The legendary rock band Jun Sky Walker(s) are re-forming – for real this time. The group, formed in 1980 and hugely popular from the mid-80’s until their split in 1997, got back together for a couple of special shows this year. But on the verge of their 20th anniversary, they intend to make it permanent. They have four shows scheduled for November at Wynterland in Kobe, and will embark on a full nationwide tour next year. They recently appeared as “secret guests” on a recording of the TV Asahi variety show “Ame Talk”. With several die-hard “JunSka” fans among the celebrity panel, things got pretty heated, ending with vocalist Miyata Kazuya (41) doing a stage dive. Miyata formed the group in 1980 with fellow Jiyuugakuen schoolmates Mori Junta (42, guitar), Itoh Tsuyoshi (41, bass) and Kobayashi Masayuki (42, drums). By the mid-80’s they were one of the most popular bands on the “Hokoten”, lives performances by dozens of artists on the streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku every Sunday. Itoh was replaced by Teraoka Yohito (41) in February 1988, and the band made their major-label debut just three months later. Itoh returned to the lineup after Teraoka quit in 1993. Their hits include “Aruite Ikou” and “Start”.
• Orange Range bassist Yoh (23) got married in June, it was revealed recently. His new wife is a fellow native of Okinawa and is five months pregnant.
• Folk singer Yoshida Takuro (61) has canceled more shows due to his ongoing illness. He has been advised to take several weeks’ rest for asthmatic bronchitis. He started his national tour on August 21, but developed swollen tonsils before the second show in Tokyo and hasn’t been able to perform since. His record company has firmly denied that there is any sign of a recurrence of the cancer for which Yoshida underwent treatment in 2003. They say he will be back for the planned September 30 show in Kumamoto.
• Japan’s top models turned out for the 5th “Tokyo Girls’ Collection” fashion event on Sunday. Held at the Saitama Super Arena, the event featured 68 models, many of whom have expanded their careers into acting, singing and TV variety. During the interval, the audience of 24,000 were entertained by an eclectic musical mix of Go Hiromi (51), DJ Ozma, and Leah Dizon (20). The fashion show included Yamada Yu (23), who wore the latest wedding dress designs by Katsura Yumi, Tsuchiya Anna (23) and Marie (20).
• It was revealed yesterday that jazz pianist Uehara Hiromi (28) and fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro (35) recently got hitched and held their wedding ceremony on Saturday. The couple collaborated at the Mihara’s show at the Milan Collection in June 2006.
• Former Fuji TV announcer turned aromatherapist Ohashi Maki (30) announced on her blog yesterday that she is six months pregnant. She quit the TV network in 2002 to marry an advertising executive.
6,500 people packed Waikiki Beach on Wednesday for its first-ever screening of a Japanese movie. the biopic about a. “Life – Tengoku de Kimi ni Aetara” is based on the novel by world famous pro windsurfer Iijima Natsuki (1966-2005), who spent his final years surfing on the Hawaiian coast. The top Japanese in his sport, he appeared in the World Cup for eight years running and lived in Hawaii and Guam. He was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2002 and returned to Japan for a transplant. As treatment failed to fend off the cancer, he turned to writing. “Tengoku…” was published in July 2004 and became a best-seller, as did a publication of his blog writing and a second novel. Among those watching Wednesday’s screening were Iijima’s widow Hiroko (39) and their four children. As the movie came to its climactic scene, rain began to fall. Hiroko said, “Those were Natsuki’s tears of happiness falling from heaven,” bringing real tears from the movie’s star Osawa Takao (39). Also there for the free show was singer Nakashima Mika (24), who happened to be in Hawaii on vacation with her family.
Actress Koike Eiko (26) has married pro wrestler Sakata Wataru (34). She will give a press conference today to make the formal announcement, but Sakata was already spotted leaving a municipal office last night after he registered their marriage. The couple tied the knot after a relationship of five years, a period which has seen Koike develop from being just another busty pin-up girl into a multi-faceted career as an actress and talento. She first displayed her comic talents on the edgy Fuji TV show “One Night Rock ‘n’ Roll”, and has shown a more serious face on the TV Tokyo talk show “Kamburia Kyuden” (Cambrian Palace), which she co-hosts with novelist and social commentator Murakami Ryu. She worked as a ringside commentator and spokesperson for Japan’s PRIDE Fighting Championships from 2000 to 2006, where she met Sakata. He is now a member of the popular Hustle wrestling promotion managed by Takada Nobuhiko. Koike is said to have been very close to her grandfather, who passed away in August of last year, and she wanted to wait until after the anniversary of his death before getting married.
Singer and actress Sonin (24) has landed the lead role in the latest theater production of the musical “Miss Saigon”. Auditions began almost a year ago, with the original Broadway producer Cameron Mackintosh taking part in the selection process. Video of Sonin performing some of the songs from the show was sent to the U.S. and she was finally given the part of Kim in June. The production will start its run at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo next July. Miss Saigon, a love story set at the end of the Vietnam War, was last performed in Japan four years ago. The part of Kim has previously been played by such stars as Matsu Takako (30), Chinen Rina (26) and the late Honda Minako. Sonin started her career as one half of the duo EE Jump in 2000 under the guidance of 
Popular visual-kei rock band Luna Sea are to get back together for a one-off concert, the first since the Christmas of 2000. The “God Bless You – One Night Dejavu” show is scheduled for December 24 at Tokyo Dome. That’s the venue where seven years ago almost to the day they announced that they had come to the end of the road. The fact that they were at the peak of their success at the time only added to their legendary status and ensured that their “Slave” fan club has kept going strong to this day. Sources say the five members have no plans to continue performing together after the Christmas show. They have all pursued careers as solo artists or producers, with vocalist Kawamura Ryuichi (37) being the most successful. The band, made up of Ryuichi, Sugizo and Inoran on guitars, J on bass and drummer Shinya, formed in 1989 and made their major-label debut in 1992. They had their first No.1 single in 1994 with “True Blue”. They had two million-selling albums and, with their well-regarded musical skills, were considered the leaders of the visual kei scene. One of their most famous episodes was when they went ahead with an outdoor show for 100,000 fans just two days after the stage had been destroyed by a typhoon. The breakup in 2000 came as less of a surprise due to the fact that the band had previously taken all of 1997 off to rest and pursue solo projects. Today’s timing for the official announcement of their reunion show is due to the fact that Japan will be enjoying a lunar eclipse tonight.
Following up his appearance in this year’s NHK taiga drama, the enigmatic Gackt led a historical parade in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture on Saturday. Dressed as medieval warlord Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578) in full armor and riding a white stallion, Gackt led the parade of about 450 people wearing samurai and other period costumes. The Kenshinko Matsuri festival is an annual event that centers around the famous warrior, most recently portrayed by the rock singer in “Fuurinkazan”. The event, started in 1926 and held this year for the 82nd time, is based around the famous battle of Kawanakajima between Kenshin and Takeda Shingen. The lead up to the battle is also the climactic scene of this year’s taiga series and, though yet to be aired, was already filmed earlier this month. A much larger crowd than usual, the 50,000 spectators were impressed with the touch of “authenticity” Gackt brought to the event, and he returned the compliment by encouraging them in their recovery from the recent earthquake that caused heavy damage to the region.
British Hollywood star Orlando Bloom (30) will make his first ever television commercial appearance tonight on Japanese TV. Billed as a one-night-only event, a 2-minute version of the commercial for Shiseido’s men’s cosmetics brand Uno will air on three networks around midnight (see 
With a major domestic film about to be released in a few weeks, 
Talento Suzuki Sarina (30) really seems to have found her way in the world of reggae. It was revealed yesterday that Suzuki, who in addition to her regular TV variety show appearances is a reggae singer, is engaged to be married to Tela-C (photo top left), a member of the reggae duo Infinity16. The couple, who have visited Kingston, Jamaica several times together, have been living together for the last two years and are planning to get married next spring. Tela-C formed Infinity16 in 1994 and was joined by Desem two years later. After several years in New York and Jamaica, they starting performing in Japan in 2002. This March, they won first prize at the “International Cup – Garrison Showdown” World Reggae Soundclash competition in New York. With five independent label albums under their belt, in April they made their major label debut with a collaboration number “Dream Lover” with other reggae acts including Shonan no Kaze and Minmi (32). The song made the Oricon singles chart Top 10, a first for a debut by a reggae artist. Suzuki debuted as a pop singer in 1997 but switched to reggae using her real name, Kanako, in 2003. She changed that to her family name, Munehiro, in 2005.
Two rising stars from quite different worlds have been romantically linked. It was revealed yesterday that handsome comedian Tokui Yoshimi (32, photo top left) is dating top badminton cutie Shiota Reiko (23, photo bottom left). Tokui is the boke half of the duo Tutorial, who took the comedy world by storm when they won the annual M-1 Grand Prix and ¥10 million in 2006 while still relative unknowns. Together with partner Fukuda Mitsunori (32), he is now a regular face on TV. He is expected to go far not only because of his looks but also his comic ability, and he was runner-up in this year’s R-1 Grand Prix for solo comedy acts. Shiota and doubles partner Ogura Kumiko (24) have been Japan champions for the last three years running, and just last weekend they won the bronze medal at the World Badminton Championships. The pair are known as “OguShio” are are popular as much due to their good looks as their medal-winning ability. Shiota is due to publish a photo book next month, a relative rarity for sports stars. The badminton pair and the comedy duo met when they were teamed up for a double date on a TV show in February 2006. Though the date was only meant to be for entertainment, it led to one real-life romance after a somewhat drunk Tokui expressed his feelings for Shiota. It’s just a shame the word “shuttlecock” doesn’t have the same comedy potential in Japanese!