Japan Entertainment News - April 2009
Rookies Aim for Summer Home Run | April 30, 2009 |
High school baseball movie "Rookies - Sotsugyo" looks likely to be the hot movie ticket of the summer. Distributor Toei said yesterday that advance tickets sales have reached 180,000 since March 8, surpassing those at the same point for last year's "Hana Yori Dango - Final." That movie went on to make ¥7.7 billion and became the biggest Japanese box-office success of 2008. The two movies seem to have been born from the same formula: they are both adaptations of TV series that ran on the TBS network, and bring to a climax the story that played out on TV; they both made the leap to the big screen because of high audience ratings; and they both feature a cast of handsome young actors. Mind you, though the story revolves around a high school baseball team aiming for the national championships, all the actors are in their 20s. Yesterday, they took on a real team of elementary schoolers in Futagotamagawa, the Tokyo suburb where their fictional school is located, and beat them 6-2. They then led a parade through the local shopping district, where 1,000 fans turned out to cheer them on. The movie is scheduled to open on May 30.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Rare Arrests for Indecent Video | |
In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, an actress and a former company president have been arrested for distributing indecent materials in a so-called "image video." Actress Goto Mai (36) and Fujiyama Masanori (40), former president of the DVD production company Kingdom, were arrested in connection with sales of the "Senya Ichiya no Yume" (Arabian Nights) DVD last year. According to the police Public Morals and Safety Division, the video was filmed in the United Arab Emirates in March 2008 and sold on the Internet from the end of last year. The DVD was featured in a weekly magazine, which brought it to the attention of the police and they searched the offices of Kingdom in February. Goto began her show business career when she was runner up in the annual Clarion Girl contest. She worked as a reporter for the raunchy late night show "Tonight 2" and as a race queen. She has been appearing in videos and photo books for Fujiyama for about ten years. Though she appears alone in the videos, the content has been overtly sexual. When first introduced, image videos went no further than to feature swimsuit-clad young idols, but the trend has increasingly been towards more borderline pornography in recent years. Roughly a quarter of the 50-minute video features images where Goto's genitals can be seen uncensored. 5,000 copies of the DVD were produced and were sold out early this year, with the company making ¥9.68 million. Goto was paid about ¥5 million for the DVD appearance and two other projects shot while in the UAE. Copies have been traded on the Web for more than ¥20,000 each. Article 21 of the Japanese Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and prohibits formal censorship. But this arrest was based on Article 175 of the Criminal Code of Japan, which these days is interpreted to require all pornography to be at least partly censored. Such arrests have been very rare. Fujiyama is said to have confessed to the charges against him, while Goto says she worked under the impression that what she was doing was not indecent.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Celebs Bemoan a Broken Back and a Poison Tongue | April 29, 2009 |
Yesterday was a day for tearful press conferences in Osaka. Veteran actress Kyou Utako (81) was allowed out of hospital to talk to reporters at a hotel in the city. She cried as she explained how medical problems have forced her to drop out of a production at the Osaka Shochikuza theater next month and cancel all work commitments from June. "I've been in show business for 64 years and I never dreamed it would come to this." Experiencing leg pains in January, she had an MRI which revealed she had a fractured vertebra. She was told that it would heal in a couple of months, and she continued working with the help of a corset. But earlier this month her pain returned and she was told that she had developed a condition known as degenerative spondylolisthesis in two other vertebrae. Though she was told it will take at least three months to heal, she took to the stage in a wheelchair for a one-week production at the Meijiza Theater in Tokyo last week. Doctors had to force her not appear on the closing night last Saturday. "I love the stage," she said. "I've often said I'd like to die on stage, and really that would be the happiest way for me to go. But I suppose I have to look after my health." Kyou is perhaps best known for her role in the long-running TBS drama series "Wataruseken wa Oni Bakari." In the late 1950's she formed a popular manzai comedy duo with her former husband Ootori Keisuke (1923-94), and the duo were inducted into a showbiz hall of fame just last year.
Meanwhile, popular talento Kitano Makoto (50) gave a press conference at the Westin Hotel in Osaka to apologize for the verbal gaffes that may yet end his career. Long known as a straight talker, he has a history of upsetting people with the things he says on his radio show. He bowed repeatedly to reporters and said that he had allowed his image as a "dokusetsu" (poison tongue) talento to become his "curse." Neither Kitano nor his Shochiku Geino management have clarified exactly what he said that caused the latest uproar, but they denied Internet rumors that his target had been either a certain religious organization or show business management agency (the strongly politically affiliated Soka Gakkai organization is sometimes referred to as a cult, while the Burning agency is said to be a front for the yakuza). Kitano was in tears as he talked about his family and how he had asked them to be patient with him until he got his career back on track. He has been dropped from all his regular radio and TV shows, the last one having been broadcast on Monday. His forced sabbatical is open-ended but he insisted yesterday that he doesn't want to quit show business and will aim to get back on the air someday.
• Among those recognized by the government this spring for their contributions to society and the arts are veteran actresses Mizutani Yaeko (70) and Asaka Mitsuyo (81) and Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood (78). The Emperor and Prime Minister will present the various decorations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 8. Mizutani will receive the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette; Asaka gets the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays; and among the 70 overseas recipients, FIFA president Sepp Blatter (73) is to receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, while Eastwood will get the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
SMAP Lyricist in Drug Arrest | April 28, 2009 |
 Song lyricist Sonoda Ryoji (33) has been arrested for use of "kakuseizai," or stimulant drugs, the Azabu department of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police announced today. Sonoda was recently detained and formally arrested yesterday after urine tests were positive. He is said to have admitted to using the drugs. Though he has his own singing career since 1995, he is best known as a lyricist of such hits as SMAP's "Kimi wo Suki ni Natte" and BoA's "No.1" He has also penned hits for Misia and Korean vocal group Tohoshinki. Though no connections have been mentioned, the arrest is more unwelcome news for SMAP following the arrest last week of member Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (34).
Meanwhile, last night's edition of the weekly Fuji TV variety show "SMAPxSMAP" saw a noticeable drop in its audience rating. TV viewers are well used to how the networks operate and knew not to expect any mention of last week's arrest. predictably, the show was heavily edited to include past segments and totally remove any signs of Kusanagi. It drew an audience rating of 13.7% in the Kanto region, well below its 16% average for the last four weeks.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
No More Island Life for Nishikawa Mineko | |
Management for singer and actress Nishikawa Mineko (50) said yesterday that her divorce is finally complete. She met her husband, Murakami Takashi (44), in November 2000 when he was her guide for a travel show on the small island of Okishotou in Shimane Prefecture. The couple married seven months later and split their time between her house in Tokyo and Murakami's family home on the island, where his role as grave keeper for the exiled 12th century emperor Gotoba drew additional media attention. He was elected to the local town council in 2002 and also opened a bar in Tokyo the same year. But after he had an affair with a woman he met at the bar and became verbally abusive towards Nishikawa, she filed for a divorce. Her lawyers initiated divorce arbitration in January 2008 but Murakami failed to show up in court. The lawyers filed again in June, and the following October Murakami admitted to the affair and the court issued the divorce. But there remained the matter of money Nishikawa had put into the building of a luxury house on Okishotou. After negotiation, it was decided that Murakami's parents would pay his half of the outstanding mortgage. The first payment was made at the end of March, finally bringing closure to the divorce. Nishikawa is to give a press conference today. She won a national song contest in 1973 and became an overnight star when her debut single was a big hit the following year. She had a string of hits before switching to acting in 1979. She made the news in 1993 following the publication of a nude photo book, and again in 1998 when her newly built holiday home in Nasu Kogen was destroyed by a typhoon.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Nakamura Kantaro, Maeda Ai Engaged | April 27, 2009 |
Young kabuki star Nakamura Kantaro (27) and actress Maeda Ai (25) got formally engaged yesterday at the Hotel Okura in central Tokyo. Among those in attendance were his father, Kanzaburo (53), grandfather Shikan (81), and younger brother Shichinosuke (25), all kabuki actors, and aunt Namino Kuriko (63) who is also an actress. Though his mother Yoshie is not an actress, she is also from a top kabuki family. After the traditional engagement, the couple held a press conference and announced that they would hold their wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue on October 28. Nakamura wore a gray kimono, while Maeda's pink kimono was the same one that Yoshie wore when she got engaged. The two have dated since they appeared together in the 2001 NHK drama "Hikari no Teikoku." They first acknowledged their relationship and talked of their marriage plans back in January. Asked if she planned to give up her acting career, Maeda said, "As long as it doesn't affect his work, I hope I can continue." As kabuki is a family business, there were the inevitable questions about children. Nakamura said, "I don't want her to be under that kind of pressure. But having said that, I'd like to have about three children." One of the unusual things about this particular kabuki family is that their real name is Namino, but Yoshie's maiden name was Nakamura. So her name legally changed to Namino when she married, but due to her husband being part of the Nakamura-ya stage family, she is still known by her original name.
Earlier stories:
Nakamura Kantaro, Maeda Ai to Marry (Jan 7, 2009)
• Actor Abe Tsuyoshi (27) today announced that he has married Chinese actress Shi Ka. The couple met on the set of a joint Chinese-Taiwanese movie in 2006. Born in China, Abe moved to Japan when he was 9 and later took Japanese citizenship and the family name of his grandmother. He continues to work both in Japan and in the Chinese language world, where his stage name is Li Zhendong. He made his breakthrough in Japan in the popular TBS drama series "Hana Yori Dango" in 2005, and also the follow up series and big screen spinoff. His new bride is based in Beijing, so Abe will go solo at a press conference scheduled for today.
• On Saturday night, Katori Shingo (32) was the first member of SMAP to speak publicly about last week's arrest of Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (34) on public indecency charges. On his live TV Asahi show "SmaStation!!" he choked up several times as he apologized on behalf of the group and said he hoped to see his best friend back at work as soon as possible. After having spent Friday night at a hotel in the capital, Kusanagi is said to have returned to his apartment for the first time since the incident.
Earlier stories:
Butt Naked SMAP Star Arrested For Indecency (Apr 23, 2009)
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi Gives Press Conference (Apr 25, 2009)
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi Gives Press Conference | April 25, 2009 |
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (34) gave a press conference on Friday night to speak about his arrest yesterday on public indecency charges. He appeared before about 200 reporters amidst a sea of camera flashes at the headquarters of Victor Entertainment in Tokyo shortly after 9pm. He immediately gave the customary bow of apology and apologized to fans, those connected with him and his fellow SMAP members. "I drank way too much and lost control of myself, and I behaved in a way that is an embarrassment to any adult. I deeply regret what happened and I apologize sincerely." He bowed again deeply before he and reporters took their seats. After that his lawyer took over and said, "As you can see my client has been released and he has not been prosecuted. That investigation is still underway" He then explained the sequence of events that led to the arrest. He said that the singer was off on Wednesday and spent the day at his family home in Saitama prefecture. After returning to his apartment in Tokyo he went to a local izakaya. There he had dinner and drank several beers before switching to shochu. The izakaya normally closes at 10pm, but Kusanagi and two female staff were there drinking until about 2am. It may have been at this point that Kusanagi headed home and ended up in the Hinokicho Park on the way, or he may have visited another bar first, as was said in some reports. His lawyer said he had absolutely no recollection of this sequence of events. The conference was then opened to reporters' questions. Kusanagi answered most of them himself, occasionally choking up when talking about how supportive the other SMAP members had been, though he has yet to meet with them face to face. When asked whether he would give up drinking, he said that he would only try to drink more responsibly. When asked if the incident had been caused by stress or pressure, he insisted that he was not suffering from either but had simply let a fun night go too far. When asked how he felt about not being able to work for the foreseeable future, he said, "It's tough. I want to get straight back to work. But I need to do my penance and the rest is really not up to me. I have to be forgiven by the fans, by the other members (of SMAP)."
Earlier stories:
Butt Naked SMAP Star Arrested For Indecency (Apr 23, 2009)
The Kusanagi Storm Continues (Apr 23, 2009)
Kusanagi's Arrest to Cost Billions (Apr 24, 2009)
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Kusanagi's Arrest to Cost Billions | April 24, 2009 |
The media have been busy for the last day or so analyzing the aftermath of Kusanagi Tsuyoshi's arrest. Some big numbers are being thrown around as estimates of the cost to the companies that have a financial stake in him. At the time of his arrest he had 7 commercial contracts, 8 regular TV and radio shows and a movie due for release in September. Columnist Himura Masaaki (59) said, "With SMAP being probably Japan's top talentos, Kusanagi alone would get about ¥50 million for an ad. As a group, their guarantee would be ¥120-150 million. Even just a music tie-up would bring in ¥50 million at a bare minimum." He estimated that the cost to Johnny's Jimusho agency just in terms of this lost income would add up to about ¥420 million. But on top of that, with the cost of posters, TV, magazine and newspaper ads, those companies would be looking at losses of ¥500 million each. So Johnny's could easily be faced with having to compensate sponsors to the degree of ¥5 billion. And then of course there's disgruntled TV networks and the ongoing effect on future earnings as well. All in all, it turns out to have been a pretty expensive naked romp in the park.
Meanwhile fans and commentators have been questioning why police decided to search Kusanagi's Tokyo apartment after the arrest. As he tested negative for drugs and the incident took place elsewhere, the search should not have been part of the investigation. Lawyer Osawa Takayuki said, "It's very unusual in such a case. As he's a celebrity and the impact of the arrest is very wide, they may have decided to do it just in case." Nihon University law professor Itakura Hiroshi said, "The prosecution of this case may be unexpectedly harsh. But I think he will be released soon. Even if he's indicted, he should face a fine of les than ¥300,000. I certainly don't see him getting a prison sentence."
Earlier stories:
Butt Naked SMAP Star Arrested For Indecency (Apr 23, 2009)
The Kusanagi Storm Continues (Apr 23, 2009)
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
The Kusanagi Storm Continues | April 23, 2009 |
The media have been in a frenzy all day today about the arrest of a drunk and naked Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (34) in a Tokyo park last night (photo above). Residents of an apartment building next to the park were interviewed by reporters. One elderly man said, "At about 3am I heard someone screaming 'Waa, waa" and at first I thought it was someone shouting for help. It was really loud and lasted for about 15 minutes." A female resident said, "I heard a high-pitched scream. It sounded like someone was letting out their stress. I could hear it even with my windows closed. But we often have foreigners making a racket in the park so I didn't make much of it. I was very surprised to hear it was Kusanagi-san." Another person said they heard him shouting "Shingo! Shingo!" no doubt referring to fellow SMAP member Katori Shingo (32). The star's management agency, Johnny's Jimusho, said that he had the day off yesterday and they had no idea of his whereabouts. They faxed out a typical bland apology addressed to fans and anyone affected by the scandal, while the woman who works as his manager was in tears when questioned by reporters. It sounds like it'll take more than that to appease the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications. Always a grandstander, Hatoyama Kunio blasted the celebrity, saying, "It makes me boiling mad. He's the lowest kind of human being. Unforgiveable." He added that he couldn't understand why such a low life had been given the job of media point man for the government's plan to switch to all digital broadcasting by 2011. He has been promptly removed from that post, and all posters and TV commercials featuring him will disappear. NHK has already cut him from one show on their educational channel and four regular Fuji TV slots - "Waratte Iitomo!," "SMAPxSMAP," "Bokura no Ongaku" and "Chonan Khan" - will undoubtedly be affected. Meanwhile, Kusanagi has been transferred from the Akasaka police station, which is being remodeled, to the one in Harajuku.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Butt Naked SMAP Star Arrested For Indecency | |
It sounds like a TV stunt gone wrong, but SMAP member Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (34) has actually been arrested for public indecency. The popular talento and singer was detained by Tokyo Metropolitan police in the early hours of April 23 after residents in the central Tokyo area of Akasaka called them around 3am to complain about someone making a racket in Hinokicho Park near the Tokyo Midtown complex. Police arrived to find the drunk Kusanagi stark naked and running around shouting abuse at anyone and everyone. Normally under such circumstances, the person would be taken into police custody rather than arrested. So it can be assumed that Kusanagi was violent in resisting arrest. Like the other four members of the perennially popular SMAP (profile), Kusanagi appears in a wide variety of TV and commercial roles and the impact of his arrest is likely to be huge. One casualty will probably be the movie "Ballad Namonaki Koi no Uta," which is scheduled to open in the autumn. Misbehaving celebrities usually get their names and credits quietly removed from TV shows and movies, but as this movie actually stars Kusanagi it's not a matter of a bit of cutting and pasting. Fellow SMAP-ite Inagaki Goro disappeared from the scene for a while after he got himself arrested for turning a simple parking violation into an attempted hit and run in August 2001.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Kuwabata Diet Really Pays Off | April 22, 2009 |
Contrary to her image of having no love life, comedienne Kuwabata Rie (33) is getting married, it was revealed on Monday. Her future husband, who's an employee of a car parts manufacturer in Chiba prefecture, proposed to her on the new NTV show "Majotachi no 22ji" last night. The bespectacled half of the duo Kuwabata Ohara, the comedienne has been in the spotlight in the last year due to her promotion of Core Rhythms and a book she published based on her success with the fitness/diet program. She slimmed down from 63kg to 56.5kg after practicing the rigorous dance program for six weeks. She said back in February that she was taking part in "go-kon" (mixer parties) once a month in the hope of finding a romantic partner. But actually she met her fiance 12 years ago when they worked at the same part-time job. Their relationship hit the rocks once but they started dating gain three years ago. On last night's show, her comedy partner Ohara Masako (33) revealed that she recently split up with her boyfriend.
• Once step ahead in the marriage race is NTV announcer Yamamoto Maiko (30), who got married yesterday to a 31-year-old director in Fuji TV's drama department.
• Sadder news about a couple of other middle-aged celebrities of yesteryear. Former NTV announcer Ogiwara Hiroko died of cancer on Sunday. She was 54. And former talento Shimizu Yukiko was found to have committed suicide yesterday. She was 49. The body of a woman was found in the Omikami cemetery in Oyamacho, Shizuoka Prefecture yesterday afternoon and personal ID found on the body was that of Shimizu, whose father is buried in the cemetery. Police gave the cause of death as suicide from hydrogen sulphide poisoning. Shimizu debuted in 1977 after winning the "Star Tanjo" audition show. She went on to appear in many variety shows, dramas and movies. Her management agency said she quit in March 2006 in order to look after her ailing mother.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Life Begins at Fifty | April 21, 2009 |
Happy news for Dreams Come True musician Nakamura Masato (50). It was announced yesterday that his wife, former High and Mighty Color vocalist Onaga Maki (21), is expecting their first child. No date was given, but Nakamura is expected to make a formal announcement on his blog today. The couple married in June of last year and "Maakii," as she is known to fans, said at the time that she would quit the music business. She joined the existing heavy metal band Anti Nobunaga - made up of fellow Okinawa natives Sassy, mACKRz, Gasuto, Meg and Yuusuke - in 2004 and they changed their name. The following year the made their major label debut with the hit single "Pride," which was the opening theme for the popular anime series "Gundam Seed Destiny." During Onaga's three and a half years, the band released 14 singles and five albums and they performed in the U.S. in 2006-07. The band auditioned for a new female vocalist at the end of last year. Dreams Come True (profile), made up of Nakamura and vocalist Yoshida Miwa (44), are one of J-pop's most popular and successful acts.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Supermodel Tominaga Ai Denies Dogeza Story | |
Popular model Tominaga Ai (26) formally acknowledged her recent divorce on her blog yesterday. The split between Tominaga and her Paris-based patissier husband was revealed in a gossip magazine back in early March but she insists that there were aspects to that article that were completely untrue. She didn't clarify the details behind the divorce, saying only that she and her husband had been through things that many couples have to face. She refuted claims made in the magazine article such as that the couple had fought because of the large gap in their earnings, or that Tominaga had been forced by her husband to make a humiliating "dogeza" (prostrate on the floor) apology at a party. But she did apologize to fans and people in her industry that she hadn't told them earlier about what was going on in her personal life. The couple married in 2004 and had a son the following year. Tominaga, who is one of the few Japanese supermodels established on the international fashion circuit, returned to work in 2006.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Dewi Launches Missiles at Right Wingers | April 20, 2009 |
Former Indonesian first lady Dewi Sukarno (69, profile) may not be my cup of tea but I have to hand it to her - she knows how to stick up for herself. After her recent comment criticizing Japan's "over reaction" to the North Korean missile launch on April 5, a member of an "uyoku" (right wing ultra-nationalist) organization decided to broadcast from one of their infamous black sound trucks outside her home in Shibuya, Tokyo on Sunday morning. Dewi-fujin, as the Japanese native is popularly known, clearly took offense and decided the best form of defense was attack. She launched a few missiles of her own - three flower pots, to be exact - from a second-floor balcony and caused some damage to the truck. This of course led to a face off during which her camera is said to have been broken. Police from the local Shibuya station are looking into the matter. Sukarno was working as a teenage bar hostess in Ginza when she was swept away to become one of the many wives of first Indonesian president Achmed Sukarno in 1959. She returned to become a popular face on the Japanese variety show circuit in the mid-1990s.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Jaguars Singer Okamoto Dies | |
Singer Okamoto Shin was found dead in his Tokyo home yesterday afternoon, on the very day that friends had planned a major birthday celebration. A spokesperson for the Takinogawa police station said that they were called by a friend of Okamoto, who visited his home in Kita Ward after being unable to contact him only to find the singer dead in his bathtub. The police are investigating the cause of death but they believe it was from natural causes. Okamoto was to turn 60 today, an important milestone celebrated in Japan as "kanreki," and friends had planned to hold an early birthday party in Yokohama last night. Fellow members of the popular 60s rock band the Jaguars expressed their shock at the sudden death of the band's vocalist, though he had been having health problems for several years. Drummer and band leader Miya Yukio (65) said, "When I met him a year or two ago, he said he wasn't well. I asked him to take better care of himself. But I can't believe he died before me." Lead guitarist Okitsu Hisayuki (62) said he hoped to perform a memorial concert for his friend of 40 years. After their debut single, "Kimi ni Aitai" became a million seller in 1967, the Jaguars were one of the biggest bands of the short-lived and highly commercial Group Sounds scene. Like most of the major GS acts, they split in 1971 but they did get back together again briefly a decade later. Okamoto performed a concert in February 2008 to celebrate his 40 years in showbiz.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Geinokai Applauds Ichiro's Latest Feat | April 17, 2009 |
Plaudits have been coming in from the show business for the latest feat by baseball superstar Ichiro (35, profile). The Seattle Mariners leadoff batter equaled the record for career hits by a Japanese player yesterday, with the record holder Harimoto Isao (68, active from 1959-81, photo right) watching in the stands. And with typical aplomb, Ichiro's 3,085th, 7th-inning hit was a grand slam home run that helped seal an 11-3 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Angels. What made it even more remarkable was that it was his first game of the season after a bleeding stomach ulcer had landed him on the disabled list for the first time in his Major League career. The win propelled the Mariners to 7-2, the best record in the majors and a far better start than expected after their recent terrible seasons. Ichiro was already riding a huge wave of popularity after helping Japan defend their title at the World Baseball Classic last month. Regarded as the best batter of his generation, Ichiro has many celebrity friends and they all wanted to congratulate him on yesterday's achievement. Enka singer Ishikawa Sayuri (51), whose "Amagigoe" plays every time he steps up to the plate, said, "I heard the news during rehearsals and started clapping. And to do it with a grand slam home run - he really is loved by the baseball gods." Veteran actress Mori Mitsuko (88) said, "He has set the kind of records that you need to live to my age to reach. I'm just honored to be living in the same time as him. Long time friend and enka singer Koda Shin said, "He's really aging well, isn't he? As younger men, we used to go to yakiniku restaurants or karaoke. Now he's an inspirational team leader."
• Singer Inagaki Junichi (55) announced yesterday that he got remarried last year. He and his bride (45) tied the knot at a shinto shrine in Kyoto in October and held a reception in Tokyo last month. Inagaki's first wife died in 2006.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
A Fresh Start for Kimura Yuichi | April 16, 2009 |
 It looks like comedian Kimura Yuichi (46) might be gearing up for marriage number four, according to a weekly magazine. Today's issue of women's mag "Josei Seven" says Kimuni is in a relationship with fledgling actress Nishikata Ryo (28). She is currently appearing in the movie "Nisesatsu," which opened on April 11 and is the directorial debut for Kimura. After the official launch event last week, the cast and staff went out to celebrate. Nishikata and Kimura were later spotted returning to his Tokyo apartment. He left for work early the next morning, while she was in and out of the apartment during the day. Of course it's only three years since he got hitched to actress Henmi Emiri (32), a marriage that lasted all of two years. They split in April last year, leaving Kimura with three divorces under his belt. The new movie is also the debut for Nishikata as an actress. She formerly worked as a plasterer and broke into showbiz as a regular on the Akashiya Sanma-hosted variety show "Koi no Karasawagi" in 2002-03. She then switched to modeling and appeared in several TV commercials and music videos before auditioning for the movie role last year.
Earlier stories:
Kimura, Henmi Wed (Jan 11, 2006)
Kimura Yuichi, Henmi Emiri Split (Apr 16, 2008)
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Nakamura Shunta Released | April 15, 2009 |
Actor Nakamura Shunta (31) has been released with a suspended indictment following his recent drug arrest. The son of actor Nakamura Masatoshi (58) and actress Igarashi Junko (56) was nabbed by police in Tokyo on April 4 for possession of marijuana. But the Tokyo District Court decided that as it was a first offense, the amount of the drug was small, and perhaps most importantly he showed the required remorse, he would not be prosecuted. On his release yesterday afternoon, he bowed deeply to reporters outside the Takaido police station and muttered a one-word apology, "Sumimasen" (sorry). He was then bundled into a waiting car by his managers and lawyer, who said he plans to formally apologize at a press conference in the next few days. His parents did not visit him during his 10-day detention, but they issued a statement yesterday. "We heard that he received leniency and was released. His lawyers tell us that he is both physically and mentally drained by the incident. We will give him some time and then talk with him about he should repent, apologize and get on with his life." Masatoshi, who is also president of the management agency that handles him, originally said he would see that his son gave up show business. His name has been taped over on posters promoting the movie "Kondo no Nichiyobini," which opened last Saturday, though his scenes have not been cut.
Earlier story:
Nakamura Shunta in Drug Arrest (Apr 6, 2009)
• Details still haven't emerged as to what exactly talento Kitano Makoto (50) said on air to get himself into so much trouble. But his Shochiku Geino management agency and the Asahi Housou network have resigned from the Japan Association of Music Enterprises as a result. Shochiku has also taken internal disciplinary measures against several employees. JAME has said that the problem is not just Kitano's remarks about a particular individual. They said that, during the more than 20 years that his "Makoto no Seinendan" show has been on ABC radio, he has a history of inappropriate and slanderous remarks. They filed a formal complaint with the two companies in March. JAME has about 100 talent agencies and 40 broadcast networks among its membership. A popular and well-known celebrity, Kitano has been dropped from all of his regular TV and radio shows and his show business future is in doubt.
Earlier story:
Kansai Comics in Trouble Again (Apr 13, 2009)
• Meanwhile, more trouble over at TBS. The network was ordered to compensate a man identified without permission during a live morning show in January 2007. The Mino Monta-hosted "Asa Zuba!" show included a live segment on a murder scene where a Tokyo woman had killed her husband and dismembered his body. The face of the man who sued the network was clearly visible during the broadcast and he was identified as a garbage truck driver. At the Tokyo District Court, he sought ¥11 million in damages from TBS and Mino, claiming that the unwanted exposure had led to his son being bullied and forced to change elementary schools. The court ordered TBS to pay ¥1.2 million but said that Mino bore no responsibility.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Japan's Most Popular Marriage Partners | April 14, 2009 |
An online matchmaker has announced Japan's most popular celebrity marriage choices for this year. For its annual rankings of the stars people would most like to marry, Match.com interviewed 500 people between the ages of 22 and 44 in and around Tokyo (so to be fair, the survey is slanted towards the tastes of the capital). On top of the male rankings was actor and singer Fukuyama Masaharu (40, top left), who is always at or near the top in polls of the country's most popular bachelors. In second place was young actor Mizushima Hiro (25), who only this month announced his engagement to singer Ayaka (21). Filling out the top 3 was actor Tustsumi Shinichi (44). The number one female catch was actress Ayase Haruka (24, bottom left), whose main appeal seems to be her "iyashikei" (soothing, therapeutic) smile. It helped her hold off the challenge of somewhat more established actresses Ueto Aya (23) and Nakama Yukie (29).
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Yoshimoto Comedian Arrested for Sex with Schoolgirl | |
Second-tier celebrity Ogasawara Masaya (33) has been arrested for having sex with an underage schoolgirl. Tokyo Metropolitan Police said they arrested the comedian at the Tachikawa police station on April 12, though the crime dates back to June of last year. Ogasawara is said to have met the 16-year-old high school student through a mobile game website and, though he knew she was underage, had sex with her at his home in the Tokyo suburb of Suginami. He has admitted to the offense and is to be sent to the Tokyo District Court today. Though one of the lesser known comedians in the Yoshimoto Kogyo (profile) stable, Ogasawara appeared quite regularly on the variety show circuit. Before entering Yoshimoto's training school in 2002, he practiced the family business of fortune telling in his hometown of Sapporo and he used that background in his comedy after graduating from the school in 2004. As in the case of comedian Yamamoto Keiichi, who was arrested for rape in 2006, a return to show business is unlikely.
Earlier story:
Yamamoto Rape Case Continues (Aug 30, 2006)
Actress Miyazawa Rie (36, profile) and her new husband recently held their wedding ceremony and reception away from the media glare, according to today's issue of weekly magazine "Josei Jishin." The couple registered their marriage in February and Miyazawa is expecting her first child in June. She has appeared in public over the last couple of months but made no mention of any wedding plans. According to the magazine article, the event was held in Tokyo and mainly a family affair. The only celebrity said to have attended was actor Sanada Hiroyuki (48, profile), who starred alongside Miyazawa in the hit 2002 movie "Tasogare Seibei" (Twilight Samurai).
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Kansai Comics In Trouble Again | April 13, 2009 |
It seems that the frank nature of Kansai comedians just keeps getting them into trouble. Popular talento Kitano Makoto (50, photo left) has been taken off the air indefinitely, according to his Shochiku Geino management agency. The specific reason has not been made clear but it is believed to have been something he said on his long-running radio show "Makoto no Psychic Seinendan." The show was abruptly taken off the air last month, three weeks earlier than scheduled, after a run of 21 years. A regular on several TV shows, in each case Kitano has either already made his final appearance or will not be renewing his contract. A popular celebrity for the last two decades, his mouth has often gotten him into trouble. One famous incident was in 1993 when his scathing comments about a nude photo book published by Yamamoto Linda (58), a popular singer but well past her prime, led to a ¥100-million slander case.
• Meanwhile, it looks like the "when in Rome" adage doesn't apply to TV celebrities indulging in drugs. The Ministry of Health and Welfare's narcotics control department in the Kinki district announced last Friday that it issued a formal warning to the Osaka-based Asahi Housou TV network over a segment aired back in January. The "Sekai no Mura de Hakken!" show featured comedian Chihara Seiji (39, photo right) on a visit to Bolivia. At one point he stopped and asked the lady at a street stall, "Is this coca leaf?" and then tried chewing some. The scene even featured subtitles that made it clear what it was he was chewing on. Though the Bolivian government actively supports the plant's agriculture - president Evo Morales, a former coca growers union leader, says that "coca is not cocaine" - it is strictly illegal in Japan. A TV Asahi spokeserson said, "We were trying to reflect the different culture of a foreign country, but we should have been more prudent." The network has checked that none of the program's staff brought coca leaves back to Japan. And if a repeat of the show is broadcast, the offending scene will be cut.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
AV Stars Not Amused by Chinese Web Fuss | April 10, 2009 |
There has been a furor in the Chinese media about a planned event in the city of Guangzhou featuring some of Japan's top porn actresses. The problem is that the event itself seems to have been a work of pure Web fiction. Several Chinese newspapers published stories about the heated discussions happening on the Web, with citizens protesting the location and timing of the event. It was to take place near a memorial to Chinese who died in the Sino-Japanese War and on the eve of an important anniversary. Others Web posts talked about how the event, to be held at a bar in the center of the city, was reasonably priced compared to similar events in Hong Kong. The newspapers said that protests against the event has reached such a level that it had to be canceled. Hong Kong's Singtao Daily named two of the actresses, which only served to bring more attention to the story. But spokespeople for "AV" actresses Aoi Sora (25, photo) and Matsushima Kaede (26) said they had never even heard of the event let alone received an invite to China. Aoi said on her blog that she was furious that her name and photo had been abused on the Web. "But it has taught me that there are the same prejudices against adult entertainment overseas (as in Japan)," she said.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
MisuChiru Deny Breakup Story | April 09, 2009 |
Rock band Mr. Children insist they are not breaking up. The band yesterday issued a statement on their official website denying a recent magazine article that said they were on the verge of calling it a day. The article in the latest issue of the weekly "Shuukan Gendai" on Monday based its speculation on the fact that the band have a completely blank schedule after their current concert tour finishes in May and have announced no plans to release new material. Currently in their 20th year, MisuChiru as they are known to fans are one of Japan's most popular and successful artists. The last time the band's future was called into question was in the summer of 2002, when vocalist Sakurai Kazutoshi (39) suffered a stroke and the band's went on a hiatus for about six months. But they bounced back as strong as ever. Their last single - "Hanabi," released September 2008 - was their 29th consecutive release to enter the Oricon singles chart at No.1. And their most recent album - "Supermarket Fantasy," released December 2008 - also topped the chart and was their 12th million seller. After more than a decade of persuasion, national broadcaster NHK managed to get them to appear on its annual "Kohaku Uta Gassen" live concert last New Year's Eve.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
TBS Apologizes for Mino Gaff | April 08, 2009 |
Veteran emcee Mino Monta (64, profile) likes to speak his mind. But a comment he made on a live morning show yesterday drew an apology from the TBS network. The topic was the upcoming visit by former Russian leader Vladimir Putin in May and how the Japanese government may be expected to help support the struggling Russian economy. Mino quipped, "We could just buy the Northern Territories!", referring to the islands between Hokkaido and Sakhalin. The dispute over their ownership has kept the two countries from ever signing a WWII peace treaty, and is a popular rallying cry for right-wing extremists. Mino's comment was clearly a joke, but his fellow presenters just stared awkwardly at the floor. A TBS spokesperson said, "The comment was not Mino-san's true opinion, but it was an inappropriate choice of words."
• Movie studio Shochiku has announced that it is bringing an end to the long-running series "Tsuri Baka Nisshi" (Fishing Fool Journal). Starring Nishida Toshiyuki (61) as Hama-chan and Mikuni Rentaro (86) as his equally fishing-mad boss Suu-san, the manga adaptation has been a movie theater institution since 1988. It was first shown as a support feature to the even longer-running "Otoko wa Tsurai Yo," with which it has much in common. And when that series came to an end following the death of its star Atsumi Kiyoshi, Tsuri Baka took over as Japan's "kokuminteki" (national) movie. The last movie in the series, the first to be set in Hokkaido, is due for release on December 26 and will be called "Tsuri Baka Nisshi 20, Final." There will be guest appearances from Matsuzaka Keiko (56), Fukiishi Kazue (26) and Tsukamoto Takashi (26). A Shochiku producer says that the studio decided, along with Nishida and Mikuni, several years ago to wrap up the series at 20. Though both actors have had health problems in recent years, he denied that was behind the decision.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Nagayama Yoko Weds US Businessman | April 07, 2009 |
Enka singer Nagayama Yoko (41) revealed on her blog yesterday that she has married an American businessman. She said that she and Skillhouse Staffing Solutions CEO Mark Smith (40) tied the knot on Monday morning. But she reassured fans that she plans to continue her music career. The two first met in September 2006 through the TBS Shimada Shinsuke-hosted variety show "Sekai BariBari Value." The show sometimes features a segment with single Japanese female celebrities being matched up with wealthy foreign businessmen. Smith, who has been in Japan for 15 years and is a fan of enka, took a liking to Nagayama and they soon hit it off. Their marriage fits neatly under the recently popular heading of "arafo-", abbreviated from "around forty" and referring to people in that age group. A popular enka star, Nagayama is a rarity in that she started out in 1984 as an idol singer. She switched to the more traditional enka in 1993.
• A couple of popular talentos are in the hospital this week. Comedienne Minowa Haruka (29) of the duo Harisenbon has been hospitalized with pulmonary tuberculosis. She was admitted on April 3 and is expected to be in hospital for about two months. As her condition is highly contagious, Tokyo authorities have been asking anyone who thinks they may have contracted the disease at a TV studio or theater to come forward. Meanwhile "okama" (effeminate gay man or drag queen) beautician Ikko is under doctor's orders to rest for at least a week after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The cause was said to be her overly hectic work schedule. Several dates on an upcoming concert tour have been postponed until the summer.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Nakamura Shunta in Drug Arrest | April 06, 2009 |
Veteran actor Nakamura Masatoshi (58) was in tears as he apologized to reporters yesterday for the arrest of his son. Actor Nakamura Shunta (31) was arrested by Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Saturday when he was found in possession of hash in the western Tokyo suburb of Suginami. He was sitting in his parked car at around 3am when police in a passing patrol car decided he looked suspicious. About 0.3g of hash were found in the car and he was arrested on the spot. His father said yesterday, "I sincerely apologize to the many people imposed upon. When I heard about it, I thought it couldn't be true. I wanted it to be a lie, but it's true." Speaking not only as a father but as president of the agency that manages his son's career, he said, "He will leave the agency, and he will not work as an actor again. It has to be done. It's for his own good." His wife, actress Igarashi Junko (56) also apologized to reporters gathered outside their Tokyo home over the weekend. The elder Nakamura regularly tops polls of people's ideal father figure. He and Igarashi also have three daughters.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Fashion CEO Arrested in Paparazzi Assault | |
The husband of talento Uehara Sakura was arrested on Saturday night for assaulting a paparazzi. Endo Noriaki (37), founder and president of the Devilock street fashion brand, and his wife were attending the central Tokyo wedding reception of TV producer Ochi Masato (43) and his model/actress wife Chieko (22), who actually got married in July of last year. Endo was trying to take a photo of Uehara and the happy couple outside the Fendi store in Kita Aoyama when a photographer for a weekly gossip magazine tried to push him out of the way. Enraged, Endo's floored the photographer with a single punch to the solar plexus. And when the man stayed down, police and an ambulance were called. Endo was arrested on the spot and the man taken to a nearby hospital, where he recovered consciousness. Endo and Uehara (32) married in 2003. She was pregnant at the time but later had a miscarriage. Endo has opened several Devilock stores overseas and toured as a DJ in the U.S. last year.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Mizushima Hiro, Ayaka Married | April 04, 2009 |
Singer Ayaka (21) and actor Mizushima Hiro (24) announced yesterday that they got married back in February. The couple made the announcement at a joint press conference at the TBS TV studios in Tokyo. Their romance started in August of last year and Mizushima proposed about three months later. They tied the knot on February 22. Despite her youth, Ayaka already has a strong fan base and several hits under her belt, most notably the 2006 ballad "Mikazuki." She also won several best newcomer awards that debut year. But she revealed yesterday that she plans to take an extended sabbatical as she battles with Graves' disease. She has suffered from the condition, an immune disorder of the endocrine system known in Japan by the less common name of Basedow's disease, since shortly after her debut. Mizushima spent much of his early youth in Switzerland because of his father's work. On his return to Japan, he struggled with the language and faced bullying as a "kikokushijo" (returnee). A talented soccer player, his high school team reached the semi-finals of the national championship. While in university he was scouted to become a fashion model. After a few TV extra roles, he made his acting debut in the popular NTV drama series "Gokusen" in 2005. He landed the role of tokusatsu hero Kamen Rider Kabuto on TV Asahi and the big screen in 2006.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Minamida Yoko Hospitalized | April 02, 2009 |
Retired actress Minamida Yoko (76) was hospitalized yesterday after losing consciousness. Her condition is not said to be life threatening but she is expected to spend at least a week in hospital. Her husband, actor Nagato Hiroyuki (75) spoke tearfully to reporters last night as he expressed his fear that his wife might end up in a vegetative state. She retired several years ago after beginning to show signs of dementia, and her husband has been caring for her since. It wasn't until during filming of a TV Asahi documentary last November that her condition was diagnosed as Alzheimers. The program was the network's most widely viewed show of last year. Nagato and Minamida were both up and coming stars when they became Japan's most famous screen couple in the 1955 hit "Taiyo no Kisetsu," one of the definitive movies of the postwar era.
• Actress Fukada Kyoko (26) and young baseball star Saito Yuki (20) were spotted out together on a dinner date in February, according to today's issue of women's weekly magazine "Josei Seven." Fukuda is one of Japan's most poipular young actreses, and is currently starring as the sexy villain Doronjo in the big screen adaptation of the "Yatterman" anime. Saito, known as the "handkerchief prince" since becoming an overnight star as a pitcher for his high school team, has almost single-handedly turned Waseda University into a baseball powerhouse in the last couple of years.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Former Idol Denies Suicide Rumors | April 01, 2009 |
Former pop singer Suzuki Sachiko (40) seems a bit embarrassed about yesterday's media reports of an attempted suicide. One half of the top 80s/90s idol duo Wink, she gave a quickly-arranged press conference last night to address news reports that she had been rushed to hospital after a suspected drug overdose on Sunday. Speaking to reporters at the TV Asahi studios in Tokyo, she started by saying "I was more surprised than anyone by yesterday's news. As you can see, I'm fine. I apologize for having caused such concern." She said that she is naturally a night person and has been taking prescription sleeping pills for the last two years. Unable to sleep on Saturday night, even after taking her pills, she stayed up all night. The next morning she had a long telephone conversation with a friend until exhaustion finally caught up with her and she fell asleep while still on the phone. Alarmed, the friend called for an ambulance and Suzuki says she was awoken by the sound of banging on her front door. She let the paramedics in and was able to walk to the ambulance. She was admitted to a hospital, where she was told she was anemic and in need of rest, and put on an I.V. She stayed the night and checked out Monday morning. Suzuki said, "I live alone, so I eat out a lot. From now on I'll try and look after myself a bit better." Her former singing partner, Aida Shoko (39) got married to a doctor last July. Wink split up in 1996 and performed together for the first time in a decade last December when they gave a one-off performance at the 50th Nihon Record Taisho awards.
• Renowned supporting actor Kaneda Ryunosuke died of chronic kidney failure late at a Saitama Prefecture hospital on Monday night. He was 80. Kaneda made his stage debut at the age of 5 but didn't have the first of many movie roles until 1968. In recent years he appeared in such TV dramas as "Tokyo Tower" in 2006 and the "Bayside Shakedown" spinoff movie "Koshounin Mashita Masayoshi" (Negotiator, 2005). He had been suffering from diabetes for the last few years and was admitted to hospital in late March with a leg injury.
• Comedian Akiyama Ryuji (30) of the trio Robert recently got married, it was revealed yesterday. He has been frank about his relationship since it was exposed about a year ago on the comedy show "Haneru no Tobira." It was during filming of today's special 300th edition of the show that he announced the happy news.
Interesting story? Then add it to your favorite social site:
Top
|
