in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo late Friday night. Admitting the charges, he offered up the usual line, "I bought the drugs from a foreigner in Roppongi a few days ago. I had some personal troubles." Tsugaki has performed as a session musician for such big names as Ono Lisa and Nakamori Akina and wrote songs for Moritaka Chisato.
• Ohyama Nobuyo (71), who for many years was the voice of anime cat Doraemon, was hospitalized last week following a mild heart attack. She was working at the Institute of Sound Arts in Tokyo, where she is the principal, when she felt short of breath. She took a taxi to a nearby hospital and was admitted for tests.
• Techno trio Perfume are on a roll. Their second album "Game" is on top of the Oricon charts and tickets for their concert tour sold out in minutes. They kicked off the 10-city tour with a show for 2,200 fans at Zepp Osaka yesterday. They performed 18 songs including their two major hits so far, "Polyrhythm" and "Baby Cruising Love." It was also announced that they will play at the venerable Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on November 6 & 7.
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Kimura Yuichi, Henmi Emiri Split | April 26, 2008 |
 The brief marriage between Yoshimoto Kogyo comedian Kimura Yuichi (45) and actress Henmi Emiri (31) has come to an end. They announced by fax via their management agencies that they had registered their divorce yesterday. There had been rumors of a split surrounding the two, especially as "Kimuni", as Kimura is popularly known, was said to be playing around. The two took the showbiz world by surprise when they married in January 2006, and they held their wedding ceremony and reception in Kyoto the following April. It was Kimura's third marriage and Henmi's first. She is the daughter of actor Saigo Teruhiko and singer/talento Henmi Mari, who divorced when she was a child. Her mother ended her second marriage at the end of 2005, shortly before Emiri got hitched. She said on her blog yesterday that she had wanted children, but Kimura was less keen as he already has a child from a previous marriage.
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Higashikokubaru Still Monkeying Around | April 25, 2008 |
 Miyazaki Prefecture governor and former comedian Higashikokubaru Hideo (50) has admitted that he paid a former girlfriend hush money, as reported in yesterday's issue of the weekly magazine "Shukan Shinchou." When confronted by reporters at Miyazaki Airport, he said "I do know the woman, but when I contacted her (before the story was published) she said she simply wanted to be left in peace." The magazine described the women as a beautiful office worker in her late 20s. They started dating in May of last year but she says that the popular politician told her that if she got pregnant, she would have to have an abortion. They split in October, and Higashikokubaru paid ¥1.5 million into her bank account. Once a member of the so-called Takeshi Gundan using the stage name Sonomanma Higashi, he has a long history of playing the field. First married to a TV announcer from 1985-89, he married actress Kato Kazuko (50) in 1990 only to split in 2006 as he began his move to a political career. While married to Kato, he was caught having affairs at least twice.
• American rock band Cheap Trick performed yesterday at the Nippon Budokan, the venue where they recorded their career-defining live album 30 years ago. Vocalist Robin Zander (55) again wore a white suit as the band performed the same 11-song set as they did in April, 1978.
• Former Morning Musume member Kago Ai (20) announced on her blog yesterday that she is getting back to work. She says she's landed a part in a Hong Kong movie and will give more details later. She was suspended from the Hello! Project back in 2006 for underage smoking, and then fired by the Up-Front Agency in 2007 for a repeat offense. She recently started moving back into the media spotlight when she said she was publishing an autobiography. She is now under new management.
• Saitama Prefecture will finally have its day. Tokyo's northern neighbor has long lived in the shadow of the capital, and carries the demeaning moniker Dasaitama, "dasai" being the Japanese word for uncool. But yesterday NHK announced that it will be the setting for the first of its morning drama series for 2009. Saitama is the only one of the country's 47 prefectures never to have been used as a location.
• TV Tokyo president Shimada Masayuki announced yesterday that the network is to broadcast the first afternoon drama series in its 44-year history. He said that the modern drama slot will start from the autumn season in October, adding that the move is designed to improve weekday ratings. The network has traditionally shown reruns of samurai dramas or western movies during the afternoons.
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Domo-kun Goes Global | April 24, 2008 |
 NHK's lovable Domo-kun character is to become a worldwide star. The public network announced yesterday that a 26-episode series of the stop-motion animation is to be broadcast in 101 countries and territories around the globe, including the U.S. and the U.K. That far exceeds the 64 countries that broadcast the NHK morning drama series "Oshin," which originally aired in Japan in 1983-84. The full Domo-kun series will be shown at a four-day "Shibuya De Domo" event during the Golden Week holidays in early May. Domo-kun first appeared in 1999 to promote the 10th anniversary of NHK's BS satellite channels. The popularity of the brief spots meant that Domo-kun survived that initial one-year run and became an image character for all of NHK.
• Actor Sato B-saku (59) is to undergo surgery for stomach cancer, his management agency revealed yesterday. They said the cancer was discovered during a regular checkup last December and was at an early stage. He is currently appearing in a stage production in Tokyo with his wife, actress Ameku Michiko (44). He will undergo surgery on May 1 and has stepped down from a stage show in Nagoya in June.
• Two women were slightly injured when a car driven by actress Shirakawa Yumi (71) was hit at an intersection last weekend. Police said yesterday that they will prosecute the male driver of the other car, which hit Shirakawa's car as she was waiting to make a right turn in the Chuo-cho, Meguro district of Tokyo.
• Spanish singing couple Carlos Marin (39), of the group Il Divo, and Geraldine Larossa (aka Innocence) performed a "secret" concert in Tokyo yesterday. They are in Japan to promote her first album in Japan, "The Show Must Go On" and performed a rare duet of the song "Live Forever" for the Fuji TV early morning show "Mezamashi Terebi."
• "Tokyo Sonata," the latest movie starring Koizumi Kyoko (44), is to be entered at this year's Cannes International Film Festival and will compete for the "Un Certain Regard" prize. Directed by Kurosawa Kiyoshi, the movie is described as a "heart-warming story about family ties," with Koizumi casting off her usual stylish image to play a depressed housewife, and her husband played by Kagawa Teruyuki (42). Also heading for Cannes will be Tokio member Yamaguchi Tatsuya (36). He will join actors from the U.S. and around the world who provided voices for international editions of the animated feature "Kung Fu Panda." In his first stint as a voice actor, he provides the Japanese voice for the lead role of Po the Panda (Jack Black).
• On the verge of becoming a forgotten star of the 1990s, Nakayama Miho (38) is to make her return to acting. Living in Paris since 2002 with her husband, Akutagawa Prize-winning novelist Tsuji Jinsei (48), and three children, she is currently in Korea planning her lead role in a movie adaptation of his novel "Sayonara Itsuka." To be directed by Korean John H. Lee, the movie is due for release in the spring of 2009. Filming starts in Bangkok next month and will also take place in Japan and Korea. Nakayama is scheduled to appear on a live radio show today, her first live appearance since moving to Paris.
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Tiger, World's Youngest Jazz Drummer | April 23, 2008 |
 The young jazz drummer Onitsuka Taiga makes his recording debut today with the release of the album "Tiger!" He's probably making history too as he's still in the 4th grade! An application has been made to have him listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the youngest CD debut by a pro jazz drummer." To commemorate the event he held a mini-concert for 150 people at the Tsutenkaku Theater in Osaka yesterday, performing four songs with his band Tiger & The Silverbacks. As always he wore a red hat and clothes provided by his sponsor Asics, who sell his "Onitsuka Tiger" brand. Though a native of Kyoto, Taiga (9) was named after his father's favorite baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers. He received his first drum kit from his parents on his fifth birthday and picked up the instrument so quickly and developed to such a degree that he has been featured on TV for the last couple of years. He performed in New York in 2005 at the age of 7. Asked what his dream is, he said "I want to perform at Koshien (the Hanshin Tigers stadium). And I want to be the best drummer in the universe." His album is released on Columbia Music Entertainment's Savoy label.
• Actor and former member of 1980s idol group Hikaru Genji Ohsawa Mikio (39) is getting re-married. According to his management agency, he and his 24-year-old fiancee Sayaka plan to tie the knot this Saturday and that will be followed by a formal announcement. Ohsawa was married to actress Kitajima Mai (35) from 1996 to 2005 and they have one son. Kitajima married a publishing company employee last July and had a baby girl in January.
• Could TV Asahi actually stop broadcasting Yomiuri Giants baseball games live? With audience ratings continuing to plumb new lows, the network's president Kimiwada Masao (66) addressed the issue at a regular press conference yesterday. But rather than worry only about ratings dropping to a certain percentage figure, he said "the reality of the situation is that it's becoming increasingly difficult to attract sponsors. We have to consider any possibility." Ratings for the Giants night games shown over the opening month of the season hit a record low of 10.5%. The team started the season with a record losing streak, but have since improved somewhat and currently stand in fourth place in the Central League.
• Talento Ohigashi Megumi (36) yesterday made her first TV appearance since she was hit by a minibus on March 11. She was hospitalized with a broken leg and was expected to need three months to recover, but she left the hospital on March 31. Ohigashi had a brief and unremarkable career as an unsuccessful idol singer in the late 1980s and switched to the TV variety show circuit. She married baseball player Ohkubo Hideaki (38) in 1998 and now works as an occasional reporter and commentator.
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Another Massive Year for B'z | April 22, 2008 |
 As Japan's best-selling rock artists, B'z have no shortage of hits to choose from for a pair of compilation albums to mark their 20th anniversary. And their new single "Burn" has added to the list, entering the Oricon charts at No.1 this week. That extends their double record of 41 consecutive No.1 releases over 19 consecutive years. In this memorial year, they started a 17-city arena tour at the weekend, which will be followed by a 3-city stadium tour in September. And yesterday they announced a follow up to their 1998 release of a pair of hits albums - "Pleasure" and "Treasure" between them sold more than 9 million copies. "B'z The Best - Ultra Pleasure," which goes on sale June 18, includes no less than 12 million sellers and the 27 singles on the album have between them sold over 25 million copies. The album will come with a bonus mini album containing "Itsuka no Merry Christmas" and reworked versions of "Bad Communication" and "Pleasure." The first issue of the album will also include a 10-track live DVD that includes footage of the legendary Chiba Marine Stadium show in 2000, when they band performed outdoors during a thunder storm. The second album, "B'z The Best - Ultra Treasure," will be released in September and, like the 1998 version, will be made up of tracks requested by fans.
• Today's issue of women's weekly "Shuukan Josei" reveals that actor Kaname Jun (27) is dating a 23-year-old dental assistant. He is said to have met the Inamori Izumi lookalike through a friend and they've been dating for about six months, a relationship that both he and his agency have acknowledged. The tall and handsome Kaname made his acting debut as "Kamen Rider Agito" in 2001, but this is the first report of romance.
• Masi Oka (33), the Japanese actor who made a breakthrough on the U.S. drama series "Heroes," arrived back in Japan yesterday. A big comedy fan, he said he's excited about appearing with such major names as Tamori ("Waratte Iitomo, today) and Downtown ("Downtown DX," May 8) as he did the news and variety show circuit for the first time.
• Perfume, the pop trio of female university students, have seen their second album, "Game," enter the Oricon charts at No.1. They are just the second techno group to top the chart, following Yellow Magic Orchestra's "Uwakina Bokura" in 1983.
• British singer James Blunt (31) opened his brief Japan tour with a concert last night at the NHK Hall in Tokyo. He performed 17 songs including his 2005 breakthrough smash "You're Beautiful" and "Carry You Home," the theme for the Fuji TV drama "Aiba Monogatari."
• The latest series of "Gokusen" got off to a strong start on Saturday. Again starring Nakama Yukie (28) as the kick-ass high school teacher, the opening episode got an audience ranking of 26.4% in the Kanto region, according to Video Research.
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Wedding Bells | April 21, 2008 |
 Martial arts fighter Masato (29, photo left) and actress Yazawa Shin (27, right) held a lavish wedding reception at a Tokyo hotel yesterday. The couple actually got married in February 2007 after a 6-year relationship. Sunday's event was attended by about 200 celebrities, including actress Koike Eiko and her husband, wrestler Sakata Wataru. Masato, the first Japanese to be K-1 World Max champion, said he had left the reception arrangements entirely to his wife as he was in training for a recent fight. He won the April 9 bout by KO over South African Virgil Kalakoda.
Other marriage news at the weekend came from NYV announcer Suzuki Takashi (33), who revealed yesterday that he and a 31-year-old flight attendant tied the knot last Friday. he is expected to make a more formal announcement on TV tonight. With an Australian mother and having spent several years in Germany, the "News Zero" and "AnaPara" regular is trilingual. A common face on NTV's live sports broadcasts, Suzuki is popularly known as Ralph, his Christian name. His new bride is also fluent in English and works for a non-Japanese airline.
• Singer T. M Revolution (aka T.M.R., aka Nishikawa Takanori) made a guest appearance at the 3rd annual New York Comic Con on Saturday. He performed 14 songs in about an hour and a half, including his next single. He announced that the "Resonance" CD will be the world's first to go on sale with a complimentary BluRay disc. In his third stage show in the U.S. following appearances at anime conventions in 2003 and 2004, the singer known to anime fans for his Gundam theme song "Invoke" was in unusually hyper mode. He spoke to the 4,000 fans in English, ending with "I'll be back!" He was also in huge demand for autographs and T.M.R. goods flew off the shelves at a special booth.
• Kawabata Kaname (29) of the pop duo Chemistry revealed on Friday that he and his wife, model Takahashi Miki, are expecting their first child. He announced the news during a concert in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture. The duo are currently on the nationwide "Face to Face" concert tour. Kawabata and Takahashi got married on March 7.
• Talento Manabe Kaori (27) has all but acknowledged her relationship with comedian Kawashima Akira (29), one half of the duo Kirin. In the recently published autobiography "Joshi!? Gokoro" she says she is enjoying a very relaxed romantic life. Kirin have been increasingly popular in the last year, thanks partly to Kawashima's good looks and deep voice and partner Tamura Hiroshi (28) publishing a million-selling book about his days as a homeless schoolboy.
• American enka singer Jero (26) announced at the weekend that he's to release an album of covers. Simply named "Covers", it will include six or seven classics such as "Kimi Koishi", "Hisame" and "Pusankoue Kaere", originally a Korean song. The album goes on sale June 25.
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Hidden Fortress Remake Premieres | April 18, 2008 |
At yesterday's premiere of "Kakushi Toride no Sanakunin - The Last Princess" in Tokyo, it was announced that the movie will be screened in the U.S. later this month. A remake of the 1958 Kurosawa Akira classic, known internationally as "The Hidden Fortress," it was a major influence on George Lucas when he was making "Star Wars." So the new version is to be shown at the Norris Theater at the University of Southern California, the director's alma mater, on April 27. After yesterday's premiere at the JCB Hall, star Matsumoto Jun (24) said he was very excited about attending the event in California along with director Higuchi Shinji. "This movie is a mix that includes some of the best elements of the past 50 years of western cinema. I think it's turned out great and should be well received in America." With a cast that also includes Nagasawa Masami, Abe Hiroshi, and Shiina Kippei and a poster designed by famous manga-ka Inoue Takehiko, the movie opens at theaters in Japan on May 10. Watch the trailer in our Japanese Movies forum.
• Hajime Chitose (29) is to provide the theme song for the big movie of the summer, "Climber's High". The song "Hotaru" was written for her by Sukima Switch member Tokita Shintaro (30) after he watched a preview of the movie. Hajime said of the song, "It will melt in your heart, especially if you listen to it in the evening. I hope it will encourage people to think about their families and the important things in life." The movie, based on a best-seller by Yokoyama Hideo about journalists covering the fatal JAL airliner crash of 1985, stars Tsutsumi Shinichi (43) and is set to be one of the major movies of the summer. It is scheduled to open on July 5, while Hotaru goes on sale July 2.
• A segment of the TBS anime series "Code Geass" was mistakenly leaked on the Web this week. About five minutes of episode three of "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2", due to air on Sunday, was accidentally uploaded to a video sharing site by an employee of Bandai Channel on Tuesday. The company is in charge of online distribution of the anime. Ironically, the employee is said to have been checking for illegal video postings at the time.
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Fukuhara Miho, Japan's New R&B Queen? | April 17, 2008 |
 How new is Fukuhara Miho? Well, she doesn't even have an entry on the Japanese version of Wikipedia...yet. But "Change," the debut single from the 20-year-old R&B singer, will soon change that. It's a "power play" on 33 FM radio stations nationwide this month, the most ever for a new female artist, and one listen to her powerful vocals proves that it's not just empty hype. She certainly stands out from the majority of J-pop artists, and with the heavy promotion from Sony Music the song should be a big hit. Though yesterday's release was her official debut, she did take part in last year's Celine Dion tribute album, covering the song "Because You Loved Me." And needless to say, Fukuhara's youth and good looks certainly won't do her career any harm. Check out a live performance of "Change" on our Japanese Music forum.
• Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone (61) is coming to Japan next month to promote the latest, and final, movie in the Rambo series. He will be arriving in Tokyo on May 6 and will attend the movie's Japan premiere at the Toho cinema complex in Roppongi Hills on May 8.
• It was revealed yesterday that announcer Mekata Yoriko (48) got married to a fellow NHK staffer earlier this month. She and financial commentator Yamada Shinji (58) tied the knot on April 5. It's Mekata's first marriage and Yamada's second. Mekata is a presenter on the nightly "Fukushi Network" show.
• Koda Kumi (25) has provided the theme song for the upcoming TV Asahi drama series "Puzzle". Currently on a nationwide tour, Koda is keeping the song "Moon Crying" under wraps until the series starts tomorrow. It is scheduled to go on sale as a single in June.
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Shiina Kippei is John Rain | April 16, 2008 |
 Fictional Japanese-American assassin John Rain is coming to the big screen. Shiina Kippei (43) is to star in a mostly Japanese-language adaptation of "Rain Fall," the first book in the John Rain series by thriller writer Barry Eisler. Rain, an ex-US Special Forces hit man who "may not be a good man, but he's good at what he does" finds himself protecting the daughter of one of his victims against assassination by the CIA. Though some fans initially speculated that he might play the lead, British star Gary Oldman (50) has been named to play Rain's CIA nemesis William Holtzer. Max Mannix is both writing the script and directing. Shiina, an established though hardly high-profile actor, has appeared in over 30 movies including "Shinobi" (2005) and "Sakuran" (2007). Perhaps appropriately for his latest role, he is from the famous ninja city of Iga in Mie Prefecture (more trivially, he starred in a 2007 stage version of the Tom Cruise movie "Rain Man"). In 2003, he married actress Yamamoto Mirai (33), his co-star in the TV drama "Blackout" and daughter of the famous fashion designer Yamamoto Kansai (64). He also works as a movie producer, using his real name Iwaki Masayoshi. More about this movie on our Japan Movies forum.
• Takahashi Yuya (28), the son of actress Mita Yoshiko (66) will serve an 18-month prison sentence for a third drug-related offense. His lawyer had appealed the January sentence, saying the defendant needed to undergo rehabilitation, but the appeal was withdrawn earlier this month as his condition has improved. Takahashi was arrested for the third time last November after taking "kakuseizai" (stimulant drugs) in the toilet of a Tokyo convenience store.
• Fuji TV and the Shochiku movie studio are betting that the next hit to be born from a "keitai shosetsu," or novel written on a mobile phone, is "Akai Ito" (Red Thread). The title comes from the myth (originally from China) that couples who are destined to be together are joined by an invisible red thread. In this case, the soulmates are junior high school students Mei and Atsushi, who must overcome drugs, rape and attempted suicide in order to be together. The love story was an online hit in 2006 and later published as a series of five books which sold 1.8 million copies. Now it is to be made into a TV drama series which will air during the winter season and closely tied into a theatrical release. The plot will intertwine between the two, reaching a finale with the conclusion of the TV series. Unlike other recent drama/movie hits such as "Densha Otoko" or "Sekai no Chuushinde, Ai wo Sakebu," this project will feature the same cast and staff members. The theme song for both will be performed by up-and-coming Okinawan indie band HY.
• Freelance announcer Ikushima Hiroshi (57) said yesterday that he has qualified as a "bousaishi", a trained rescuer with the requisite skills to save lives in the event of a disaster. He said he underwent the course after being stuck on a bullet train for six hours following a major earthquake in Niigata in October, 2004.
• U.S. rock bands Huey Lewis & the News and Chicago are performing a series of joint concerts across Japan this month. They kicked off in Hiroshima on Monday and will play shows in Osaka, Yokohama and Tokyo, where local guitarist Hotei Tomoyasu is due to appear as a guest. And Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli (49) performed the first of two concerts at the Tokyo International Forum last night. It's his second visit to Japan and the first since 2000.
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Watanabe Ken to be a Grandfather | April 15, 2008 |
 Hollywood-based actor Watanabe Ken (48) is to be a grandfather. On yesterday's edition of the TV Asahi afternoon talk show "Tetsuko no Heya" his daughter Ann (22) revealed yesterday that her brother Dai (23) got married last month and that he and his wife are expecting a baby in August. The show was actually recorded on March 24, ten days after the couple tied the knot on White Day. Dai has followed in his father's acting footsteps, and made his debut in 2004. In a TV Tokyo period drama he and his father both played the role of samurai Yoshimura Kanichiro at different ages. Dai has finished two movies set to open in August, "Saigo no Soukeisen" and "Dousoukai", and is currently filming an adaptation of the Ichijou Yukari manga "Pride."
• Higuchi Munetaka (49), drummer with the legendary heavy metal band Loudness, announced yesterday that he was recently diagnosed with liver cancer. The news appeared on the band's website a week before they are due to start a concert tour of Japan's major cities. Higuchi said he wanted to let fans know and reassure them that was going to fight the disease and return to performing as soon as possible. A replacement drummer for the tour has yet to be announced.
• Hamasaki Ayumi (29) is the first female artist to have had a No.1 single on the Oricon charts for ten years running. The single "Mirrorcle World" was released last weekend to coincide with her 10th anniversary and concert tour. The overall record is held by rock duo B'z, who've topped the charts in 18 consecutive years. Meanwhile at No.3 in the singles chart is "Tsubasa wo Hirogete/Ai wa Kurayami no Nakade" by Zard, released a year after her death. It's the 42nd Top 10 single for Zard, the performing name of Sakai Izumi, matching the record held by Southern All Stars and SMAP. On top of the Oricon album chart is "I Loved Yesterday" by Yui (21).
• Talento Sakashita Chiriko (31) announced yesterday that she's expecting her first child in November. She married a TV cameraman in January and said soon afterwards that she wanted to have two children.
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Shibasaki Kou is the Shaolin Girl | April 14, 2008 |
 Shibasaki Kou (26) may yet be the next Japanese female action star. The popular star of TV dramas like "Good Luck" and movies such as "Dororo" was in Hong Kong yesterday for the premiere of her latest movie "Shorin Shojo" (Shaolin Girl). Shibasaki spent the best part of two years preparing for and filming the role of a woman who returns from her 3000-day training at the famous Shaolin Temple in China to take over her grandfather's dojo in Japan, only to find it in ruins. She ends up combining her martial arts training with the teamwork of lacrosse as a member of a university club team. The theater in the recently opened Grand Cinema complex was packed with 300 moviegoers. After the premiere, audience members said they were impressed with Shibasaki's performance, some comparing it favorably with the action-comedy style of Jackie Chan. The cast also includes Eguchi Yosuke and Nakamura Toru, as well as Kai Man Tin and Chi Chung Lam. Directed by Motohiro Katsuyuki, the movie has reportedly received interest for distribution in more than 30 countries. It opens in Japan during the Golden Week holidays in May.
• Moody actress Sawajiri Erika (22) is getting away from the media glare again in London. She and her video director boyfriend Takashiro Tsuyoshi (43) headed off on a private trip to the U.K. yesterday after just two weeks in Japan. At Narita Airport, "Erika-sama" refused to respond to reporters questions or even give a smile as she did when the couple returned recently from their 3-month stay in London. During her brief time back in Japan, Sawajiri filmed a TV commercial and celebrated her birthday with friends. She hasn't made any public appearances since she came in for criticism for her temperamental and unprofessional behavior last autumn.
• The Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization (BPO) issued a statement at the weekend urging public and private networks not to show young boys' genitals in scenes such as bathing or even changing diapers, saying such scenes are used in child pornography. It is still common to see young children playing naked in Japan, particularly in parks during the hot summer weather.
• Actor Takashima Masanobu (41) is engaged to a former Miss Universe Japan runner-up. He and actress Mion (28), half-Korean on her mother's side, met on the set of a Fuji TV drama last December. Takashima is to make a formal announcement at a press conference this week, but the wedding is said to be planned for August. Elder brother Masahiro married half-Swiss stage actress Sylvia Grab (33) in 2005.
• Koda Kumi (25) is back after a more than 2-month leave of absence. The hugely successful J-pop star started her nationwide concert tour in Shizuoka Prefecture on Saturday, her first public appearance in ten weeks following intense criticism of a flippant comment on the radio at the end of January. The intended joke about women's wombs rotting after the age of 35 led to her confining herself to her home and not promoting her latest album. She made a videotaped apology on Fuji TV in February.
• Veteran actor Fujita Makoto (74) is resting from exhaustion. The last three months have seen him on a heavy schedule promoting the movie "Ashita he no Yuigon" (Best Wishes for Tomorrow), which is currently doing well in theaters. He has been advised by doctors to take at least two weeks rest, and has canceled a planned talk show appearance for June.
• Actress Nishida Naomi (38) gave birth to her first child last week, her agency reported over the weekend. She married in 2005.
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Janet Jackson Visits Tokyo Dance School | April 11, 2008 |
 Students at the Zeal dance school in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo were excited to hear that Janet Jackson's choreographer was to pay them a visit. So imagine their reaction when the star herself showed up. Some of the 23 students, aged between 10 and 26, had to fight tears as they put on a performance of the dance moves they had learned from the video for Jackson's recent hit "Rock With You". The singer (41), in town to promote her latest album "Discipline," posed for photos and promised to invite all the students backstage when she visits Japan on her planned world tour. The tour is scheduled to kick off in September.
• Former actor Nakata Hiroto (32) was arrested for the third time yesterday for drug possession. He was arrested twice in the space of a month in 2002 and received a suspended jail sentence. The third arrest warrant for the son of actress Ozora Mayumi (68) and her ex-husband, actor Suguro Homare (67), was actually issued back in late 2003. But police waited to arrest him until Wednesday, when he was released from the hospital where he had been undergoing rehabilitation. His mother held a press conference yesterday to apologize for her son's behavior. "If I could, I'd like to put him back in my womb and have him again, to start again from scratch," she said. She said that she had changed her son's registered name to her own a year ago, though she has been divorced from Suguro since 1982. Suguro once appeared on the big screen with Frank Sinatra, in the 1964 movie "None But the Brave."
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Matsui Kazuyo Takes One on the Nose | |
 Actress Matsui Kazuyo (50) showed just how tough she is this week. While practicing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game next week, she was hit square in the face by a regulation baseball and suffered a fractured nose. Bleeding badly, was taken to hospital by ambulance but with a very swollen and bandaged nose, she resumed practicing a couple of days later. Her husband, actor Funakoshi Eiichirou (47) said "She's amazing, that woman. Indestructible!" Matsui is a regular on the variety show circuit and renowned for her good health and as a super housewife. She was married to a company president from 1986-96 and married Funakoshi in 2001. Speaking about her latest accident, she said "I'm glad I suffered this injury after getting married!" She still plans to throw the first pitch at the Rakuten Golden Eagles-Orix Buffaloes game on Sunday.
• It's shaping up to be a great Golden Week for fans of X Japan. Satellite broadcaster WoWoW announced yesterday that they will be showing concert footage both before and after the upcoming two-day "Hide Memorial Summit". On May 2, the 10th anniversary of the X Japan guitarist's death, they will show the second of three reunion concerts held at Tokyo Dome at the end of March. May 3 and 4 are the dates of the live events, to be held at Ajinomoto Stadium west of Tokyo. And highlights of those concerts will be shown on WoWoW on May 5, in the middle of the Golden Week national holidays.
• Actor Hagiwara Kenichi (57) has published his autobiography. Titled "Shoken", the nickname by which he's commonly known, the book reveals the names of several actresses he's had relationships with, including Baisho Mitsuko (61) and Ishida Ayumi (60). But he insists the book is not meant to embarrass anyone. Hagiwara has been in the spotlight more for his legal problems than his acting in recent years. He was given a suspended jail sentence in 2004 for attempted blackmail in connection with a canceled movie role. Earlier that year he was fined for causing a traffic accident, and he was caught speeding last year. He got divorced in March 2006.
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Kitano Takeshi Completes His Trilogy | April 10, 2008 |
 Kitano Takeshi (61) gave a press conference this week to talk about the third in his trilogy of "personal" movies. As with the previous two, Kitano says he doesn't really care about reviews or box office numbers for "Akiresu to Kame" (Achilles and the Turtle). The movies are just something he felt he wanted to make mainly for himself. Sure enough, "Takeshis'" and "Kantoku Banzai" were quirky in the extreme and didn't receive the accolades or commercial success of his earlier works. "Akiresu..." tells the story of an unsuccessful painter who continues to pursue his dream (his own paintings have featured in earlier movies such as "Hanabi"). Kitano says the theme reflects his own belief that even someone lacking talent should continue to work hard, and he describes the movie as a "story of artistic cruelty". Bemoaning the fact that too many recent movies lack originality because they're based on successful novels or TV dramas, he says that there should be more original screenplays. Using his stage name of Beat Takeshi, he again plays the lead role and is supported by a strong cast that includes Higuchi Kanako (49) as his wife, Aso Kumiko (29) and Yanagi Yurei (45). Filming started at the Nikkatsu Studios west of Tokyo in mid-February and is due to wrap up later this month. The movie should be completed in time for this year's Venice International Film Festival in late August, a venue where Kitano has previously won the highest honors.
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Oh Not What the Doctor Ordered | |
 Oh Rie (38, right) admitted in public for the first time yesterday that she and doctor Honda Masaki (37, far left) have formally broken off their engagement. She said they made the decision about a week ago, when they met for the first time since their relationship hit a trough at the end of last year. She said they decided to remain friends. It's only been a few months since the two were on the verge of getting married, heading off on a pre-nuptial holiday with Rie's father, baseball legend Oh Sadaharu (67). As we reported here in mid-December, there was a lot of speculation about why the couple postponed their marriage plans, and rumors of a split between the couple appeared soon after. Honda entered the spotlight last year as the psychiatrist who treated troubled sumo star Asashoryu (27, photo center) through a bout of depression. He has been married once, while Oh has already been divorced twice.
• NTV announcer Nobutomo Yoko (33) revealed on the live morning show "Sukkiri!" yesterday that she recently got married. She said that she and her doctor husband tied the knot about a month ago. The two were introduced by former marathon runner and now sports journalist Masuda Akemi (44) last November. Nobutomo plans to continue her career.
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Big 10 for Hamasaki Ayumi, Morning Musume | April 09, 2008 |
 J-pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (29) may have lost the hearing in her left ear but she can still put on a big show. Marking her 10th anniversary in showbiz, she held the Tokyo leg of her Asian tour at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium yesterday. She went through 21 songs and nine costume changes during the show. During the encore the 12,000 fans surprised her with a version of the song "Who..." and a tearful Ayu was presented a huge 50kg cake. She will play 27 shows in ten cities across Japan before heading overseas. Details for the Asian shows have yet to be announced. Since her April 8, 1998 debut single "Poker Face", Ayu has amassed sales estimated at ¥200 billion (approx. $2 billion). Her memorial single "Mirrorcle World" was released yesterday and is sure to become her 30th No.1. A Sports Nippon article said that she had "miraculously" recovered some of the hearing in her left ear, but it wasn't mentioned elsewhere and so can't be confirmed. She was seen removing the ear monitor during the show.
• And speaking of 10 years, that's how long it's taken Morning Musume to make their assault on East Asia. Members Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa, and Kusumi Koharu visited Seoul, South Korea last year but Morning Musume will be playing their first concerts there this summer. The "10th Anniversary Tour in Korea 2008" will be two shows held at the Jamsil Olympic Park in Seoul on June 1, a week after the group is scheduled to perform in Taiwan on May 24. The group's 36th single "Resonant Blue" will be released April 16th. The "single V" format, a term used for music singles in DVD format by MoMusu and other artists from the Hello! Project idol group, is out April 23rd.
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Kawauchi Kouhan Dies at 88 | April 08, 2008 |
 One of Japan's great showbiz writers, Kawauchi Kouhan died early Sunday morning at a hospital near his home in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. He was 88. The cause of death has not been formally announced but is believed to have been lung cancer, and Kawauchi was rarely seen without a cigarette. He had his first major hit as writer of the hugely popular 1958 TV series "Gekko Kamen", the forerunner of Japan's "tokusatsu" super heroes. He was also the man behind "Manga Nihon Mukashibanashi", a series of anime versions of old Japanese folk tales that originally ran on TBS from 1975-94 and remains popular today. He penned the lyrics for hits by such top stars as Katsu Shintaro and Yashiro Aki. But although he was a major 20th-century figure with the power to influence even prime ministers, his name was mostly unknown to the younger generation until last year. He thrust himself back into the limelight when he very publicly chastised top enka singer Mori Shinichi (60, photo inset) for making changes to the lyrics of his signature tune "Ofukuro-san" without his permission. Mori countered by saying that the changes were made some 30 years ago, which just made Kawauchi madder than ever. He refused to allow Mori to sing any of the hits he had written for him ever again, going so far as to enforce the ban legally through JASRAC. Mori tried on several occasions to change his mind, but Kawauchi stubbornly refused to speak with him or even read his letters, right up to the end. Though legally he is now entitled to sing the original version of "Ofukuro-san," it's unlikely that Mori will ever do so.
• Singer Miyako Harumi (60) is in shock following the suicide of her partner of many years. It was revealed yesterday that Nakamura Kazuyoshi (60) hung himself last Friday in the central Tokyo apartment where the couple lived. Though he was married with children, Nakamura started living with Miyako back in the early 1980s when he was a director at her record company. Shortly after she retired as a singer to become a producer, Nakamura became the president of her management company. Miyako returned to performing in 1990 and has recently been doing concerts to celebrate her 45th anniversary as a singer.
• Young J-pop star Kato Miliyah (19) has seen her latest album, "Tokyo Star", enter the weekly Oricon chart Top 5. She's just the second singer-songwriter to have three Top 5 albums while still in their teens, the other being Utada Hikaru (25) in 2002.
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An Idol's Darkest Hour | April 07, 2008 |
 Former idol star Kago Ai (20) is aiming to get maximum publicity from a dark period in her still brief life. As a member of top idol group Morning Musume and other Hello! Project spinoff groups, the baby-faced singer had a career that most teenage girls would envy. So what caused her to throw it all away? She spoke on the TV Asahi show "Super Morning" today about her indulgences in things that are strictly taboo for teenage starlets - romance (especially with an older man) and tobacco. A 2006 smoking incident led to a suspension by the Up-Front Agency, so when she was caught indulging again last year, it was even more serious. She offered the excuse today that her parents had just divorced that same day and her 37-year-old boyfriend (Kago was 18 at the time) suggested they go to an onsen to get away from it all. Magazine reporters photographed the couple in his car, with Kago smoking again. That was the final straw and when the news broke, she was fired by Up-Front. She says that with no job, no money, and a broken home, she fell into depression and cut her wrists with a scissors at her family home in Nara. Refusing to go to hospital, she had the injuries bandaged at home and promised her family she wouldn't do it again. The revelations come as Kago is trying to make a return to her showbiz career and, with a book about to be published, no doubt there will more sordid details on the way. Fellow MoMusu member Tsuji Nozomi, who formed the duo W with Kago, also went through some media bashing when she announced her pregnancy and engagement to "Ultraman" actor Sugiura Taiyo in early 2007.
• Actress Ohba Kumiko (48) has talked about her long battle with depression. In today's issue of weekly women's magazine "Fujin Kouron", she reveals that she first experienced panic attacks and depression when she turned 40 and even turned to self mutilation as recently as last summer. A top idol in the late 1970s, she became a household name as the star of the 1978-79 TBS series "Cometto-san." After that series, she retired as a singer to become a full-time actress. A failed restaurant business caused her to declare bankruptcy in 1994, and five years later she married a dancer six years her junior. But that marriage ended in late 2005.
• Singer Misono makes her TV drama debut in the TV Asahi series "Otome" next week. Real name Koda Misono, she's the younger sister of J-pop queen Koda Kumi (25), but was actually the bigger star from her debut in 2002 until 2005, when she was vocalist with the group Day After Tomorrow. One reason for the breakup of the group was said to be Misono's considerable weight gain. She's lost most of that weight, but had less success in the last couple of years using her real name and as her big sister's career has soared.
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P.E. Student is New Miss Universe Japan | April 05, 2008 |
 Japan has either won or been runner-up in the last two Miss Universe pageants. So the pressure is on for Tokushima Prefecture native Mima Hiroko. The 21-year-old physical education senior at Nihon University was selected on Thursday to represent Japan at this year's event in Vietnam in July. She received her tiara at the Tokyo International Forum from reigning Miss Universe Mori Rio (21), the first Japanese to win the crown in 48 years. Now working as a TV reporter, Chibana Kurara (26) was runner up in the 2006 pageant. Mima developed her physical coordination early, learning the famous Tokushima dance Awa Odori from the age of three. As a student, she appeared seven years at national athletics championships in the long jump.
• Two female fans were slightly injured at a concert by Johnny's Jimusho idol group Kanjani8 on Thursday evening. A police report said that the two were hit by falling ceiling tiles while watching the show from the third floor seats at the Yokohama Arena. Witnesses reported seeing a leg protruding from the hole in the ceiling, although no arena personnel were scheduled to be working in the roof space at the time. The incident didn't cause any delay in the show and the damaged ceiling was repaired immediately afterwards.
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X Japan to Play Madison Square Garden | April 04, 2008 |
 X Japan have announced their first-ever concert in the U.S. Less than a week after a series of three comeback shows at Tokyo Dome, the band said at a press conference yesterday that they will play Madison Square Garden in New York on September 13, 2008. Following a previously announced show in Paris for July 5, the nature of the "World Tour" logo on staff shirts last week is becoming clearer. Band leader and drummer Yoshiki said a world tour was along-time dream, and that he has wanted to play MSG since watching Kiss perform a comeback show there in 1996. The untimely death of charismatic guitarist hide in 1998 not only put any such plans on hold but sent Japan's leading rock band into hiatus for ten years. Hide was "brought back to life" at Tokyo Dome using a high-tech hologram screen, and the band plan to bring the technology with them for the overseas shows. The band also hinted at playing dates in Europe, Asia and South America, though without giving any details. X Japan already have many U.S. connections, with leader Yoshiki being based in Los Angeles and the recent shows featuring Guns N' Roses guitarist Richard Fortus and former Limp Bizkit axeman Wes Borland.
Read more about the Tokyo Dome shows, watch video and comment in our Japan Forum
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Kimutaku, Yankumi in Spring Drama Battle | April 03, 2008 |
The most anticipated drama series of the new season will be getting off to a surprisingly late start. Spring dramas usually start their run in April, but Fuji TV's "Change" doesn't air until May 12, making it the first ever spring drama in the most coveted time slot of all, Mondays at 9pm, to start in May. Fuji say simply that the timing is a strategic one. SMAP heart throb Kimura Takuya (35), who announced the date on the recent "SMAPxSMAP" spring special, stars as an elementary school teacher who finds himself as the unlikely new prime minister of Japan. The series is the first to feature a theme tune by Madonna. (More details on the series)
• One possible reason for Fuji's decision is to avoid a confrontation with the return of "Gokusen". The hugely popular NTV series is back for a third run, starting on April 19, starring Nakama Yukie (28) as the passionate school teacher Yamaguchi Kumiko ("Yankumi") in her trademark glasses and tracksuit. The first series in 2002 was a success, but the 2005 follow-up was a huge hit with an audience rating of 28%. That popularity led to a run on tracksuit tops - called a "jersey" in Japanese - and Nakama says she will again wear a different brand in every episode. The roles of Yankumi's students will again be played by young members of the Johnny's Jimusho stable of male idols. Hence the conflict of interest with the Kimutaku series on Fuji, though the shows will air on different days of the week.
• Actress Komura Hiro (42) revealed this week that she and actor Fuse Hiroshi (49) have been separated for two years. She said that she and their two sons are now living close to her parents, who she looks after. Fuse meanwhile is living in their former home with his parents.
• Talento Megumi Toshiaki (43) recently became a father for the third time. He rushed to the hospital after his regular afternoon spot hosting the TBS wide show "2-ji Chao" on March 1, but didn't make it in time for the delivery. He says he's delighted to have a younger sister for his two boys, aged 11 and 3. Megumi works mostly as an emcee these days, though he occasionally appears with his Honjamaka comedy partner Ishizuka Hidehiko (46).
• Talento Wakatsuki Chinatsu (23) made her first public appearance in three months yesterday. She said at a PR event marking the 20th anniversary of the "Momotaro Dentetsu" computer game that she won't be doing any more variety show work. She has spent the last few months traveling the world buying used clothing for a new e-commerce site. She has recently visited the U.S. and Thailand and plans to go to Latin America this month. On watching Japanese TV for the first time in months and seeing the many new names on the variety circuit, she said "I don't think I'll be missed!"
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Mrs. Yinling of Joytoy? | April 02, 2008 |
 Will she call herself Mrs. Joytoy? Self-described "erotic terrorist" Yinling of Joytoy is engaged to marry an employee of the Zero1-Max professional wrestling troupe. Yinling, who gives her age as 30 but is actually 32, met 26-year-old Fujiwara Hayato while they were both working for the popular Hustle wrestling promotion. They are said to be already living together. A native of Taiwan, Yinling moved to Japan at the age of 10 and began modeling when she was 16. Despite her erotic name, she's not thought to have done any nude or pornographic work, though some of her photos and video appearances are borderline. With Hustle, she has gone through a few personas and it remains to be seen if she will continue after marriage. As a teenager, Fujiwara had a spell with J-League soccer team Frontale Kawasaki.
• NHK can hardly claim to have reversed the ongoing negative trend with their latest serial drama. The first episode of "Hitomi" aired on Monday but only got an audience rating of 16.5%. That ranks second-worst ever since ratings began in 1964, and is only a slight improvement on the record low 16.2% of last year's "Dondo Hare."
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Another Bayside Shakedown | April 01, 2008 |
 Japan's most successful movie franchise is back! Fuji TV said yesterday that they are planning a third installment in the "Odoru Daisosasen" (Bayside Shakedown) series. The announcement came at the opening of a real life Tokyo Bayside Police Station in the Oumi district of Koto Ward, the area that has been the location for the previous movies. Based on a popular 1997 Fuji TV drama series starring Oda Yuji (40), the first movie was a big hit the following year. A sequel in 2003 remains the most successful Japanese live action movie ever, making more than ¥17 billion at the box office. Two spinoff movies were released in 2005 featuring side characters in leading roles. The new movie is likely to once again be scripted by Kimizuka Ryouichi and directed by Motohiro Katsuyuki, and of course Oda will be back as detective Aoshima Shunsaku in his familiar green parka coat. Other principal cast members such as Yanagiba Toshiro (47) and Fukatsu Eri (35) will also return, but a replacement for the late Ikariya Chosuke has yet to be decided. Oda is said to already have a full schedule this year, so the movie is not expected to be released until next year.
• Hamasaki Ayumi is the first queen of karaoke. She was named as the most popular artist chosen by users of the DAM karaoke system over the last 15 years. The company announced its first ever rankings based on data from 1994, when it was established. Since her debut in 1998, Ayu has released more than 200 songs on karaoke, of which "Seasons" has been the most popular. Filling out the Top 3 most sung artists are Glay and Mr. Children. The most popular song was the Okinawan ballad "Nada Sousou" by Natsukawa Rimi.
• Koumoto Junichi (31) of the Yoshimoto comedy duo Jicho Kacho suffered a broken rib during a recent TBS variety show. The show featured comedians doing sumo against pro wrestlers, the obvious disadvantage being somewhat balanced by both "wrestlers" and the "dohyo" being doused in lotion. Koumoto, who managed to beat the towering "Captain Hustle" Ogawa Naoya (40), is said to require about four weeks to recover.
• Today's issue of women's weekly magazine "Shuukan Josei" revealed that actress Mano Azusa (50) has been divorced for the last two and a half years. She married a computer company employee on Christmas Day, 1989 after a ten-year relationship. But she filed for divorce on her wedding anniversary in 2005.
• The Yomiuri Giants really are having a terrible start to the season. For decades known as Japan's most popular baseball team, they have seen a steady decline in TV ratings in recent years. And they not only were swept by crosstown rivals the Yakult Swallows in their opening 3-game series, but the ratings for their opening game on Friday reached an all-time low at just 11%. That's two percentage points lower than last year's record low.
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