Monthly Archives: March 2006

Talento Asagi Kuniko (43) held a press conference yesterday to announce her divorce after 12 years of marriage to composer Matsumoto Akihiko (43). She registered their divorce at the local municipal office in person. Asagi said the main reason for the split was lack of communication, which is ironic as she and her ex are renowned for their conversational ability. She also cited their busy schedules that rarely allowed them to spend much time together as a family. Asagi has custody of their only daughter, born just months after their marriage in 1994, while Matsumoto has parental authority. The couple were childhood friends and married after they met again years later. Asagi first went into modeling after dropping out of Gakushuin University, and made her acting debut on NHK in 1987. Over the following decade, she built up her career and popularity as an emcee and variety show guest. Matsumoto is best known as the composer for the “Odoru Dasosasen” movie series.

• Also getting divorced yesterday was actor Hagiwara Kenichi (55), who separated from his second wife of nine years. Hagiwara has had a troubled few years, causing a traffic accident in 2004 and being questioned by authorities for attempted blackmail last year. He and former makeup artist Yuki agreed on a settlement at the Yokohama Family Court on March 30.

• Singer Gackt is to make his TV drama debut in next year’s yearlong taiga series on NHK. In “Fuurinkazan” he will play legendary medieval warlord Uesugi Kenshin (1530-78). It will also star stage actor Uchino Masaaki (37) in the lead role of Yamamoto Kansuke and kabuki actor Ichikawa Kamejiro (30)as Uesugi’s rival, Takeda Shingen. The title of the series is an expression that translates as “as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain”. Despite having the ability to play a variety of musical instruments and speak several languages, the multi-talented Gackt has continued to maintain his quirky image and hide his age, though he has shown in many commercials that he’s not afraid to poke fun at himself. He wrote and starred in the 2003 movie “Moon Child”, but the former singer for visual rock band Malice Mizer has focused more in the last couple of years on his solo music than on acting. At the end of last year, he took on the image of a medieval knight on horseback for his first concert at Tokyo Dome. In the upcoming taiga series he says he hopes to revive Japan’s lost “samurai spirit”.

The “Gorgeous Kano Sisters” offered the first look at their latest photo book yesterday. “Sweet Goddess”, which goes on sale April 3, features younger sister Kano Mika (38) in full nude poses for the first time (rumored pre-fame porn video appearances notwithstanding). While the taboo about showing pubic hair was broken back in the early 90s, celebrities still try to squeeze as much publicity as they can from so-called “hair nude” photos. The sisters have probably more female than male fans and their books are marketed as works of art and beauty. The photography was done by elder sister Kyoko (42), and a DVD included with the book shows the sisters in various exotic foreign locations.

• Mongolian sumo Yokozuna Asashoryu (25) may feature in an upcoming joint Japan-Mongolia movie production. The biopic about legendary leader Genghis Khan, starring Sorimachi Takashi, is due for release in the spring of 2007. It has a budget of about ¥3 billion and will use 5,000 Mongolian soldiers and 20,000 civilians as extras. Production director Kadokawa Haruki (64) says he aiming for the movie to be seen by 100 million people worldwide. While on a recent visit to Mongolia, he was presented with a traditional musical instrument by the sumo superstar, who expressed a wish to appear in the movie.

• Korean star Ahn Jae Wook (34), known as the “Asian Knight” was welcomed by 1,000 screaming fans at Narita Airport yesterday. He’s in Japan to promote his latest album, “Sounds Like You”, and to play his first concert here at NHK Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo on March 31.

The father of singer Mori Masako (47) lost his long battle with illness just hours after his daughter announced her comeback after 20 years. Morita Tsuneo died of liver failure last night at a Yokohama hospital. He was 75. Mori rushed to his bedside but arrived after he had passed away. She made her comeback announcement to the media on Monday, having waited for her youngest son to finish his junior high school entrance exams but always concerned about her father’s failing health. (see yesterday’s story for more)

• Popular group SMAP have announced their first new single of the year. “Dear Woman” will be released on April 19 and is an ode to all Japanese women. It will feature on the new TV commercial for Shiseido’s “Tsubaki” hair products.

• The latest rankings of the the most popular TV anime, according to Video Research:

1. Crayon Shinchan (TV Asahi) – 11.8%

2. Chibi Marukochan (Fuji TV) – 10.1%

3. Doraemon (TV Asahi) – 9.8%

4. Manga Nihon Mukashibanashi (TBS) – 8.8%

5. One Piece (Fuji TV) – 8.7%

6. Futari wa Puri Cure (TV Asahi) – 8.4%

7. Naruto (TV Tokyo) – 6.1%

Sexy singer Koda Kumi (23) is the new face of Diet Coke. The singer, whose look has popularized the phrase “ero-kakkoii” (sexy-cool), will play a dancing flight attendant and show plenty of cleavage as usual in the new TV commercial due to air from April 3. The corresponding ad for regular Coke will feature Yokoyama Ken, singer of the Crazy Ken Band, on location in Hawaii.

• Popular group KAT-TUN have pulled off a feat no artist has ever managed before, with their debut single (Real Face), album (Best of KAT-TUN) and DVD (Real Face Film) all entering the Oricon charts at No.1. It’s only the second time that one artist has been top of all three charts (Hamasaki Ayumi did it in 2000). They recently announced and sold out a show at the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome, also a first for an artist yet to release a song. While these feats are impressive, the Johnny’s Jimusho unit are hardly newcomers. Formed in 2001, they have often played live, often performing with other Johnny’s groups such as Tokio and V6. Members have appeared in popular TV dramas, such as NTV’s 2005 hit “Gokusen”. Kamenashi Kazuya teamed up with fellow Johnny’s band NEWS member Yamashita Tomohisa last year as the duo Shuji to Akira, releasing three singles, one of which became the year’s first million-seller. The name KAT-TUN is made up of the initial letters of its six members, all in their early 20s.

• Singer Mori Masako (47) is to release her first new song in 20 years. The first singer dicovered by “Sutaa Tajou” (A Star is Born) in 1971, she was one of that decade’s three most popular idols, along with Yamaguchi Momoe and Sakurada Junko. The legendary Misora Hibari described her as the only one who could fill her shoes. But in 1986 she married enka singer Mori Shinichi (58), with whom she had three children, and retired from performing. She returned to the stage with her husband in 2001, appearing on the NHK “Kohaku Uta Gassen” song spectacular. They performed as a couple for several years, but ended up in divorce in March of last year.

Vocalist Shun (26) is to drop out of popular dance/vocal group Exile. Currently at the peak of their success, the six-member group will continue under the leadership of Hiro (36) but their new album will be their last with the current lineup. “Asia” and a live DVD are due out on March 29, which will officially be Shun’s last day with the group. He has already been pursuing his solo career, performing and showing his calligraphy art under his real name Kiyokiba Shunsuke. Exile was formed by Hiro as a five-member group in 1999. After one member quit in 2001, two more were added after an audition, including Shun. Exile have released 21 singles and five albums, with sales totaling over 9 million copies.

• Talento Takada Mariko (35) is pregnant with her second child. The Tokyo University graduate has been married to famous violinist Hakase Taro (38) since March 1999. They had a daughter in July of the same year. Takada announced the pregnancy during her regular morning TV slot on “Sunday Japon” on TBS yesterday.

Actress Nakatani Miki (30) is to make her return to the world of horror. Seven years after appearing in “Ringu 2”, she will star alongside Toyokawa Etsushi (44) in Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s “Lofuto” (The Loft) this autumn. The movie plot is based around a thousand-year-old mummy, and Nakatani promised horror fans a spine-chilling experience.

• It was revealed on Friday that struggling comedian Matsumoto Ryusuke (49) is in a coma after suffering a stroke at his home in Osaka on Wednesday night. From the mid-70s to mid-80s he was one half of the manzai duo Shinsuke Ryusuke with popular talento and emcee Shimada Shinsuke (50). They shunned the standard suits for rockabilly hairdo and a “yankee” look, launching a new style of “tsuppari manzai”. From 1985 he had a briefly successful solo career but ended up in bankruptcy after leaving the Yoshimoto Kogyo management agency in 1997. He has tried several times to get his career back on track, including teaming up with his son in 2002 to enter a talent contest (they lost in the first round).

• Popular NTV announcer Nishio Yukari (28) was recently spotted spending the night at the Tokyo home of a high-flying TV commercial planner, according to weekly magazine Friday.

Concert Promoters Udo have lined up some huge names for their new summer rock festival. Rock legends Kiss, Santana and Jeff Beck are among the 30 or so acts due to play the first Udo Music Festival. Like the annual Summersonic event, the festival will take place in two venues, one in the Kanto region, the other in Kansai. The Kanto festival will be held at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture on July 22 and 23 and an audience of about 100,000 is expected. The Kansai event will welcome about 50,000 at the new Izumiotsu Phoenix in Osaka on the same dates. The Fuji Speedway will have small, medium and large stages. Just an hour from Tokyo on the Tomei Expressway and with considerable parking space, it offers a good alternative to the train and bus-only access of other festivals. Kiss will be making their ninth visit to Japan and it will be their first outdoor show here. This will allow them to pull out all the stops with pyro effects and fireworks. Japanese fans can look forward to seeing guitar gods Carlos Santana and Jeff Beck on stage together for the first time in 20 years. Details of ticket prices and advance sales will be released soon.

• The Tokyo District Court dismissed an indictment against Nigerian talento Bobby Ologun (photo, 39) yesterday. The K-1 fighter was in court after starting a brawl over a financial dispute at his management agency in January. The court decided he had already received sufficient “social punishment”.

• Comedian Matsumoto Kouta (26) revealed on a variety show yesterday that he is romantically involved with a fan. One half of the popular duo Regular, best known for their “aru aru tankentai” routine, he said he met his “future wife” when she bought a ticket to their show and asked him out to dinner.

A fire broke out yesterday during a stage performance starring idol singer and actor Takizawa Hideaki (photo, 23). A full house of about 1,400 audience members and 200 staff were evacuated during the show at the Shimbashi Embujo theater in Ginza, with 36 people suffering from slight smoke inhalation. The fire broke out around 6:30pm, about 30 minutes into the show. “Takki” was singing on stage when the flames were first spotted but suffered no injuries. Prop and costume storage rooms in the basement suffered extensive damage but the fire was put out by about 7pm. Two shows sheduled for today have been cancelled.

• Actress Esumi Makiko (39) is making her TV drama comeback after two years, during which time she became a mother. She will appear in NHK’s Saturday night drama “Machiben” from April 8, in which she’ll play a lawyer who works to help common people.

• Another comeback later in the year will see Yokohama Gin Bae back on stage. The popular 80s rock band had to cancel a show in April 2003 when singer Tamiya “Sho” Masakichi (44) was arrested for possession of stimulant drugs. He did 16 months of prison time for a previous offence back in 1998. The band will celebrate their 25th anniversary with a show at Yokohama Blitz on June 9. leader and drummer Arashi Yoshiyuki (50) suffered a stroke in 2004 and is currently in rehabilitation. He says he hopes to back for the band’s 30th anniversary, adding that he wants the show to be held at the Nippon Budokan.

• Veteran rakugo performer Sanyutei Enu died last night in Tokyo of prostate cancer. He was 82. He appeared in TV commercials for soap and incontinence pants.

Idol singer and former Morning Musume member Goto Maki (20) yesterday became the first pop act to perform at Narita Airport. 250 fans were selected by lottery to watch the performance, broadcast live on BayFM. The brief show was held in the southern wing of Terminal One, which is currently undergoing renovations and due to reopen in June.

• Yesterday’s final of the World Baseball Classic, which saw Japan crowned as the World’s No.1, drew a TV audience rating of 56%, according to Video Research. It’s the highest rating for any show so far this year, and the third-highest ever for a baseball program. The figure only covers TVs in private homes, and doesn’t include the tens of thousands of people who watched the games in electrical stores, sports bars and on outdoor big screens across the country. The nation’s enthusiastic support for its national baseball team stands in stark contrast to rapidly declining audience figures in recent years for the Yomiuri Giants, the country’s most popular team.

• Pop group Kome Kome Club are to reform nine years after they broke up. Last June they played a few songs at the 50th birthday party of musician Char and decided to start working together again in the future. Starting from April 1, they will get back together as a group, releasing a single in July and an album in September, to be followed up by a nationwide concert tour. But currently there are no plans to stay together after the end of October. The group gave a farewell concert at Tokyo Dome in March 1997, after which members including vocalist Ishii Tatsuya (46) pursued solo careers. With a pair of dancers and a horn section, Kome Kome were one of the most colorful bands of the 80s and early 90s and were famous for their elaborate stage shows.

• Composer Miyakawa Hiroshi died of heart failure at his Tokyo home yesterday. He was 75. Best known in recent years as the conductor of the closing theme for the Kohaku Uta Gassen every New Year’s Eve, he composed over 10,000 tunes in his time. These included many TV themes, including the theme for the hugely popular anime series “Uchusenkan Yamato”, as well as hits for such 60s pop acts as The Peanuts. His son Akira is also a composer and wrote “Matsuken Samba II”, the hugely successful 2004 hit for Matsudaira Ken.

Today is Shunbun no Hi (Vernal Equinox), a national holiday.

• Japan is officially No.1 in the baseball world. The Japanese baseball team beat Cuba 10-6 in the final of the inaugural World Baseball Classic this afternoon (Japan time) to become the first World Champions of baseball. With contributions from MLB stars like Ichiro (photo, sliding into home plate in the 9th inning) and home-based players such as slugger Matsunaka Nobuhiko and catcher Satozaki Tomoya, the Japanese team overcame some nervy middle innings with a 4-run spurt in the top of the ninth. Former San Diego Padres pitcher Ohtsuka Akinori took to his old mound for the last four outs to put the final nail in Cuba’s coffin. Managed by baseball legend Oh Sadaharu, the Japan team’s exploits have been followed by a huge TV audience here at home – the audience rating for the semi-final against South Korea was a whopping 50.3% – and are sure to return home to a real heroes’ welcome. Ichiro was singled out by TV reporters for their first “hero interview” and he was clearly overcome by the achievement. “Amazing! I’m so happy. What a great team!” he said, grinning from ear to ear. He, Satozaki and starting pitcher Matsuzaka Daisuke were named to the WBC Best Nine, while Matsuzaka was named tournament MVP.