Japan Entertainment News - December 2008
New Year Wedding for Erika-sama? | December 30, 2008 |
 Actress Sawajiri Erika (22) and her boyfriend, "hypermedia creator" Takashiro Tsuyoshi (44), are reportedly planning to tie the knot on New Year's Day. The couple returned to Japan yesterday from an extended stay in London, where Takashiro is based. Sawajiri is said to have been studying English in order to enhance her global appeal. At Narita Airport, as reporters fired a series of questions about rumors of a January wedding, Sawajiri seemed surprised and said only "Who told you that?!" She was her usual uncooperative self and refused to give any answers, but Takashiro vaguely answered "Yes" to the question. Sawajiri's mother Lila acknowledged the imminent marriage, adding that her daughter is not pregnant. Sources have said that the couple are likely to register their marriage on January 1, which is an auspicious "taian" day on the traditional Japanese calendar. After a wedding ceremony and reception sometime in January, they will return to London.
• The hype is building for this year's "Kohaku Uta Gassen." NHK's annual song contest has been a New Year's Eve institution for decades and every year the network tries to build up the expectation as much as possible. Among the highlights being touted this year: Irish singer Enya will perform two songs live by satellite; enka singer Hikawa Kiyoshi (31) will be the youngest performer in 25 years to perform the prestigious final song for the white team, while he will be up against veteran Wada Akiko (58) for the red team; J-pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (30) missed yesterday's final rehearsal but plans to perform despite having surgery on Christmas Day after injuring her hand in a fall; the highly anticipated first appearance by popular band Mr. Children will be broadcast from an adjacent studio, and the band will be supported by a 300-member chorus; singer Ishikawa Sayuri (50) will have support from former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman and baseball star Ichiro; and SMAP's Kimura Takuya (36) will lead a tribute to the actor Ogata Ken, who died in October at the age of 71.
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Saito Keiko and Husband Split | December 29, 2008 |
 Management for actress Saito Keiko (47) announced yesterday that she and businessman Kimoto Hironori (51) have been divorced for several months. Saito said in a statement faxed to the media that she and her ex had parted amicably in May due to a "difference in values" and that neither money problems nor extra-marital affairs were involved. One of Japan's most beautiful actresses, Saito was at the center of many a romantic rumors before she started a 7-year affair with the already married Kimoto. They eventually married in 1997 after he divorced his first wife. There were rumors of a split in 2000 when Kimoto's business was in trouble. Saito has custody of their daughter Ayaka, born in 2000. Saito debuted as a Japan Airlines campaign girl in 1982 while still at university. She won a Japan Academy Award in 1994 as best supporting actress for her role in the movie "Shinonomero - Onna no Ran."
• Singer Natsukawa Rimi (35) is engaged to get married, the Sankei Sports newspaper revealed yesterday. She formally announced on her website that she and percussionist Tamaki Masaaki (41) plan to tie the knot on New Year's Day. The two met when Tamaki joined the band for Natsukawa's 2007 concert tour. She is best known for the hugely popular Okinawan song "Nada Sousou."
• Miura Yutaro (24), the eldest son of legendary J-pop idol Yamaguhi Momoe (49) and actor Miura Tomokazu (56), recently made his music debut as vocalist of the rock band Peaky Salt. Their debut single "Itoshi Setsuna Namida" had a relatively quiet release on November 26 but it being used in a TV commercial for the Uruoi Biritsu soft drink and may yet prove to be a hit. The band was formed when the members were in junior high school. They sent a demo tape to their current label, Vap Records, in 2006 and began performing more regularly in February 2007.
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Cause of Iijima Ai Death Unknown | December 26, 2008 |
 Police say that former talento Iijima Ai had been dead for about a week when her body was discovered on Christmas Eve (see link to earlier story below). Even after an administrative autopsy, they have been unable to establish the cause of death. They found Halcyon prescription sleeping pills in her apartment, so speculation as to whether or not it was a suicide will likely continue unless results of a more extensive autopsy are revealed. The management agency that represented Iijima until she retired from showbiz last year said they spoke to her by telephone about 10 days before her death was discovered. That would make it just a few days before she died, but they said she seemed in good spirits and wanted to meet to discuss setting up a new business. Iijima crossed over from a successful career as a porn actress to find even bigger success as a writer and variety show regular. She quit last year citing health problems but maintained a popular blog and was active in the campaign against AIDS. She was 36.
Earlier story:
Iijima Ai Found Dead
• J-pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (30) had to undergo emergency surgery after she injured her hand in a fall on Christmas Eve. Her agency didn't reveal the extent of the injury but said she had surgery on Christmas Day. On doctor's orders, she has had to cancel a scheduled appearance on today's edition of the TV Asahi show "Music Station."
• Talento Hamada Mari (39) has been married since the spring, it was revealed yesterday. She got hitched to a 51-year-old company employee and they now live in Tokyo with Hamada's daughter from her previous marriage. She was married to Fuji Maki (43) of the rock band Soft Ballet from 1996 to 2005.
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The Return of Mona (Again) | |
 Talento Yamamoto Mona (32) is to make her return to showbiz in the New Year. She announced the news to the media by fax, apologizing for the scandal she caused and promising to be more careful in future. She's been on extended leave since news broke in July of an affair with the married pro baseball player Nioka Tomohiro (32). Nioka was with the Yomiuri Giants at the time, but moved to the Nippon Ham Fighters during the off-season. No doubt he'll be hoping to avoid the media spotlight a bit more up in Hokkaido. Yamamoto is represented by the Office Kitano management agency owned by entertainer and movie director Kitano Takeshi (61, profile), who is fiercely loyal to his proteges. The agency also issued a statement saying that Yamamoto has shown the required remorse and promised not to fall into the same situation again. She went through the same process back in 2006, when she was found to be having an affair with a politician. She made her comeback on a Takeshi-hosted New Year special variety show.
Earlier Stories
When Will Mona Be Back? (July 28, 2007)
Time for Mona to Don the Watermelon Again (July 17, 2007)
Mona's a Jackass! (Jan 9, 2007)
Return of Mona (Nov 11, 2006)
• Actress and singer Hitomi (32, profile) announced on her blog yesterday that she gave birth to her first child on December 23. After a short maternity leave with her new daughter, she plans to release a single in the spring. She was first married in 2002 to a former rapper, a relationship which ended on their fifth wedding anniversary in November 2007. She married actor Haneda Masayoshi (32) at the end of June.
• The busiest man on Japanese television may be getting a bit of a breather. Mino Monta (64, profile) announced that he will be stepping down as host of the NTV afternoon show "Omoikiri Ii!! TV" from March. He has hosted the live weekday show (in its present and previous formats) for more than 21 years. One of his other long-running shows, the TBS animal-themed documentary "Dobutsu Kisou Tengai!" is also coming to an end in March. Mino has hosted that Sunday evening show since 1993, but it has been falling in the audience ratings.
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Iijima Ai Found Dead | December 25, 2008 |
 Former talento Iijima Ai (profile) was discovered dead in her luxury Tokyo apartment yesterday afternoon. She was 36. A friend who had tried unsuccessfully to reach her for several days asked the building caretaker to let her in. They found Iijima lying face down on the floor of her living room. Local firefighters were on the scene minutes later and they reported that Iijima had been dead for several days. Police said there was no sign of a struggle and are investigating the death as either suicide or death from natural causes. The apartment is one of just four on the 21st floor of an office building minutes walk from the bustling Shibuya station. The area is a mecca for the young girls and women among whom Iijima became something of a cult figure in the 1990s. A former porn star, she made a successful jump to the regular TV variety circuit. But rather than try and hide her colorful past she turned it into the autobiography "Platonic Sex," which sold over 1.7 million copies. In the book she revealed that she had suffered both abuse and rape. Royalties from the book and a movie spinoff, together with her regular TV appearances brought her considerable wealth. But she was plagued with health problems, which she cited as her main reason for quitting show business last year. In February she said she was taking medication for a "mild neurosis." Through this and other occasional entries on her blog, "Porno Hospital," she kept fans up to date on her life and business dealings. She is said to have been planning to start a new business focused on selling condoms to women. She wrote extensively about World Aids Day at the beginning of this month and attended a related Rotary Club event in Tochigi Prefecture on December 6. A spokesman expressed shock at the news of her death, saying she had seemed in good form.
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Non Style Riding the M-1 Wave | December 24, 2008 |
 Comedy duo Non Style are suddenly in huge demand. The pair won the annual "M-1 Grand Prix" knockout contest for up-and-coming comedy acts on Sunday and, like last year's winners Sandwichman, they have since been deluged with offers of work. The final was broadcast live on the TV Asahi network and got an audience rating of 35% in the Kansai region, peaking at over 43% as the winners were announced. Those ratings easily beat even the final of the FIFA World Club Championship, which was being shown live on NTV. In the last couple of days Non Style have lined up more than 30 TV shows and 10 magazine interviews. Two of the TV job offers came from top comedian Shimada Shinsuke (52), who led the panel of M-1 judges and hosts several weekly variety shows. The duo officially had the day off on Monday but appeared on several live morning shows. Ishida Akira (28), who is the boke of the duo and always wears white, said he had been drinking all night in celebration of the win. And tsukomi Inoue Yuusuke (28) admitted they had neither slept nor showered before their appearance. It's been reported that Inoue is dating porn actress Hasumi.
• Scriptwriter Yamada Taichi (74) says he has written his last drama series. He was speaking at a PR event for the upcoming series "Arifureta Kiseki," which airs on Fuji TV from January 8. It stars Nakama Yukie (29), as a seemingly happy woman with a secret, who falls in love with a similarly damaged man, played by Kase Ryo (34) in his first drama series role. One of the top scenario writers of the 20th century, Yamada has turned out over 20 two-hour dramas in the last decade. But the new drama is his first series in 12 years and he says he's getting too old to write stories about young people.
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Kawano Akiko, Ibata Hirokazu Get Hitched | December 22, 2008 |
 It's been a while since we reported that staple of Japanese entertainment news - a marriage between a TV announcer and a pro baseball player. Well, today TV Asahi's Kawano Akiko (30) sent a fax to the media announcing that she and Chunichi Dragons shortstop Ibata Hirokazu (33) have tied the knot. Kawano has been a regular co-presenter on the nightly news show "Houdou Station" alongside Furutachi Ichiro (54) for the last four and a half years. She plans to leave the show and quit TV Asahi at the end of March. She didn't say if she plans to continue her career as a freelance announcer. A Golden Glove winner, Ibata was a fifth-round draft pick out of Asia University in 1997. He played for Japan at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and helped Chunichi win the Japan Series for the first time in more than 50 years in 2007.
• It was revealed yesterday that actress Sawajiri Erika (22) and "multi-creator" Takashiro Tsuyoshi (44) are planning to get married next month. The two, whose romance was first reported in September of last year, have been living together in London since April. Sawajiri has reportedly been studying English and plans to come back to Japan to resume her acting career. She largely dropped out of sight after some cranky public appearances brought a flood of bad publicity and a tearful apology in October last year.
Bitch or Bad Hair Day?
• Young Johnny's Jimusho idol singer Uchi Hiroki (22) gave a tearful series of concerts for 75,000 fans over the weekend. His five solo shows at the Yokohama Arena marked his full comeback from the probation he's been on since July 2005, following an underage drinking incident. Uchi made his debut with Johnny's at the tender age of 12 and was a member of several groups, including Kansai Johnny's Jr. and NEWS, and won a best newcomer acting award for a TV drama role in 2003. He is still officially a member of Johnny's Jr. but hasn't performed with them in over three years. The drinking incident, which came while Uchi was recuperating from surgery for a collapsed lung, was taken very seriously. But his youth and popularity meant he was given a chance to rescue his career. He has been making a gradual return to work, appearing in a theatrical production in the summer of 2007 and in a couple of TV dramas earlier this year. He is scheduled to give a series of solo concerts in his hometown of Osaka in early January.
• Tokyo Metropolitan police revealed this morning that former Morning Musume member Ishiguro Aya (30) recently caused a minor traffic accident. Her car collided with another, driven by an elderly man, at a junction in Setagaya Ward, western Tokyo, on Saturday afternoon.
• Singer Hirahara Ayaka (24) has said her brief acting career is over. She made the surprise announcement at a mini concert yesterday to promote her new album "Path to Independence." With Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge as a backdrop, she performed seven songs for a small invited audience of 60 people. Hirahara earned praise for her acting in the recently completed Fuji TV drama series "Kaze no Garden," in which she played a singer. But she said that she wants to concentrate on her music.
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X Japan Big Plan for New Year's Eve | December 19, 2008 |
Rock band X Japan have announced an unusual but proven way to allow more fans to enjoy their scheduled New Year's Eve concert. The show will be broadcast live from the Akasaka Blitz venue in central Tokyo to 13 Toho-operated cinemas across the country, in addition to the already announced broadcasts on Fuji cable TV and the Internet. The band sold out all 150,000 tickets for their three comeback shows at Tokyo Dome in March. So with Blitz only holding one hundredth of that capacity, and with the upcoming show touted as the kick-off for their world tour, tickets were at a huge premium. The tie-up with Toho will allow an additional 10,000 fans to enjoy the concert, which is scheduled to start at 10:30pm. Tickets for Blitz and the cinemas will be sold through Yoshiki's mobile website and go on sale from midnight tonight. The "cinema/concert" idea was used earlier this year by fellow J-rockers L'Arc En Ciel, who broadcast their Paris show live to five cinemas in Japan in May.
• Actor Kase Taishu (38) was found guilty on drug charges yesterday at the Tokyo District Court. He received a 30-month prison sentence, suspended for three years. The judge acknowledged that Kase's hardships had contributed to his drug use, but also said that it was long-term and habitual. Kase, real name Kawamoto Nobuhiro, has said that he will return to his family's home in Hokkaido and start his life over.
Earlier Story
Police Find Kase Taishu's Drug Stash
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Keanu, Benicio in Tokyo | December 18, 2008 |
 Hollywood stars Keanu Reeves (44) and Benicio Del Toro (41) were in town this week promoting their latest releases. Reeves attended a press conference yesterday to promote his remake of the sci-fi classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Asked "If it were your last day on earth, what would you eat?" director Scott Derrickson (42) replied, "The sushi at the Imperial Hotel! Reeves gave a more orthodox answer, saying he'd have steak and salad, followed by a leisurely chocolate cake. Also attending were actress Jennifer Connelly (38) and Will Smith's son Jaden (10). The movie opens in Japan tomorrow, December 19. Meanwhile, Del Toro was in Tokyo on Monday for the Japan premiere of the Che Guevara biopic "Che." He and director Steven Soderbergh also teamed up with former pro wrestler and Diet member Antonio Inoki and model Michihata Jessica at a PR event to plug the movie, which opens here January 10.
• TV producer and talento Terri Ito (58) broke a bone in his back while on location for a live TBS show on Tuesday. The former college ice hockey player fell on an ice rink in the central Tokyo district of Akasaka immediately after he had finished presenting the show "Kimiha Break." He has not been hospitalized but has already missed two of his many regular TV appearances. He is expected to need about two months to fully recover.
• Yukinari (30) has announced that he is quitting the hip hop/dance unit Da Pump. Remaining members Issa (30), who is recovering from a leg injury, and Ken (29) will relaunch the group next year with seven new back dancers.
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Nigo One of the Men of the Year | December 17, 2008 |
 Fashion designer Nigo (37) certainly had a good day yesterday. Not only did he announce his marriage to actress Makise Riho (see below), but he was also named one of the "GQ Men of the Year." The 3rd annual awards from the men's magazine also went to the multi-talented Kitano "Beat" Takeshi (61), comedian Sekai no NabeAtsu (39), Olympic medal-winning sprinter Asahara Nobuharu (36), Arashi member Matsumoto Jun (25), and artist Murakami Takashi (46). Nigo is the founder of the popular youth fashion brand A Bathing Ape (or BAPE) and is said to make ¥500 million a year. He's also been active on the musical front, producing and performing at home and abroad with the Japanese hip hop unit Teriyaki Boyz. He declined to make any comment yesterday about his marriage but he wore a very gaudy "wedding ring" that looked more like a diamond-encrusted knuckle duster (photo).
Earlier Story
Makise Riho, BAPE's Nigo Get Hitched
 They say there's no such thing as bad publicity. But it seems that everything singer Yasuha (47) does only tarnishes her image. The eccentric daughter of a top rakugo artist, she recently ended a tempestuous 20-year marriage to rakugoka Shunpuutei Koasa (53). She has since had multiple outbursts on her blog and at press conferences during which she alternately insulted, apologized to, and praised her ex-husband. She recently made her performing comeback with an off-the-wall single and, in a sign of just how low she's prepared to go, she announced that she will debut with the "Hustle Mania" pro wrestling troupe on December 30. The latest development is that she's been sued by the president of a Kyoto kimono company and two others who say she verbally abused them over the telephone and slandered them on her blog. There is already an ongoing case at the Tokyo District Court between Yasuha and the businessman, who claims she failed to pay ¥20 million for kimonos he supplied to her production company.
Earlier Story
An Unusual Press Conference
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Makise Riho, BAPE's Nigo Get Hitched | December 16, 2008 |
 Actress Makise Riho (36) announced through her management agency today that she and fashion designer Nigo (37) are getting married today. The couple have been dating since they were introduced by a mutual friend in May 2004. Makise debuted after winning a TV commercial audition in 1989, and she became one of the most famous faces of the early 1990s. Among her most famous TV drama series were "Nijuusai no Yakusoku" and "Ichiban Taisetsuna Hito Wa Dare Desu Ka." She won a newcomer award for her role in the movie "Tsugumi" (1990) and a best actress award in 2002 for "Turn." Though she is still continuing her acting career, Makise is currently undergoing orthodontic treatment and has not appeared on screen for some time. But she has been working in narration and fashion design. No doubt the latter field is one where her new husband will have plenty of good advice. Real name Nagao Tomoaki, Nigo is the founder of A Bathing Ape (or BAPE), one of Japan's leading street fashion brands. In the last couple of years he has also been producing and performing with the Teriyaki Boyz hip hop group. The group have tried to break into the U.S. music scene, even enlisting the support of Kanye West, but they have little to show for it so far.
Earlier Story:
Riho's Going Ape
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The Return of Yada Akiko | December 15, 2008 |
 Actress Yada Akiko (29) is making her return to work after a couple of years off to get married and have a baby. It was announced yesterday that she is to appear in the Fuji TV drama "Voice - Inochinakimono no Koe," which airs from January 12 in the "golden" time slot of 9pm Mondays. One of the top young actresses and TV commercial faces of the last decade, things started to change for Yada a few months after she and actor/singer Oshio Manabu (30) appeared together in the spring 2005 TBS drama series "Yume de Aimashou." The two had first worked together on the Fuji series "Yamato Nadeshiko" in 2000 but the first report of romance came in August 2005. Yada dropped out of sight when they got married in November 2006, and she became a mother just over a year later (they named their son Riamu/Liam, as Oshio is a fan of Brit rockers Oasis). Yada's last TV role was also on Fuji, when she appeared in the series "Top Caster" three years ago. Oshio has switched between acting and musical careers, and joined Avex Entertainment this spring. He is said to be aiming to launch a career outside Japan, possibly in Hollywood (he lived in Los Angeles for eight years as a child). But nothing major has happened for him in some time so no doubt Yada will be the breadwinner for the time being.
Earlier stories
Oshio, Yada Hitched
Oshio Manabu the Face of Bodymaker
• Tadano Hitoshi is going Golden! The popular late-night drama series "Tokumei Kakaricho - Tadano Hitoshi" is to get a prime time (called "golden" in Japan) slot on TV Asahi, it was announced yesterday. We've run a couple of recent articles on the growing profile of the show and its current big screen version, and mentioned that the show is famous for its sex scenes that often feature real porn stars. Well, for a Thursday 9pm time slot, the show will be expected to cut back on the nudity. But star Takahashi Katsunori, who turns 44 today, said they will push the boundaries as far as the censors (and the viewing public) will allow. A few days before the series starts on January 8, there will be a special featuring former Morning Musume member Nakazawa Yuko (35), though there was no mention of how much she will bare.
Earlier stories
Tadano Hitoshi Hitting the Big Screen
• Former sumo yokozuna (grand champion) Hanada Masaru (37) has remarried. He revealed on a weekend variety show that he tied the knot with his 28-year-old bride on December 12. She is not involved in show business. Hanada has four children with his ex-wife Mieko (39), whom he divorced in October 2007. She is said to have learned of the marriage only when reporters quizzed her about it outside her Tokyo home yesterday.
• Singer Gackt kicked off his first concert tour in three years yesterday. His fans tend toward the fanatical so they didn't seem to mind that the show started two hours late at the Misato City Bunka Kaikan. Gackt said he was a bit nervous after such a long break from performing and had let the rehearsals run overtime. He gave the first public performances of his latest single "Jesus" and the upcoming new track "Ghost," which is the local theme song for the U.S. drama "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." The tour is his biggest so far but the venues are fairly small, with a total projected audience of about 110,000 for 51 shows in 43 cities nationwide.
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Erotic Queen Finds True Love | December 12, 2008 |
 Actress Sugimoto Aya (40) has a new love in her life, according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Friday." The so-called "Erotic Queen" of the showbiz world has ramped up that image in the five years since her 11-year marriage to a music producer came to an end. She described her failed marriage as "sexless," saying that her ideal relationship was that of "Latin lovers." Known also as an excellent cook, she regularly makes comments like, "Since I was young, I've always made a great effort when cooking...and in bed." She has published an erotic novel and recipe book, and became quite an expert at ballroom dancing thanks to her participation on a popular NTV variety show. She spoke to Friday about her relationship with the 45-year-old company president. She gave away no details, saying only that they have been dating for about a year.
 Lest Japan Zone be accused of only pandering to its male audience, here's a story about a mature male hunk. Actor Takahashi Katsunori (43) has published a book revealing how he got himself buffed up in just three weeks. The motivation was the recently released big-screen adaptation of his TV drama "Tokumei Kakaricho - Tadano Hitoshi," in which he plays a kind of salaryman version of James Bond. The book promises to show other middle-aged men how to get the kind of body that makes Tadano Hitoshi such a hit with the ladies every week. The late-night show - adapted from a manga - has been running on TV Asahi since 2003 and is renowned for its bed scenes, going so far as to often feature real porn actresses.
Earlier story:
Tadano Hitoshi Hitting the Big Screen
• Prosecutors have appealed the recent Osaka District Court decision to dismiss fraud and attempted extortion charges against former talento Haga Kenji (47) and former world boxing champion Watanabe Jiro (53). Explaining the appeal to the Osaka High Court, Shimizu Haruji of the District Public Prosecutor's Office said, "We have examined the judge's decision carefully and we find the innocent verdict totally unacceptable." Haga and Watanabe were acquitted on November 28, almost a year and a half after their arrest.
Earlier story:
Haga Kenji, Watanabe Jiro Acquitted
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Another Link Between Showbiz, Yakuza | December 11, 2008 |
 Talento Senda Mitsuo (61) performed as master of ceremonies for a wedding ceremony in November. Nothing unusual about that, except that the ceremony was for the daughter of a yakuza gang boss, according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Shuukan Shincho." The magazine quotes Senda as saying, "I had no idea it was connected with an organized crime organization. It was careless of me." The article said that actress/pin-up girl Hosokawa Fumie (37) and her husband also attended the event. There are likely to be repercussions for Senda - he recently finished filming the NHK drama series "Dandan," in which he plays a radio DJ, and the series is scheduled to begin from December 24. The public network said that they are looking into the matter and will make a statement later today. In October, NHK banned several top singers from appearing after they were found to have taken part in the birthday celebrations of a top yakuza boss.
Earlier story:
NHK Bans Enka Singers for Partying With Yakuza
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Shibasaki Kou, Uverworld Vocalist an Item | |
 Actress Shibasaki Kou (27) has a new man rocking her world, according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Josei Seven." The article doesn't say how or when Shibasaki split up with actor Tsumabuki Satoshi (27) - they had been dating since the spring of 2005 and were thought to be considering marriage. But she and Uverworld vocalist Takuya (28) are said to have moved beyond being friends sometime in the autumn. The couple were spotted out on the town together for three nights running, including a recent visit to see the Christmas illuminations in the trendy Tokyo district of Roppongi. Shibasaki, who also has a musical career, attended Uverworld's concert at Nippon Budokan on December 5. The rock band debuted with gr8! Recordsin 2005 and have been making bigger waves in the last year or so. Their 12th and most recent single, "Hakanakumo Eikyu no Kanashi," was their biggest seller so far and the first to reach No.1 on the Oricon chart. It was used as the opening theme for the "Mobile Suit Gundam 00" anime.
• Actor Kase Taishu (38) was all tears and apologies on his first day in court yesterday. He was arrested in October for possession of marijuana and stimulant drugs, which he said he has been using since high school. Appearing at the Tokyo District Court yesterday with his head shaved and wearing a gray suit, he said he has decided to quit show business and wants to return to his family home in Hakodate, Hokkaido. But if prosecutors get their way, he'll be heading to prison for two and a half years. Kase, real name Kawamoto Nobuhiro, made his debut in 1990 and quickly became known as a "trendy" actor. But the fall came quickly and was followed by a move to Taiwan and a short-lived marriage. His drug use became more serious in 2004.
Earlier story:
Police Find Kase Taishu's Drug Stash
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Hamasaki Ayumi Lands Dragonball Gig | December 10, 2008 |
 J-pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (30, profile) has landed a major scoop. She was named yesterday as the artist who will record the theme song for the upcoming Hollywood version of Dragonball. Due for release in Japan on March 13, 2009 (April 8 in the U.S.), the live-action adaptation of the mega-popular manga will be released here as "Dragonball Evolution." The cast includes Justin Chatwin in the lead role of Goku, James Marsters as his nemesis Lord Piccolo, and Chow Yun-Fat as Master Roshi. It will feature Hamasaki's original Japanese language song "Rule" as its main theme for all distribution worldwide. Though the local release of major Hollywood productions often uses a theme by a Japanese artist, it's very rare for a J-pop star to get this level of global exposure. And when it's in tandem with the kind of blockbuster marketing support that only Hollywood studios can provide, this has to be a major step up in Hamasaki's already stellar career. Director James Wong is said to be a big fan of Ayu and personally requested that she be involved. She has provided four theme songs for Japanese movies, including "Kizudarake no Otokotachi" (Secret) and "Kaidan" (Fated) in 2007. For her first overseas collaboration, she's written what's described as an uptempo rock number. The Dragonball manga series has sold an estimated 350 million copies worldwide.
• Kobuchi Kentaro (31) of the J-pop duo Kobukuro became the proud father of twins yesterday, when his wife had a baby boy and girl. The couple, who met at university, married in 1997 when Kobuchi was still an office worker. Kobukuro are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.
• Hollywood star Brad Pitt (44) hinted yesterday that he and Angelina Jolie (33) may be visiting Japan early next year. The couple were at the Los Angeles world premiere of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," whose Japan release is scheduled for February 7. If they come for the Japan premiere, it would be their first visit to these shores since November 2005.
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Mukaji Suffers For His Art | December 09, 2008 |
 Fuji TV announced yesterday that comedian Tsukaji Muga (37) broke his leg during recent filming of a variety show. He and a group of fellow comedians were filming the popular "All Star Athletic Games" corner for the "Haneru no Tobira" show on December 5. Like many Japanese comedy shows, it features plenty of pratfalls and other physically demanding stunts. Fuji says all possible safety measures had been taken and Tsukaji had attended rehearsals as usual. A full recovery is expected to take two to three months. Tsukaji is one half of the popular duo Drunk Dragon. He has recently been developing a good reputation as an actor, and landed a few major TV and movie roles. In a statement, he apologized to fans and program staff for the "meiwaku" (inconvenience) and promised to make a speedy recovery.
• Japan lost one of its great postwar songwriters last weekend, with the death of Endo Makoto. He died of a heart attack at a Tokyo hospital on Saturday morning. He was 76. The writer of over 5,000 songs, he became chairman of the Japan Composers Association in 2005. Among his most famous hits are Sen Masao's "Kitaguni no Haru" and Funaki Kazuo's "Koukou Sannensei." He was attending a party in mid-October when he experienced chest pains and was hospitalized. He had bypass surgery, an operation he also underwent in Hawaii in 1988.
• Retired comedian Wakai Hayato died of heart failure at his home in Osaka early yesterday morning. He was 64. One half of the manzai duo Wakai Pon-Hayato, which split up in 1985, he had since been a solo comedian performing in theaters in his hometown. His agency, Shochiku geino, said he had won a battle against throat cancer two years ago and seemed in good health last weekend. His wife went to wake him on Monday morning, only to find that he had died in his sleep. Among his proteges are talentos Yamada Hayato (47) and Moriwaki Kenji (41).
• Some wedding news: popular talento Suzuki Sarina (31) got hitched to reggae singer Tela-C, a member of the group Infinity16, on December 6. The couple have been dating for about five years. Suzuki broke the news during her regular appearance on the Fuji TV variety show "Mecha Mecha Iketeru!" Meanwhile, Kato Yoshiyuki (30) of the 6-member acapella group Rag Fair is engaged to be married, it was revealed on Sunday. He was recording in Tokyo in May when he met his future 24-ear-old bride, who was doing a part-time job near the studio. She is said to be starting out as a stage actress.
• Fuji TV's Takashima Aya (29) has once again been ranked as Japan's most popular female TV announcer. It's the fifth time in a row for "Ayapan" to gain the top spot in Oricon's twice-annual ranking. In fact, she's been the only winner since it started in January 2006. She will now enter its "Hall of Fame," opening the way for a new winner next time.
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Girl Next Door to Release Debut Album | December 05, 2008 |
 J-pop newcomers Girl Next Door continue to punch way above their weight. The trio (Suzuki Daisuke/keyboards, Chisa/vocals, Inoue Yuji/guitar) have already landed a spot on the prestigious NHK live song contest "Kohaku Uta Gassen" on New Year's Eve. That highly coveted invitation came just three months after they debuted, the shortest period in the show's long history. And it came before they'd even released their first album, details of which were announced yesterday. The eponymous album, which goes on sale December 24, has 14 tracks and each and every one of them has a tie-up with a TV show or product commercial. Avex Entertainment are clearly betting the house on this group and the album is described as the first ever debut release to achieve that kind of marketing muscle. The tracks include: debut single "Guuzen no Kakuritsu," the opening theme for TBS's music show "CDTV"; "Jonetsu no Daisho," the most recent single and main theme for the TV Asahi drama "Giragira"; "Winter Game," the ending theme for Fuji TV's "Uchikuru?"; and "Power of Love," the official song to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tokyo Tower. The group were one of five artists to be named as Best Newcomer at the annual Record Taisho awards, with the overall winner to be announced on a live TBS show December 30. With the new album and two big TV appearances in the space of a week, it's going to be a massive end of the year for the group known as GaruNeku.
• Among the Grammy nominees for Best Surround Sound Album is "Sensurround + B-Sides," produced by Oyamada Keigo, better known as Cornelius (39). The Surround Sound award was first handed out in 2005. The Grammy winners will be announced February 8.
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"Julie" Does Marathon Show for Big 60 | December 04, 2008 |
 Singer Sawada Kenji held a concert at Tokyo Dome yesterday to celebrate his 60th birthday. The show followed the November 29 concert at Kyocera Dome, Osaka. Yesterday's performance started at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and continued for six hours and forty minutes, the longest ever solo concert at the dome. Midway through the show Sawada, popularly known by his nickname Julie, broke down in tears saying he was overwhelmed that 32,000 people would take off work or close their businesses to attend a weekday afternoon concert. Repaying their support, he performed a set of 80 songs that covered the span of his long career. During the first part of the show he sang 42 songs, from his time as frontman for 60s band The Tigers, to the hits by 70s rock band PYG, and with many solo hits thrown in too. Among those in the audience were Sawada's wife, actress Tanaka Yuko (53), Tigers bandmate Kishibe Ittoku (61) and musician Morimoto Taro (60). Sawada's birthday was actually in June, but in Japan turning 60 is a cause for a special celebration, known as kanreki. He started the show in a white suit and Native American headdress, but according to kanreki tradition, for the second half he wore all red including a red headdress.
• A date has been set for the first court hearing in the copyright fraud case against top music producer Komuro Tetsuya (50, profile). Once one of the wealthiest and most successful people in the Japanese music industry, he is accused of swindling ¥500 million from an investor by offering to sell him the rights to hundreds of songs he had written but which actually belonged to the Avex record label. He will have his first appearance at the Osaka District Court on January 21, exactly two months after he was prosecuted. He was released from the Osaka detention center on ¥30 million bail.
Earlier stories:
Komuro Tetsuya Faces Arrest for Fraud
More Details on Komuro Arrest
• Comedian Ota Hikari (43) of the duo Bakusho Mondai missed his regular slot on the live Fuji TV afternoon variety show "Waratte Iitomo!" yesterday because he was in hospital having a hernia operation. The procedure is his second and was planned four months ago. He is expected to be back in his regular emcee job on the TBS news variety show "Sunday Japon" this weekend.
• Actress Suzuki Honami (42) is making her comeback after ten years away from showbiz. One of the most popular faces of the 1990s, she quit acting when she married comedian Ishibashi Takaaki (47) in 1998 (she was also married to a motor journalist from 1995-97). Her last public appearance was in September 1999, just after she had her first child, for the opening of her final movie, "Ichigensan." She and Ishibashi have three daughters, the youngest of whom is now in school. Suzuki will appear in the January issue of women's magazine "Misesu," and is said to also be planning to return to acting. She is with the same Arrival agency that represents her husband and Kinashi Noritake (46), better known as the duo Tunnels (profile), but she plans to use her maiden name.
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Blind Rakugoka Seriously Injured in Collision With Train | December 03, 2008 |
 Blind rakugoka Shoufukutei Hakkaku (51) was seriously injured at a train station in Osaka late Monday night. He fell against a train that he had just disembarked from as it was pulling out of the station. His leg was caught between the train and the platform and he was dragged for about 15m, causing a brain contusion and breaking both his legs. Shoufukutei was on his way home after a night out on the town in Osaka with a fellow rakugoka. Watching from the train, his friend saw him walk into a pole on the platform as he headed for the exit. He turned and started staggering the other way, which is when he walked into the moving train. The Hankyu Takarazuka line train continued on its way as the driver and conductor didn't notice the accident. Shofukutei is the only completely blind performer in the rakugo world of traditional comic storytelling.
• At a regular press conference yesterday, Fuji TV formally acknowledged that they received a demand from the management of Oda Yuji (40) for talento Yamamoto Takahiro (33) to stop doing his impersonations of the popular actor. It was revealed in the weekly magazine "Shuukan Gendai" that the demand had gone out to all the TV networks. Fuji director Suzuki Katsuaki said that the network had no intention of making any changes to its scheduling and that they would allow Yamamoto to perform as he saw fit. The comedian has other routines but by far the most popular over the last year have been his over the top impersonations of Oda's "Kitaaa!" catchphrase from a TV commercial and enthusiastic coverage of major sporting events.
• Southern All Stars frontman Kuwata Keisuke (52) performed a solo charity concert at Yokohama Pacifico yesterday. During the Act Against Aids benefit, he performed a set that lasted more than three hours and featured 60 songs, including hits by such diverse artists as Misora Hibari and Koda Kumi. SAS are currently on an indefinite break from performing.
• One of Japan's busiest supporting actresses, Fukatsu Eri (35) has landed her first movie starring role in 13 years, it was announced yesterday. She plays the lead role of a manga artist stuck in a slump in "Onnanoko Monogatari," adapted from the Nishihara Rieko manga of the same name. The movie, which already finished filming in October, is directed by Morioka Toshiyuki and is due for release next autumn.
• Talento Kinoshita Yukina (20) inadvertently revealed yesterday that she split up with her boyfriend earlier this year. She was a guest model in the bridal fashion show by talento turned designer Kanda Uno (33). When asked by Kanda whether she had a "darling," the always plain spoken Kinoshita blurted out that they had split up during the summer. She will make her debut appearance on this year's "Kohaku Uta Gassen" as a member of the pop trio Pabo, made up of several talentos famous for their low I.Q.
• Popular voice actor Miyano Mamoru (25) announced on his website yesterday that he recently got married. The voice of Yagami Light in the hit anime series "Death Note," Miyano added that his new bride was expecting a baby. But he gave no details about her or when they tied the knot.
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2008 Award Season Kicks Off | December 02, 2008 |
 The eagerly awaited annual awards season is underway. Yesterday saw the announcement of the Shingo-Ryukogo Taisho, awards given for the new and trendy words and phrases that best represent the last year. Comedienne Edo Harumi (photo right), who was one of the biggest breakthrough names of 2008, was a winner for her "Goo!" catchphrase. The other main prize was awarded to actress Amami Yuki (41, photo left), whose TBS spring drama series launched the word "arafo," an abbreviation of the show's title "Around Forty." She was on hand to accept the award, but Edo was nowhere to be seen and had to phone in her acceptance speech. Speaking to reporters after she arrived several hours late, she said, "I didn't expect to win so I had work scheduled for this afternoon." Other winners included softball pitching ace Ueno Yukiko (photo center), whose 413 pitches in three consecutive games helped Japan win the gold at the Beijing Olympics.
• The final nominees and winners of this year's Record Taisho awards were announced in Tokyo yesterday. Twelve artists were named for the best song, five for the best newcomer, with the overall winners to be announced during a live TBS broadcast on December 30. The award for best vocal performance went to popular Osaka enka singer Nakamura Mitsuko (58), while Amuro Namie (31, profile) took the prize for top album with "Best Fiction."
 Higuchi Munetaka (photo right), leader and drummer of the heavy metal band Loudness, died on November 30 of liver cancer at a hospital in Osaka. He was 49. The cancer was discovered in April and Higuchi underwent chemotherapy and surgery, having half his liver removed in June. Higuchi, with school friend Takasaki Akira (47) on guitar, started the idol band Lazy in 1977. A total switch in musical direction came with the formation of Loudness in 1981, centered around Higuchi's powerful drum sound. A pioneer of the heavy rock scene in Japan, Loudness were a huge influence on the stars of today, including X Japan and B'z. Their second album, "Lightning Strikes," entered the U.S. Billboard Chart in 1986 at No.64, the highest entry by a Japanese artist. Higuchi left the band for a while before rejoining in 2000. The band are scheduled to perform at the "Super Peace Festival 2008" in Shibuya on Saturday.
• Singer Ohshima Yuko (20) of the young idol group AKB48 has been hospitalized with acute appendicitis, it as revealed yesterday. She admitted herself to a Tokyo hospital on November 29 and underwent surgery. An actress since she was a child, she has the longest showbiz career of the many members of AKB48, which she joined in 2006. A veteran of dozens of TV dramas and commercials, she still makes regular appearances on TV variety shows. She was booked to do four TV shows on the day she was hospitalized.
• Announcer Takacho Keisuke (24) quit the TV Tokyo network yesterday. A returnee from the U.S., he attended the prestigious Waseda University, where he was also an active lacrosse player. Sources say he had hoped to put his English language skills to good use and work in an international environment. But in comparison to the more numerous female announcers, such opportunities didn't come his way. He is said to be planning to work for a consulting company.
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Shiina Ringo Celebrates Ten Years | December 01, 2008 |
 Singer songwriter Shiina Ringo finished off a series of concerts to commemorate the tenth anniversary of her career at the Saitama Super Arena last night. The three shows were her first as a solo artist in five years, during which time she has been performing as the vocalist of the band Tokyo Jihen. Yesterday's concert featured a 26-song set, including "Kabukicho no Jo" and "Koko de Kisushite," and a personal slide show narrated by her 7-year-old son. One of the most innovative artists in Japanese music, she also tends toward the eccentric. She went through several costume changes such as the bizarre one shown in the photo. She was supported by 69 musicians - a backing band and full orchestra - and given Shiina's tendency towards sexual innuendo, there may have been some significance to the number of people on stage.
• Bots (30), the DJ member of rock band Dragon Ash (profile), tied the knot with his high school sweetheart on Saturday. The two were friends at Aoyama Gakuin High School, where Bots also met the band's front man Furuya Kenji (29), and started dating about ten years ago. They held a wedding ceremony and reception for about 100 people at the Imperial Hotel in central Tokyo. At the reception, Dragon Ash performed an acoustic version of their upcoming single "Tsunagari Sunset," which is due for release this week. A second party, held in the upscale Ginza district, was attended by 200 people including many from the rock and hip hop world, such as long-time collaborators Rip Slyme and Sukebo Kings. Also there was talento Megumi (27), Furuya's wife and currently eight months pregnant.
• A sequel has been announced to the big screen hospital drama "Chimu Batisuta no Eikou" (The Glorious Team Batista) The movie was a hit earlier this year and the TBS drama version has also been popular, so producers are obviously keen to ride the wave with the quick release of a second film. It again features the pairing of Abe Hiroshi and Takeuchi Yuko, and they will be tackling the very real issue of Japan's emergency room crisis. Titled "Jeneraru Ruuji no Gaisen" (The Triumphal Return of General Rouge), it started filming in mid-November and is due for release on March 7, 2009. This year alone has seen several cases where patients have died after being turned away time and again by hospitals due to lack of emergency staff. "Batista" was based on the award-winning medical mystery novel of the same name by Kaido Takeru, who still works as a doctor. The sequel is based on the third novel in the series, described as his crowning work.
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