Monthly Archives: February 2006

Popular actor Yamada Takayuki (photo, 22) is the father of an illegitimate child, it was revealed this week. The star of the current TBS drama “Byaku Yakou” and the 2003 Fuji TV hit “Waterboys” became a father last October. The 22-year-old mother of the “kakushigo” (hidden child) is said to be raising the baby at her family home. Yamada is providing full financial support for the child.

• The Johnny’s Jimusho management agency is planning to sue women’s weekly magazine Shuukan Josei for libel. The magazine published an article in its February 14 issue claiming that Kat-Tun member Kamenashi Kazuya (19) was photographed drinking beer though he is under the legal age of 20. Johnnys claim that the photo was taken by his uncle in 2003 at a relative’s house, and that the beer was his grandfather’s. The uncle took the photo with his mobile phone and sent it to a friend, who still has the original file. The magazine article comes at a sensitive time, as two young members of Johnnys group News have been in trouble for drinking in the past year.

• Talento Mister Chin (42) is to marry a beautiful 27-year-old company employee. The former member of comedy trio B-21 Special and his new bride, who is ten weeks pregnant, will hold a wedding ceremony in Tokyo on May 20. Real name Miyake Yasutoshi, Chin formed B-21 in 1986 with Hiromi (41) and David Itoh (39), both of whom are still active on the variety show circuit. Hiromi married former idol singer Matsumoto Iyo in 1993 and Itoh married in 2003.

Two big names announced to play at the Nippon Budokan during the coming year. British band Coldplay, riding the global success of their latest album “X&Y”, will have their first solo gigs in Japan in August. The band, whose three albums have sold over 25 million copies to date, played the SummerSonic festival shortly after their debut in 2000 and have also played the Fuji Rock festival twice. The dates confirmed for this year are July 18 & 19, but more may be announced later. Vocalist Chris Martin said, “Japanese fans are different than anywhere else. They’re so polite that we can concentrate on the music and give our best. So we want to play more than two dates. I’d like to play Osaka.” Tickets are due to go on sale on April 1 from Smash.

• Local boy Kondo Masahiko (photo, 41) played the Budokan yesterday for the first time in 22 years. Celebrating his 25th year in the business, the veteran Johnny’s Jimusho star has been making something of a comeback recently after pursuing a career as a racing driver. He also announced yesterday that he will star in his first TV drama role in 8 years in the autumn, and play the Budokan again on Valentine’s Day, 2007.

Anyone who enjoyed last year’s popular school drama “Jo no Kyoshitsu” (Queen’s Classroom) on NTV will want to catch a special coming up next month. Over two nights (March 18-19), the special will reveal how the main character, “demon” teacher Akutsu Maya (played by former Takarazuka star Amami Yuki, 38), developed her strict and cynical style. The drama and the teacher who almost terrorized her pupils became a talking point and achieved high audience ratings when it aired between July and September. The final episode pulled in a rating of 25.3% and the show’s official website had almost 12 million hits over two days. The March special is at least in part a result of tens of thousands of posts on the website’s BBS from fans wanting to know more about the story and its background.

• The father of iconic folk singer Matsutoya Yumi (52) died of multiple organ failure on February 2, it was revealed yesterday. He was 93. Always the consumate professional, “Yuming” completed her series of 10 shows at the ski resort of Naeba in Niigata Prefecture, which ran until February 13.

• Poster girl violinist Kawai Ikuko (38) is expecting her first child. She married a 40-year old university professor and graduate of Tokyo University medical school last November. She is expecting the baby in mid-June and plans to be back at work promoting a new album in September.

• Guitarist Hotei Tomoyasu (44) has published his autobiography. In it he reveals for the first time that his father is Korean, as well as talking about life with his wife, actress Imai Miki (42). In his 25th year in showbiz, he looks back at his career in the hugely popular 80s rock band Boowy, the divorce of his parents, and the death of his father-in-law. meanwhile, Imai has done her first anime character recording in 15 years for the fantasy movie “Brave Story”. The movie features a stellar cast of voices, including Matsu Takako, Itoh Shiro, Tokiwa Takako and Takahashi Katsumi.

Pop duo Pink Lady are to include their first single release, from all of 32 years ago, on a box-set to commemorate their 30th anniversary as pros. The song “Koi no Lessun” (Love Lesson) was recorded in 1974 when high school friends Mii and Kei called themselves “Cookie”. The single was only sold in record stores in the Tokai region. It was another two years before the pair, now known as Pink Lady, won the NTV audition show “Sutaa Tanjo” (A Star is Born) and became overnight stars with the single “Peppaa Keibu” (Sergeant Pepper). They went on to spend several years at the top of the showbiz world, bringing in as much as ¥30 billion yen a year. They faded away in the mid-80s only to rsurface in a revival tour last year. The new Platinum Box, which goes on sale March 24, includes 22 a-sides, NHK TV appearances and a host of other rare material on 4 CDs and 2 DVDs.

• Popular freelance announcer Shindo Masako (34) has tied the knot with pro golfer Fukabori Keiichiro (37). The recent wedding of Fukabori, described as the “prince” of the Japanese golfing world, and the former TBS sportscaster was announced on their respective official websites on Friday. Fukabori left for California soon after the marriage had been registered to take part in the Nissan Open at the Riviera Country Club. The couple met during a magazine interview in 1998 and are said to have broken up twice before finally taking the plunge. In February of last year, Shindo had to deny media rumors of an impending marriage with the elder brother of popular actress Matsushima Nanako. Fukabori ranked third in last year’s money rankings.

Popular idol singer Kago Ai has been suspended by her agency for underage smoking. The idol was not named in some media reports as she is still a minor, but was described as an 18-year-old represented by Upfront Agency, which handles Morning Musume among others. Kago is a former MM member who is now one half of the duo W. Her scheduled appearances in TV shows and concerts have been cancelled until further notice. The singer, who turned 18 on February 7, was spotted smoking in a restaurant in the Ebisu area of Tokyo by photographers from the weekly gossip magazine Friday. The agency issued an apology, saying the behavior was inexcusable. The legal age for smoking and drinking is 20.

• Rock band Glay recently performed live for the first time in almost a year. They played for 13,000 fans at the Nippon Budokan, which was surrounded by hundreds more fans without tickets. “Dafuya” ticket touts were selling arena tickets for up to ¥70,000. Vocalist Teru (34) told fans that they can expect some new material in the autumn.

The latest romance rumor about actor Tsutsumi Shinichi (41) has him involved with actress Koyuki (29). The pair co-starred in the recent hit “Always – 3-chome no Yuhi” and the latest issue of women’s magazine Shuukan Josei says that romance started on the set. Koyuki’s management agency have said that the pair are “100% not having a relationship”, but such official denials are standard. Koyuki, who made her Hollywood debut in the 2003 Tom Cruise hit “The Last Samurai”, went to see Tsutsumi perform on stage last October, and the following month revealed that her relationship with actor Sakaguchi Kenji (30) had ended during the summer. Ironically, it was divorcee Matsuyuki Yasuko (33) Tsutsumi’s co-star in that stage production, that was rumored to be his most recent love interest. They were spotted holding hands while on date in Kyoto and Osaka at the beginning of the year. In recent years, Tsutsumi – who bears a strong resemblance to Jet Li – has been romantically involved with actress Suzuki Kyoka (37), and after he broke up with her, was linked with actress Takeuchi Yuko (26), who married kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (33) last summer.

• Actress Miyazawa Rie (32) has denied rumours of a split with jewellery designer Mikita Takuji (32). Appearing in Tokyo at a PR event for the movie “Hana Yorimo Naho”, due for release in June, she showed off a sparkling ring and said the rumours were untrue.

• Over in the US, the big winners at the Grammies were my boys U2. They took the big two awards, Best Album and Best Song as well as Best Rock Band, Song and Album. The lads from Dublin will be here in April to play one show at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, and of course Japan Zone will be there! Back at the Grammies, Mariah Carey wasn’t a complete washout this time, taking three of the eight awards she was nominated for, but all in the R&B categories. Local boy Kitaro was nominated but failed to win for Best New Age Album. He took that award in 2001.

Talento Bobby Ologun (39) is to be punished by his management agency for his recent outburst. The Nigerian K-1 fighter started a fight at the office of R&A Promotions on January 26, after a dispute over his salary. Agency boss Ito Kazuyuki (55) claimed that Ologun and his Bangladeshi manager have been directly pocketing appearance fees to the tune of ¥10-15 million, in breach of a contract that splits fees 50-50 between the agency and employees. Ologun got into a fight with the 2.1m tall John Muwete Muluaka (44), a fellow talento from Congo and former assistant to politician Suzuki Muneo. The two appeared together at a press conference several days later, with Ologun looking suitably tearful and repentant and Muluaka making the lame excuse that these kinds of things “happen a lot in Africa.” Ito announced yesterday that Ologun will not be allowed to work until the end of March. Until April, the only shows to be aired featuring him will be those recorded before the incident. he will also be visiting the local police station again soon for further questioning on the matter.

• Composer Ifukubei Akira has died of multiple organ failure at a Tokyo hospital. He was 91. he was best known as the composer of the music for the original Godzilla movies, but also wrote scores for the “Daikmajin” and “Zatoichi” series. In 2003, he was recognized by the government as a person who has made outstanding cultural contributions.

• Hip hop unit Def Tech are going global later this year. The duo performed at a PR event yesterday for Sony Ericsson’s latest keitai (mobile phone) model. They announced that will play their first national tour during the summer, including two dates at the venerable Nippon Budokan, before embarking on a world tour that will take in Asia and Europe and may also include dates in the US.

Married this week was Harada Rika (photo, 34), a member of the 90s “sexy group” Giri-Giri Girls, who is also expecting a baby in May. Her new husband is a company employee who she met at a friend’s birthday party four years ago. The five-member Giri-Giri Girls were a staple of late-night TV for several years from 1992. They had a couple of music releases and even won a Best Newcomer award in 1993. Harada is the third member to marry – Yoshino Mika married Mr. Children vocalist Sakurai Kazutoshi in 2000, and Mochizuki Rumi married a company employee in 2004.

• Another marriage announcement came from NHK announcer Zemba Takako (30), who revealed this week that she and former musician Sena Shunsuke (32) got hitched last October. She plans to quit NHK in March and join her husband in London, where he works for Sony. Sena spent much of his childhood in Europe, returning to Japan in his late teens to enter Tokyo University, where he first met Zemba. He formed a duo with his sister Rie while still a student and continued even after joining Sony in 1998, releasing four singles. It is Zemba’s second marriage, her first ending in divorce in 2003.

• And one step behind in the baby front is TBS announcer Ando Hiroki (38), whose wife, former talento Kawahata Yuka (30), is expecting their first child this summer. Considered one of the best-looking couples in showbiz, they met while making “Sekai Fushigi Hakken” in 2004 and have been married since last September.

• Reports that actor Sugawara Bunta (72) had been hospitalized and was expected to undergo surgery have been denied. He is said to have suffered a cold in mid-January, but nothing more serious than that. It was also reported that he stepped down from his planned lead role in a stage production in March, but a spokesperson fr the theater says the decision to replace him with Watanabe Hiroyuki was made in December. Sugawara is best known for his tough guy yakuza image in the Fukasaku Kinji-directed movie series “Jingi Naki Tatakai” and as a truck driver in the “Torakku Yarou” series, both from the 70s.

Idol singer Matsuura Aya (19) is to revive the role of Asamiya Saki after an absence of 18 years from the big screen. The character is central to the hugely popular 80s TV series “Sukeban Deka”, and has previously been played on TV and in movies by notable idols Saito Yuki (39), Minamino Yoko (38) and Asaka Yui (36). Each played the role on TV for a year or so, with Minamino and Asaka each making one movie. Asamiya is a high school “detective”, complete with sailor girl uniform, who wields a red yoyo in her battles with criminals. The story was originally a manga by Wada Shinji, and its 22 volumes sold over 20 million copies. “Sukeban Deka, Codename Asamiya Saki” will be Ayaya’s second movie but her first lead role, and she will be under the able direction of Fukasaku Kenta (33). The son of the late, great Fukasaku Kinji is best known for taking over from his father to complete “Battle Royale II”. Filming is scheduled to start this month, with the movie set for an autumn release.

• Singer Go Hiromi (50) is to celebrate his 35th year in showbiz with a series of dinner shows and an outdoor concert in Tokyo this summer. Speaking to the media at his large Manhattan apartment, Go said he will give the dinner shows – usually a type of event only held at the end of the year – at 30 venues across the country between May and August. Then he will release a new single and play an outdoor concert in Hibiya in September. He is currently taking singing lesons twice a week with a teacher who has worked with, among others, Whitney Houston.

Actor Takaoka Sousuke (23) has had a change of name and management. Known mostly for his movie roles, such as “Pachigi”, “Battle Royale” and “Haru no Yuki”, it was announced at the weekend that he has changed to the Stardust Promotion management agency. He will also have his first leading role on stage in the play “Wee Thomas”, described as a “violence comedy”, adapted from the British original by popular playwright Nagatsuka Keishi (30). The change of name is in the second kanji of Sousuke, though it is pronounced the same.

• Popular idol singer Goto Maki (20) has been told to take two weeks rest after being diagnosed with acute enteritis. Just a week ago, she showed no signs of illness when she performed with other members of the Hello! Project on the final date of their national tour at the Yokohama Arena, but complained of stomach pains after the event. Though she doesn’t need to be hospitalized, she has had to pull out of another Hello! Project event scheduled for later this month in Tokyo. Her place will be taken by Melon Kinenbi member Shibata Ayumi (21).

• Sugimoto Hisashi, the father of comedian Akashiya Sanma (50), died of heart failure at a Nara hospital on Saturday. He was 78. Sanma took his stage name from the name of a fish (sanma = Pacific saury) as his father ran a fish processing business.

• Popular screenwriter and punk musician Kudo Kankuro (35) gave a press conference recently for his upcoming heavy metal stage production of Macbeth. The show, starring popular actress Matsu Takako (28) and actor Uchino Masaaki (37), will feature 19 original hard rock and metal songs by Kudo. He said he previously knew nothing of Shakespeare but was attracted by the line from Macbeth where the character says his mind is “full of scorpions”. Matsu said she felt she had almost been tricked into playing the role, but added that she looked forward to screaming four-letter words on stage.