Japan Entertainment News - July 2009
Tsukamoto Taking Tetsuo Nightmare to Venice | July 31, 2009 |
Tsukamoto Shinya's latest update of his most famous movie has been chosen to compete at the upcoming 66th Venice Film Festival. "Tetsuo the Bullet Man" is the renowned director's second sequel to his now 20-year-old cult movie "Tetsuo" (Tetsuo: The Iron Man) and his first English-language work. It's not due for release until next year, but movies fans got the first 10-minute peek at the Comic-Con event in San Diego earlier this month. The original 1989 arthouse classic is regarded as one of the most groundbreaking and influential cyberpunk movies to have come out of Japan (or anywhere). Disturbing and nightmarish, it makes use of stop motion, a hardcore industrial soundtrack, and brutally stark imagery so that sitting through the relatively short 67 minutes is quite a challenge. The first sequel, "Tetsuo: Body Hammer," was released in 1992. The lead character in the new movie is played by American actor Eric Bossick and all the dialog is in English, but the setting is once again Tokyo, which Tsukamoto describes as "a true cybercity - the most cyberpunk city in the world." Though there are parallels that can be drawn with the 1988 cult anime movie "Akira," Tsukamoto (49) has said his films have no connection with that movie's Tetsuo character.
Snowblood's Excellent review of the original "Tetsuo".
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Japan's most famous cartoon housewife is coming to life once again. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Fuji TV has announced a live-action version of perennial favorite "Sazae-san." The anime, based on the late Hasegawa Machiko's manga, has aired on Sunday evenings for 40 years. Though its audience rating peaked at a massive 39.4% in 1979, the show has maintained solid numbers in the high teens or low 20s ever since. Taking on one of Japan's best-loved roles is Mizuki Arisa (32), and done up with Sazae-san's distinctive hairstyle she certainly looks the part. "It's an honor for me," she said. "We've been discussing it for several years, so I think I'm ready to play the part." A Fuji producer said of the star, "She's probably Japan's No.1 comedy actress and, because she's loved by audiences of all ages, she perfect as Sazae-san." The role has been taken on by several actresses in the past - about once every decade - with the most recent being Asano Atsuko (48) in 1992-96. The first, on TBS and starring the late Eri Chiemi, was in 1965-67 and actually predates Fuji's anime version. The new drama, which will air in the autumn, will follow the anime's 3-story omnibus format, though it will run to two and a half hours.
• A couple of TV networks got their wrists slapped this week. NHK received a letter of complaint from the Osaka Bar Association about details of its drama series "Konkatsu, Rikatsu," which aired in April-May. The show featured several scenes in which a notary public gave legal advice in a divorce case, though the profession is restricted solely to the preparation of legal documents.
Meanwhile, NTV became the first network to receive a formal criticism from the Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement Organization (BPO) since it was established in 2007. The BPO recommended that the network air a program to explain how falsified testimony became the basis for a report on the "Bankisha!" news show last November about alleged slush funds within the Gifu prefectural government. NTV issued an on-air apology several months later and the network chief resigned in March. The man who made the false statements was arrested and recently received a guilty court verdict.
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High Speed Boyz Slow Things Down | July 30, 2009 |
A cynical observer would dismiss it as just another publicity stunt but Victor Entertainment insist otherwise. In an unprecedented move, the release of the debut single by new band High Speed Boyz has not only been postponed, but the choice of single itself has been changed. "Bad City" was released as a digital download last month and made the "chaku-uta" chart Top 10. But the song was remarkably similar to the sound of currently hot J-pop band Greeeen. And at the end of last month it was discovered that not only is HSB vocalist Jin the elder brother of Greeeen singer Hide, he's also the group's producer. The bands and record label had intended to keep these facts secret, but once the cover was blown they decided it was better to put some musical distance between the artists. So HSB will debut with the hard rock single "Childhood's End" and the release date will pushed back from August 19 to September 9. A Victor spokesman said, "Normally if a debut single is changed, the release date is pushed back indefinitely. But our company and music stores have very high hopes for this band." The lineup is (l-r) Yusuke, Junchi, Kensuke, Michael, Jin. The members of Greeeen, who never reveal their faces, were recently recognized by Guinness World Records for the biggest-selling digital download single.
• Finally realizing one of his ambitions, actor Sorimachi Takashi (35) has landed the lead role in a samurai drama. He will play the role of Edo Period samurai Yagyu Mitsuyoshi (1607-50) in a New Year drama on TV Tokyo, one of the first broadcasts for the network's 45th anniversary. Popularly known as Yagyu Juubei, the master swordsman is one of the most romanticized figures of his time and has been the subject of dozens of novels, manga, movies and TV dramas.
• Talento Aoki Sayaka (36) is expecting her first child next spring, it was revealed yesterday. She married a dancer (33) in October 2007.
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Kawamura Kaori Dead at 38 | July 29, 2009 |
Rock singer Kawamura Kaori died of cancer yesterday morning at a Tokyo hospital. She was 38. Kawamura was born in Moscow to a Japanese father, who worked for a trading company, and a Russian mother. She and her family moved to Japan when she was 11 and she was subjected to repeated bullying. perhaps as an escape, she soon got into the local music scene. She made her debut with the album "Zoo" in 1988. In 1990 she had a hit with "Kamisama ga Oritekuru Yoru" and the following year with the often-covered "Tsubasa wo Kudasai." That year she made the first of several movie appearances in "Tokyo Kyujitsu." From the mid-1990s, she split her time between New York and Japan, and got involved in the club scene in the late 90s. She and guitarist Motoaki married in 1999 and had a daughter in 2001, but were soon separated. In 2004 Kawamura was diagnosed with breast cancer, which had claimed her mother a few years earlier, but following a mastectomy she returned to work the next year. She and Motoaki divorced in 2007. In October 2008 she wrote on her blog that the cancer had returned and spread to her bones and lungs. Though - or perhaps because - she knew her time was limited, she had a busy schedule this year, performing concerts, publishing a book and releasing "K," her first original album in 13 years.
• TBS announcer Kimura Ikumi (36) and former tennis pro Sugisawa Shuichi (41) have divorced after just three years, it was revealed yesterday. The two met through a mutual friend in 2006 and were married four months later. Kimura spent several years living in Germany and the U.S. before she graduated high school and studied literature at the prestigious Gakushuin University. Sugisawa went to the U.S. after high school to become a pro tennis player. He later became a coach and set up the Team Scandinavia sports management agency that included former Olympic team member Miyagi Nana.
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Cancer Claims Yamada Tatsuo at 53 | July 28, 2009 |
Actor Yamada Tatsuo died at a Tokyo hospital on Sunday of stomach cancer. He was 53. A versatile actor, Yamada made his movie debut with the starring role in the rock-and-roll biker flick "Crazy Thunder Road," described by the IMDB as "bizarrely compelling." The 1980 movie was the directorial debut of former punk musician Ishii Sogo and has been compared, both in terms of its imagery and its spirit, to "Mad Max" (George Miller, 1979) and Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead" (1982). Thus began a career that included more than three dozen movies. One of the most recent was last year's award-wining "Okuribito" (Departures), whose director Takita Yoji was an old school friend. Yamada's final film was "Shizumanu Taiyo" (Never-setting Sun), which is scheduled to open in October. Yamada was first discovered with cancer in June 2005 and he underwent surgery to have his stomach removed. But at the end of last year, the disease was found to have spread and he was hospitalized again.
• Actor Matsuda Ryuhei (26) announced on his website yesterday that his wife, model Ota Rina (21), gave birth to their first child on July 4. The couple married in January after an 18-month relationship. Their new daughter is the first grandchild of Ryuhei's father, legendary actor Matsuda Yusaku (1949-89).
• Veteran actor Ono Takehiko (66) had a brush with the law late Sunday night. According to Metropolitan police, Ono's car hit a police car as he made a left turn at an intersection in the Setagaya district of Tokyo. The incident is being treated as a relatively minor "traffic accident resulting in property damage." Ono is best known in recent years as the police division chief in the "Odoru Daisosasen" (Bayside Shakedown) movie series.
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Chara Sings of Split With Asano | July 27, 2009 |
Anyone looking for clues as to why singer Chara and actor Asano Tadanobu have split up might want to listen to her latest single. Chara (41) and Asano (35) both announced on their respective websites on Saturday that they had ended their more than 14 years of marriage. Considered to be a close couple, and with two children of 14 and 9, their divorce announcement came as a surprise to media commentators. A source said that Chara has custody of the children and she herself said in her statement that she and her ex plan to stay in touch. But one cause of the split is said to be his extra-marital affair, something that is clearly hinted at in Chara's latest single "Broken Hearts." She performed at the weekend's Fuji Rock Festival, an event also attended by Asano, though the DJ show he was scheduled to appear in late Friday night was canceled due to heavy rain. The festival pamphlet featured sketches by various artists. Chara's, which was drawn about a month ago, speaks volumes. The lyrics include such lines as "You say you can continue loving only me...really?" and "I wish I had magic power to read your heart. Even things I don't really want to know." The pair married shortly after working together on the 1994 movie PiCNiC." Chara was several months pregnant at the time. The two were together at last year's Academy Awards, where the movie "Mongol," in which Asano played Genghis Khan, was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film oscar.
• X Japan drummer and leader Yoshiki is to undergo emergency surgery, he announced yesterday. He said on his official fan site that he will go under the knife at a hospital in Los Angeles today to treat a herniated disk of the cervical veterbra, a condition that has plagued him for some time. Doctors say that after the operation he will need several weeks of complete rest followed by at least a month of rehabilitation. If his condition hasn't cleared up after several months, he will need further surgery. X Japan are scheduled to perform in France on October 10.
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The Show Doesn't Go On for Yoshida Takuro | July 24, 2009 |
Yoshida Takuro may have to finally put a period to his on-again, off-again farewell concert tour. The popular folk singer (63) has been struggling with various health problems since he underwent surgery for lung cancer in 2003. The latter half of a tour in 2007 was canceled after he came down with asthmatic bronchitis and pleurisy. Realizing he was reaching some kind of limit, he said this year's tour would definitely be his last. But another bout of chronic bronchitis earlier this month forced him to cancel a show in Osaka at the last minute. He was determined to recover in time for a show tomorrow at Tsumagoi in Shizuoka Prefecture, venue for his famous all-night concert in 1975. He was on his way there for rehearsals last night but his condition deteriorated and he ended up in the hospital instead. He released a statement apologizing to fans and saying that he plans to rest at home until he has made a complete recovery.
• Matsuyama Kenichi will have a rare double chance at winning an award at this year's 34th Montreal World Film Festival. The actor (24) stars in two movies that have been entered for the event, which opens on September 10. "Kamui Gaiden" (directed by Sai Yoichi and due for release here on Setember 19), in which he plays a fugitive ninja, will be shown in the Special Presentation category. While in "Ultra Miracle Love Story" (directed by Yokohama Satoko) he plays an agriculturalist from Aomori who falls for a Tokyo girl (Aso Kumiko). The movie, which opened in Japan earlier in the summer, has been entered in the Discovery category. It will be return visit to Montreal for MatsuKen. His "Detroit Metal City" won crowd approval, though no awards, last year. The last Japanese winner of the People's Choice award was Kitano Takeshi's "Zatoichi" in 2003.
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RIP Abe Futoshi (TMGE Guitarist) | July 23, 2009 |
Abe Futoshi, guitarist for the defunct J-rock band Thee Michelle Gun Elephant died this week, his management said on their website yesterday. He was 43. The cause of death was given as an acute epidural hematoma, a rare condition rare that is most commonly caused by a head injury. TMGE, who were also known to fans simply as Michelle, formed in 1991 when all four members were attending Meiji Gakuin University. Abe (photo right) joined as guitarist in 1994. Usually seen wearing mod suits, they played a straightforward amalgam of punk and pub rock behind the rasping vocals of Chiba Yusuke. The band's distinctive name was born when a friend of Chiba's made a fumbling effort to read the title of the Damned album "Machine Gun Etiquette." They made their major label debut with the single "Sekai no Owari" (The End of the World) in 1996 and went on to headline several major rock festivals. The band released a total of 16 singles and 8 albums before they split in 2003. After an extended break away from music, Abe later pursued several solo projects.
 It was revealed yesterday that enka singer Yamamoto Joji (59) is undergoing treatment for a tumor found in his right ear. The singer held a press conference yesterday to talk about his condition. With his usual deep tan and sharply dressed, he looked as healthy as always. But he said that he has lost most of the hearing in his right ear since late May. He underwent surgery to remove fluid from his ear, but further MRI scans revealed a growth. Though the tumor turned out to be benign, his doctor said it is likely to grow in size from its current 5mm but did not advise radiation treatment as it could damage his facial nerves. Shocked by the news, Yamamoto's initial reaction on his blog was, "I don't need this useless right ear. I'll carry on with just the left one!" But fans encouraged him not to give up hope and seek further medical advice. Encouraged, Yamamoto said he will see a specialist in early August. He insisted also that he didn't want to let the condition affect his career and he plans to continue his ongoing 35th anniversary concert tour.
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Nishikawa Ayako Finally Meets Her Match | July 22, 2009 |
It seems that Nishikawa Ayako (38) has finally met a man who meets her famously high standards. The former beauty queen, doctor and talento is renowned for saying that money is more important than love. In fact, she has built her whole showbiz image around her obsession with wealth. She has said she could never marry a man who made less than ¥40 million a year. Well, she finally seems to have found that Mr. Right. Her romance with Fukumoto Asia (35), a director of a welfare company, was first revealed in one of the weekly gossip magazines in September of last year. He finally proposed on July 7, the day of the romantic Tanabata festival. They plan to get married next spring. The daughter of a plastic surgeon, Nishikawa was Miss Japan in 1996 while studying medicine at St. Marianna University.
In other marriage news, Asahi Housou announcer Kotera Yuko (32) is engaged to marry a fellow company employee (33), the network said this week. The couple plan to tie the knot and hold a reception at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka in November.
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Oda, Amami Warmly Received in Rome | July 17, 2009 |
Oda Yuji (41, profile) and Amami Yuki (41) were back in Italy this week to promote the new movie "Amalfi: Megami no Hoshu." One of Fuji TV's 50th-anniversary projects, the movie is directed by Nishitani Hiroshi and is the first Japanese feature film shot entirely on location in Italy. Oda plays a diplomat based in the World Heritage coastal town of Amalfi who learns about the abduction of a Japanese girl in Rome. He launches an investigation, but finds himself falling in love with the girl's mother (Amami). The cast also includes Sato Koichi, Toda Erika, Sano Shiro, Fukuyama Masaharu, and singer Sarah Brightman in a cameo role. Though his movie career spans 23 years, Oda is taking part in an overseas film festival for the first time, as the movie was screened this week at the L'isola del Cinema. The venue was the scenic Tiberina Island in the Tiber River, which runs through the center of Rome. The audience of 600 gave the movie and its stars their rapturous approval. The citizens' festival usually features hit movies from the previous year and it's very rare to show a movie before it premieres. "Amalfi..." is scheduled to open in Japan on Saturday.
 Oscar-winning musician and composer Sakamoto Ryuichi (57) has been honored by the French government for his cultural contributions. At a ceremony held at the French Embassy in Tokyo yesterday, he received the Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honor) and was awarded an Officier (officer) medal. Sakamoto said, "Through my music, I hope to repay the debt I owe," referring to the influence on his career of such French luminaries as composer Claude Debussy and movie director Jean-Luc Godard. As a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Sakamoto was a pioneer of electronic pop music in the late 1970s and 80s. He received an Academy Award for his soundtrack to the movie "The Last Emperor" in 1988.
• Popular idol group SKE48 have canceled a series of scheduled performances due to health problems. A total of six shows, including one on Wednesday of this week, were officially canceled as a growing number of the members have been having unspecified health issues. A decision has yet to be made about the July 22 show. The group was formed by producer Akimoto Yasushi in Nagoya in 2008 following the success of his AKB48 group, which is based in Tokyo's Akihabara district. The SKE48 name is based on the Sakae district in central Nagoya and, like AKB48, the group perform regularly at a single venue, the Sunshine Sakae building. The dozens of members mainly hail from Aichi and surrounding prefectures and are divided into Team S, Team KII and Trainees. Most are in their teens, though some are as young as 12.
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AmaShio Give Love a Sporting Chance | July 16, 2009 |
Badminton beauty Shiota Reiko (25) is romantically involved with a former rubgy-playing entrepreneur, according to the latest issue of weekly magazine "Friday." The man in question is Amano Yoshihisa (36), who played rugby for Meiji University, Suntory and Japan, is the founder of the Loran Group and runs a sports gym in Tokyo. He and Shiota, who represented Japan at the Beijing Olympics, have been spotted on dates around the capital several times over the summer. Amano has been previously linked with such beauties as actress Ito Misaki (32) and newscaster Takigawa Christel (31). Shiota and her badminton doubles partner Ogura Kumiko (25), known as OguShio, won five straight national championships and they leaped to fame as pinup girls for the 2008 Olympics, where they reached the quarter finals. They split as a pair after the games and Shiota has switched to mixed doubles and is aiming for the London Olympics. She and her partner, Ikeda Shintaro, are now known as IkeShio. Shiota appeared as a bridal fashion model in February and the media are now speculating about when she might wear her own wedding dress.
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Another Marriage for Japan's Premier Playboy? | July 15, 2009 |
Actor Ishida Junichi (55) is probably the most famous playboy in Japanese showbiz, so talk of love and romance is his stock in trade. But now he's talking about marriage once again, this time to pro golfer Higashio Riko (33). The last time Ishida talked about marriage, it was to his long-term girlfriend Hasegawa Rie (35). Their 9-year relationship undoubtedly gave the model a higher profile, but she ended it in 2005. It comes as no surprise that the latest object of Ishida's affections is also young, but she's a year younger than his son from his first marriage, actor Ishida Issei (34). If he ties the knot, it would be the third marriage for Ishida. The first was when he was a student at Waseda University, though he dropped out at the age of 24 to become an actor. It wasn't until a decade later that he had a breakthrough as a "trendy actor" in dramas such as Fuji TV's "Dakishimetai!" in 1988. That same year he married actress Matsubara Chiaki, but they divorced in 1999. Their daughter, model Matsubara Sumire (19), recently earned a place at Carnegie Mellon University. Higashio is the daughter of former baseball star and Seibu Lions manager Higashio Osamu (59). She and actor Kane Kosugi (34) were thought to be on the verge of marriage until their 3-year relationship ended in 2005. She graduated from Florida State University in 1999 and joined the JLPGA the same year. She has no tour victories and her highest money ranking was 44th in 2001. She and Ishida, a keen amateur golfer, hit it off when they appeared together on a TV Aichi golf show at the end of last year. Ishida has hinted that they might get hitched within the year.
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Marriage and Fatherhood for Rookies Star | |
Actor Sato Ryuta (29, photo center) announced yesterday that he's getting married to a former talento and will be a father in the autumn. He gave a press conference yesterday afternoon, and said that he and his fiancee have been dating since the end of 2005. With a 10-year acting career under his belt, Sato is currently riding a wave of popularity following last year's hit TBS drama series "Rookies." A huge fan of the manga on which it was based, Sato arranged for some of it to be filmed at his old high school. The success of the drama led to a spinoff movie, "Rookies - Sotsugyo" (Graduation), which opened in May and is still enjoying a long run at the domestic box office (Sato said he planned to propose marriage on May 30, the day the movie was to open, but his girlfriend's pregnancy meant an abrupt change of schedule). Sato also has quite a bit of musical experience. Following the 2003 movie "Rockers," he continued to perform with the band put together for the film. The following year he formed The Tempers with Yoshimura Yumi of the J-pop duo Puffy. He had his first theatrical leading role in February, when he starred in a local production of Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues."
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Marie Digby Coming (Back) to Japan | July 14, 2009 |
YouTube breakthrough artist Marie Digby (26) has been added to the lineup for this year's SummerSonic festival. The eldest of three daughters of an Irish-American father and Japanese mother, Digby has been to Japan often to visit her relatives in Kumamoto. But this time around things will be a little different. She released her third studio album, "Breathing Underwater," in Japan at the end of June and the SummerSonic show in Chiba Prefecture on August 8 will probably be her first concert featuring music from the album. It isn't due for U.S. release until September, though it was leaked onto the internet in its entirety in April. Digby won a song competition in 2004, and in addition to a cash prize she won the chance to work with a professional producer on an album. She signed with Disney's Hollywood Records the following year but her debut album didn't come out until April 2008. By that time, she had begun to post simple videos of herself singing cover songs of other artists on YouTube in order to gain visibility. The covers, by artists as diverse as Britney Spears, Rihanna, Lil Wayne and Linkin Park, have been viewed more than 60 million times. She released "Second Home," an album of Japanese covers, in March of this year.
Could Marie Digby be the first international "Japanese" star?:
Marie Digby Could Be It
• The marriage of actor Kuroda Arthur (48) to a woman 23 years his junior ended last year, according to today's issue of "Shuukan Josei" magazine. Kuroda got hitched in February 2007, two years after he ended a 3-year relationship with actress Adachi Yumi (27). But the marriage was shorter still, lasting only 18 months. Adachi didn't fare much better - she married comedian Itoda Jun in September 2005 and they had a child the following April. But they divorced at the beginning of this year.
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Happy Sumer Wedding for Idol, Comedian | July 13, 2009 |
Comedian Shoji Tomoharu (33) and idol singer Fujimoto Miki (24) held a press conference yesterday to formally announce their recent marriage. The latest showbiz couple tied the knot in Hawaii on July 3 and registered their marriage at a municipal office in Tokyo on Saturday. "Mikiti" explained how she had needed two proposals before agreeing the marry. The first, last summer on the banks of the Tama River, hadn't been dramatic enough. A huge Hello Kitty fan, "Mikiti" was bowled over when Shoji enlisted the help of her heroine for a second try at the San Rio Puroland theme park, and the match was made. Of course, matches made in showbiz heaven tend to be short-lived, so Shoji wasted no time in declaring, "I will be faithful." To which his bride commented, "Everyone tells me that the showbiz world is full of temptation, so I'll just have to trust him." Referring to the traditional custom by which a woman shows that she knows her place, she added, "Rather than stay three steps behind him, I'll keep him in line by staying one step ahead." The Hawaii ceremony was a small family affair and the couple plan to hold a reception for all their showbiz friends in the autumn. Shoji is one half of the popular comedy duo Shinagawa Shoji, while Fujimoto is a former leader of Morning Musume (profile) She "graduated" from the Hello! Project shortly after she and Shoji got engaged in March.
• Meanwhile, Hello! Project announced at the weekend that young idol singer Arihara Kanna (16) has left the agency and retired from show business. She became a member of the popular group C-ute in early 2006 but had been on leave from February to undergo medical treatment for a bunion.
• Actress Esumi Makiko (42) announced on her website yesterday that she is currently 5 months pregnant. The star of many TV dramas, including Fuji TV's "Shomuni," Esumi was a divorcee when she married a director from the show in 2003. They had their first child in 2005.
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Comedian Gets "Golden Ball" in a Twist | July 10, 2009 |
Comedian Yasuda Hiromi (35) underwent emergency surgery on Wednesday for what turned out to be torsion of the testicle. The dancho (leader) of the comedy trio Yasuda Dai Circus experienced extreme pain on Wednesday morning and went to a local clinic. They were unable to diagnose his condition and he was taken by ambulance to a main hospital, where he was rushed to the operating room. The condition, whereby the blood vessels and nerves attached to a testicle (kintama, or golden ball, in Japanese slang) become twisted, needs to be treated within hours or the tissue can die and the testicle has to be removed. After a successful one-hour operation, Yasuda was still in some pain but was expected to be out of the hospital by next week. In his comedy act with partners Hiro and Kuro-chan, Yasuda routinely strips down to a fundoshi (loincloth) and does physically demanding stunts. Once he gets back to work, he will no doubt get some laughs from his painful experience.
• J-pop princess Koda Kumi (26) is finally going to show fans outside Japan what she's made of. The Avex label announced yesterday that she will perform two concerts in Taipei on October 3-4. Koda has been one of Japan's best selling artists of the last few years and has a growing fan base across East Asia. Though she made her international debut with a U.S. release as long ago as 2000, and has made appearances there and in Korea, the Taipei shows will be her first overseas concerts. She finished a Japan tour, with a show that cost about ¥80 million, in mid-June. Her latest single, "3 Splash," has sold over 150,000 CDs and more than 300,000 downloads since it was released Wednesday.
• Last year's Pokemon movie has been recognized by Guinness World Records with the record for the most advance ticket sales by an anime movie. It had made more than ¥2 billion from almost 2.4 million tickets before it opened last July. Like most movie franchises popular with children, a new Pokemon movie is released every year during the summer vacation. The latest opens on July 18 and its theme borrows from the actual solar eclipse that will be visible from Japan on July 22.
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Kampei Completes North America Leg of Earth Marathon | July 09, 2009 |
Talento Hazama Kampei (59) has finished the latest stage of his mammoth Earth Marathon. He spent the last four months running across the United States, at a pace of about 60km a day, and arrived in New York City on Wednesday night. Hazama set out at the end of 2008 to become the first man to run and sail his way around the entire globe. He took three months to sail across the Pacific, about a month longer than originally estimated, landing in Los Angeles in mid-March (photo). Once again this week, his wife Mitsuyo and a crowd of hundreds of Japanese supporters were waiting to greet him on his arrival in Manhattan. He said the cross-continent run had been tough at times, in particular the hilly terrain of Pennsylvania. He will rest for just a few days in New York before setting sail again on July 14. His next goal will be the coast of France. His expected arrival back in Japan has been put back to the winter of 2010 or later.
Earlier stories:
Tearful Kampei Lands in U.S. (Mar 12, 2009)
• Popular rock band Ulfuls are planning to take an indefinite break, they announced on their website this morning. Their final appearance will be at their Yassa! outdoor festival in Osaka on August 29-30. They also announced that they will play a free show in Tokyo tomorrow. Led by charismatic vocalist Totas Matsumoto (42), the quartet was formed in 1988 and have remained popular since their breakthrough hits, "Guts da-ze!!" and "Banzai - Suki de Yokatta!" in the mid-90s. According to the official statement, the band members are simply tired out, though they have developed musical differences and will be pursuing solo projects. Previously, bassist John B. Chopper quit the band in 1999 only to return in 2003.
• Veteran folk singer Yoshida Takuro (63) canceled last night's Osaka show at the last minute, citing health problems. The show at the Grand Cube was part of his ongoing farewell concert tour. He left Tokyo Tuesday evening on the shinkansen headed for Osaka, but was feeling so unwell that he had to get off at Nagoya. He was at the Osaka venue yesterday afternoon for rehearsals, but then decided he couldn't perform and headed back to Tokyo, where he was hospitalized. Yoshida underwent surgery for lung cancer in 2003. He was forced to cancel the last 19 concerts of a tour in 2007 after he came down with asthmatic bronchitis and pleurisy.
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Model Nanami Dead at 29 | July 08, 2009 |
Model Katsuno Nanami died at a Tokyo hospital yesterday, after a 5-month battle with lung cancer. She was 29. Though not a smoker, Katsuno (photo center) was diagnosed with the disease in February, just three months after she married a hip hop dancer (29) on November 11. One of three children of actor Katsuno Hiroshi (59, photo right) and half-Hawaiian designer Kathy Nakajima (57, photo 2nd from right), who announced her daughter's death on her blog, Nanami made her modeling debut in 2006. Known to fans by her given name, she was also a singer and had forged a successful career with her popular jewelery designs. She and her husband ran a jewelry shop in the Tokyo suburb of Sangenjaya, where they also sold the Hawaiian quilts that her mother is known for. Her brother and sister (photo) are both actors.
 Hollywood star Richard Gere (59) was in Tokyo yesterday to meet the "star" of his latest movie. He visited Shibuya station and the statue of Hachiko, Japan's most famous canine and now the hero of the Lasse Hallstrom-directed "Hachiko: A Dog's Story." It is the first Hollywood adaptation of one of the most famous stories in contemporary Japan. It will open here on August 8 as "Hachi, Yakusoku no Inu."
Earlier story:
Aoyama Teruma Records Hachiko Theme (June 9, 2009)
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Matsushima Steps Up to Rescue Eguchi Drama | July 07, 2009 |
Fuji TV have had to do some major reshuffling of one of their popular summer drama series. When actor Eguchi Yosuke (41, photo left) took a tumble on his motorbike last month, it left the star of "Kyumei Byoutou 24-ji" with injuries expected to take two months to heal. And as he hasn't finished filming the fourth season of the medical drama, it left Fuji with some difficult decisions. They finally decided to replace tonight's opening episode with a old comedy rerun, and from next Tuesday they will show a four-week special series, "Kojima Kaede," based on a character from "Kyumei..." played by Matsushima Nanako (photo right, profile). That spinoff was hastily put together to fill in the gap until Eguchi is back at work again and able to complete the original series, now set to air from August 11. Tonight's 9pm time slot will be filled with a classic comedy show, featuring the Drifters comedy team and guest actress Mori Mitsuko (89), who last week received a National Honor award.
Earlier story:
Eguchi Yosuke vs. Kawasaki Z1-R (Jun 12, 2009)
• Model Matsubara Sumire (18) has earned herself a place at Carnegie Mellon University. The daughter of actor Ishida Junichi (55) and his ex-wife, actress Matsubara Chiaki (51), she will study drama at the world-renowned institution from September. She has lived with her mother in Japan and Hawaii, where she went to high school, since her parents split in 1999. She made her modeling debut in 2006 and dreams of appearing on Broadway.
• Management for Igawa Haruka (33) announced yesterday that the actress gave birth to her first child at the end of June. She and fashion designer Matsumoto Atou (46) married in November 2006.
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120,000 Pay Respects to Yujiro | July 06, 2009 |
More than two decades after his death, Ishihara Yujiro still looms large for many people in Japan. Organizers of a Buddhist ceremony to mark the 23rd anniversary of his death were concerned that the event might draw an unmanageably large crowd. So rather than hold the ceremony at the temple in Yokohama where he is buried, they decided to reconstruct the building at the National Stadium. Some 35,000 people, hundreds of whom had lined up overnight, got seats in the stadium while tens of thousands more waited for hours to get in from the neighboring Meiji Koen park, the Aoyama gate and Jingu Gaien. Shortly after 9am, Ishihara's widow Makiko (73) and several top Ishihara Gundan stars addressed the crowd. Actors Watari Tetsuya (67), also president of Ishihara Promotions, Tachi Hiroshi (59) and Kanda Masaki (58) all worked with Yujiro in his heyday, while Tokushige Satoshi (30) debuted in 2000 when he beat more than 50,000 audition hopefuls to be chosen as the "21st Century Yujiro." Next up were 120 Buddhist monks, who chanted sutras for the best part of an hour.
Meanwhile, in the crowds outside, which had more than a few elderly people, tempers often boiled over in the heat and humidity typical of the Tokyo summer and dozens were treated for heatstroke. Once the ceremony had finished, the crowds were slowly allowed into the stadium to place carnations in front of the temple and buy what was left of the various Yujiro goods on sale. A choir of 300 were split into three groups to take turns singing Yujiro's hits for a full 12 hours until the event finished at 10pm. Conspicuously absent yesterday was Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro (76), Yujiro's elder brother, who was busy with the upcoming municipal election, though his three sons were in attendance. Organizers were vague on what the event cost, giving numbers between ¥10-20 million, but with a final headcount estimated at almost 120,000 people, it was no doubt a success.
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Gearing Up For Yujiro Fest | July 03, 2009 |
Preparations are almost complete for a major Buddhist memorial service for the late legendary actor Ishihara Yujiro, who died in 1987 at the age of 52. As one of the biggest stars of 20th century Japan, he still has legions of fans and tens of thousands are expected to attend the service on Sunday afternoon. The service will be the main event over a weekend that will also feature movies and numerous Ishihara specials on the TV networks. The memorial event will be broadcast live from the National Stadium, originally built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where 100 craftsmen have spent the last week building a reconstruction of the Soujiji temple in Yokohama which holds Ishihara's remains. The younger brother of writer and politician Ishihara Shintaro (76), current governor of Tokyo, Yujiro became a star with his 1956 movie debut "Taiyo no Kisetsu" (Season of the Sun) based on his brother's novel.
• Theatrical director Ninogawa Yukio (73) had a minor stroke last month, he revealed yesterday. Best known for his many interpretations of Shakespeare's works both in Japan and overseas, he canceled a press conference appearance on June 6 after rehearsals for a production of the Bard's "Twelfth Night," citing health problems. But he was back at work on June 25, when he attended a PR event for the 9-hour production "Coast of Utopia," and it wasn't until yesterday that he publicly announced that he had been in the hospital for a week from June 2. He said he consulted his doctor after experiencing strange feelings in his right leg. Because his condition was treated early, he suffered no serious after effects and was able to make such a speedy recovery.
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Guinness World Records yesterday formally recognized "Kiseki," by J-pop group GReeeeN, as the best-selling digital downloaded single of all time. The single was used as the theme for last year's hugely popular TBS teen baseball drama "Rookies" and went on sale in May 2008. The application to GWR was made on May 24, at which point the single had been downloaded more than 2.3 million times. But the success of a Rookies spinoff movie gave another boost to digital sales, which are now said to be over 5.9 million. Sato Ryuta (29), star of the drama and the movie, was clearly delighted as he received the official record certificate yesterday from GWR Japan president (and old Japan Zone friend) Russell Willis at the TBS studios in central Tokyo. He said he has yet to meet the four members of GReeeeN (Hide, Navi, 92 and Soh), who hide behind masks in official photos, but hopes he can now finally do so. The group recently saw sales of their 3rd album, "Shio, Kosho" break the million barrier.
Earlier stories:
Another Million Seller for Greeeen (Jun 22, 2009)
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Mori Mitsuko Receives National Honor | July 02, 2009 |
She may be a tiny old lady, but it's hard to believe that the vibrant Mori Mitsuko is 89 years old. Just last month she performed the lead role in the play "Hourouki" for the 2,000th time, a role she's been playing since 1961! She is such a popular figure that she is sometimes referred to as "Nihon no Okaasan" (Mother of Japan). In recognition of everything she has achieved and her cultural contributions, yesterday she became the 17th recipient of a national honor award. She is the first actress and the oldest person to be recognized, and just the second person (after Kurosawa Akira) to have also received the Order of Cultural Merit. Yesterday's award was presented by Prime Minister Aso Taro at his official residence, after which Mori gave a press conference. Twisting a familiar Japanese phrase, she joked "I'm so happy I should be punished!" In recent years she has started to show some of the signs of old age - mild hearing loss and the occasionally shakes. But she is looking forward to performing in Hourouki again next spring, at the sprightly age of 90, and celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2011.
Earlier stories:
Nihon no Okaasan to Receive National Honor (May 12, 2009)
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Another Chance for Tashiro Masashi | July 01, 2009 |
Disgraced talento Tashiro Masashi (52, photo right) is on the comeback trail yet again. The former jailbird held a press conference yesterday for an upcoming new talk show on the Mondo21 cable channel. The first show will likely draw a lot of attention, especially as his guest will be the Livedoor founder, and another former jailbird, Horie Takafumi (36). Tashiro is the epitome of the top star whose life and career hit rock bottom when repeated arrests led to a three year prison term that ended in June of last year.
He made his showbiz debut in 1980 as a member of the doo-wop group Chanels, who had a million selling debut with the single "Runaway." The following years saw a change of name, to Rats & Star, and a string of hits. In the mid-80s, top comedian Shimura Ken took Tashiro under his wing, rebranded him as a comedy/variety performer and helped him become one of the biggest young names in the business. That popularity and success started getting a bit wobbly in 2000 after Tashiro was found to have filmed up a woman's skirt on a station platform, a story the media tried to bury. But one reporter's persistence kept the story alive and Tashiro eventually paid a minor fine of ¥50,000 and dropped out of sight for several months. He was back on prime time the following summer but everything suddenly came to a grinding halt at the end of 2001. The relatively minor offense of peeping into a neighbors bathroom led to a police search of his home, where they found stimulant drugs. He received a suspended prison sentence and tried to rebuild his career, making his debut as a porn director. But he caused a traffic accident while on probation and was later arrested again for drugs. This finally landed him in jail. In recent years, the mainstream media have almost totally avoided even mentioning his name, and his face is blurred out on any old video footage. Only his once elevated status offers him any chance at reinstatement into the showbiz firmament.
• Talento Kurusu Atsuko (31) gave a tearful press conference yesterday to address rumors about her private life. The rumors started in mid-June when the former pinup idol wrote on her blog that she was an emotional wreck. This led to the usual online speculation about her becoming the latest showbiz suicide, and indeed it turned out that she had attempted to kill herself. The reason was revealed in one of the weekly gossip magazines to be a romantic breakup with an unnamed younger actor. Yesterday Kurusu talked about the end, in early May, of a two-and-a-half-year relationship with the actor. They had been living together and had talked about marriage. But money problems brought all that to an end. Kurusu said she had lent her former boyfriend millions of yen and that he had lied to her repeatedly about what the money was for. He even went so far as to claim that his grandmother had died and later that his mother had blown all the money borrowed from Kurusu to pay for the funeral. She said he has so far refused to repay any of the debts but she hopes he will do so rather than force her to take legal action.
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