Yearly Archives: 2011

“Heaven’s Story,” a movie by Japanese director Zeze Takahisa won a prestigious critics award at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival on Friday. The movie appeared in the festival’s Forum category for avant-garde and experimental films. The award was given by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), a group that is not actually part of the film festival’s organization. Japanese films have now taken the award for the last three years running. Yukisada Isao’s “Parade” won last year and “Love Exposure” by director Sono Shion was the winner in 2009. Zeze, who is currently filming in Japan, released a statement expressing his gratitude that his work was appreciated by an international audience.

An epic film in nine parts, with a challenging running time of four hours and 38 minutes, “Heaven’s Story” has multiple characters and is based around the story of a woman out to revenge the murder of her parents and sister. The strong cast includes Watanabe Makiko, Sugata Shun, Emoto Akira, Murakami Jun, Sato Koichi and the young Tsuruoka Moeki. Zeze, a native of Oita Prefecture, began making films while studying at Kyoto University. He has a distinguished career as a “pink” (softcore porn) film-maker.

Model/talento Mori Izumi (28) has been caught having an affair with a much older – and married – pro surfer, according to today’s issue of weekly magazine “Friday.” The grand-daughter of leading fashion designer Hanae Mori (85), Izumi has been a regular on the variety show circuit for the last few years. With her mixed-race looks, wealth and family background, she would have to be considered a good catch. So why get involved with a married man old enough to be her father? Well, her management told the magazine that Mori claims she didn’t know he was married and that the affair has already ended.

The man in question is Koshizoe Ken (57), an advisor to the Japan Pro Surfing Association. He is married to former actress Kotegawa Nobuko (48), sister of actress Kotegawa Yuko (51). He has a history of two-timing as he was already married with a child when he got involved with Kotegawa. He met Mori about three years ago when she visited a Tokyo surfing shop that he manages. The pair were photographed at Mori’s Tokyo apartment and at her holiday home in Chiba Prefecture.

Kabuki actor Kataoka Ainosuke (38) has a secret family, according to today’s issue of weekly magazine “Josei Seven.” The magazine reports that Kataoka and a 43-year-old bar hostess he has known since the early 90s have a son who is currently in the 5th grade. Mother and son are said to be living in Kyoto but have been spotted going in and out of Kataoka’s high rise apartment in Osaka.

Kataoka was thrown into the spotlight at the end of last year when he was named as a last-minute replacement for actor Ichikawa Ebizo (33), who abruptly dropped out of a scheduled role following a drunken assault scandal in late November. With all the major names fully booked during the busy new schedule the pressure was on the little-known Kataoka, but he received good reviews for his performances at the Minamiza theater in Kyoto (photo). Unusually for an actor in the traditional theater world, Kataoka was born into a family with no kabuki connections. He became a child actor at the age of 5 and became a student of Kataoka Nizaemon XIII at the age of 9, taking the stage name of Chiyomaru. He succeeded to the name Ainosuke VI in 1992, as his mentor Kataoka Hidetaro (69) had no sons. The Josei Seven article says that around the time his own son was born Ainosuke was still a struggling actor whose career would likely have ended if he had revealed that he had a wife and child.

The repercussions continue following the arrest of musician Hata Toshiki (34, photo front left). Drummer for Shiina Ringo’s band Tokyo Jihen, he was arrested in the western Tokyo suburb of Mitaka on February 10 for interference with a public servant in the execution of his or her duties, the formal description of his drunken assault of a police officer. Confectionery maker Ezaki Glico have changed the song in their currently running TV commercials for the “Watering Kiss Mint Gum” product, dropping the original Tokyo Jihen track “Sora ga Natteru”…for a version without Hata’s drumming! The CM also has a different credit title, attributing the song to Shiina rather than her band. Major cosmetics maker Shiseido, who also use one of the band’s songs in its TV commercials, say they are “studying the situation.” The song was due to be released as a single next week, but that has now been postponed indefinitely. Two scheduled appearances by Tokyo Jihen on the TV Asahi show “Music Station” have also been canceled.

Hata’s arrest came on Thursday night when a neighbor called the police to say someone had broken her bathroom window. When a policemen showed up, he was promptly taken down by a “rugby tackle” from Hata. He woke up the next morning in police custody and said he had no recollection of the incident.

Takahashi Katsumi Ties the Knot
Actor Takahashi Katsumi (49) announced today that he got married last month. In a fax sent to the media, he said he and his ippanjin bride tied the knot in mid-January. The announcement came as Takahashi finished his appearance in a recent theater production, which ended its run yesterday.

Wakki, Marie in Tokyo Car Trouble
Comedian Wakki (38) had his car broken into last night, according to media reports released today. A bag that included cash and his driver’s license was stolen from the car, which was in a car park in the Shinagawa district of Tokyo. Wakki, real name Wakita Yasuhito, is one half of the popular comedy duo Penalty.

It was reported by Tokyo police this evening that talento Marie (23) caused a (presumably) minor traffic accident in the capital today. She was driving through an intersection in Meguro when she hit a minicar. There was no mention of any injuries.

Popular South Korean girl group Kara headed home yesterday after 11 days here to do some filming for a TV Tokyo drama series. The group have been plagued by rumors of a split and threats of lawsuits, but during their visit they put on a united front. That was exposed as a sham today as it was revealed that three of the five members are currently embroiled in a legal dispute over earnings. Despite the group’s success here and at home, Korean media reports that members Han Seung-yeon (22), Jung Nicole (19) and Kang Jiyoung (17) claim that during the first six months of last year, while their album “Lupin” was riding high in the charts, they were only receiving about 140,000 Won (¥10,000) a month as an allowance. They are suing their management agency, DSP Media, to have their contract annulled. The lawsuit claims that of the 410 million Won made from the album, DSP put their expenses at 390 million Won. Security was tight as the tight-lipped group headed home yesterday from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.

It was a good night at the Grammys for Japanese artists. Matsumoto “Tak” Takahiro (49, photo left), guitarist with the hugely successful rock band B’z, won an award for his collaboration with jazz fusion guitarist Larry Carlton (62, photo center). The duo won the Best Pop Instrumental Album award for “Take Your Pick.” A recent Daily Yomiuri reveiew said the album’s 12 tracks “effortlessly straddle multiple genres including jazz, blues, rock and pop, and though occasionally redolent of jazz fusion from the 1970s and ’80s, the material still rings with a fresh and contemporary zest.”

On the award win, Matsumoto commented, “I had never told anyone until now, but the Grammys was one of my dreams and a big goal.” B’z are the biggest-selling Japanese music act, having sold over 44 million albums in the past 23 years. In 2007 they became the first Japanese act to be inducted into Hollywood’s Rockwalk.

Meanwhile, a couple of lesser known Japanese artists were recognized for their keyboard skills. Classical pianist Uchida Mitsuko (62) got the nod for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra for a recording of piano concertos by Mozart with the Cleveland Orchestra. In a statement she said, “Receiving this award gives me special joy as I have worked with them for a long time.” And the Best Contemporary Jazz Album award went to the Stanley Clarke Band, which includes jazz pianist Uehara Hiromi (31, photo right). She commented, “As a member, I am very honored to have received the Grammy award.”
Related stories:
B’z Matsumoto Gets 9 Grammy Nods (Dec. 3, 2010)
B’z Inducted into Hollywood Rock Walk (Nov. 20, 2007)

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, today’s issue of the weekly magazine “Friday” reports that SMAP member Inagaki Goro (37) has romance in his life. He and ‘former talento‘ Okayasu Mariko (25) are said to have been dating for about two years and Okayasu has been spotted spending time at his Tokyo apartment. Okayasu, who was with one of the major talent agencies (which also represents top talento Ueto Aya) until the end of last year, is said to be aiming to restart her career and the publicity of being involved with Inagaki will certainly do no harm.

It’s the first report of a love interest for Inagaki since he and actress Kanno Miho (33) ended their long relationship at the end of 2008. The pair had started dating after they appeared together in a TV drama series, and as they were seen repeatedly in public and traveling overseas, there was talk of marriage. But the weekly magazines reported several times on Inagaki’s affairs during that almost decade-long relationship.

As well as being part of Japan’s most popular and successful “boy band” Inagaki makes regular acting appearances, such as in last year’s acclaimed samurai flick “13-nin no Shikaku” (13 Assassins). Okayasu was a participant in the inaugural Internet Beauty Contest in 2006 but has remained very much a minor celebrity.

It seems that talento Komukai Minako (25) hasn’t shaken off her drug habit. It was reported yesterday that police currently have a warrant out for her arrest and have been seeking her whereabouts since the beginning of the year. She is still serving a suspended sentence for an earlier drug conviction, and is said to possibly be living in the Chinese territory of Macao. The warrant, for receiving “kakuseizai” (stimulant drugs), is the latest development in an ongoing police investigation into a Japanese-Iranian drug ring that was exposed last autumn. Police have arrested about 10 dealers and more than 20 of their customers. One of the arrested dealers gave police Komukai’s name during questioning.

Komukai was arrested in January 2009 and given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, for possession of kakuseizai. She has since been trying to get her career back on track but her work has been restricted to strip shows and soft porn projects. According to an associate, she started putting on weight after appearing in the S&M movie “Hana to Hebi 3,” released last August. In October she appeared at the Asakusa Rock-za strip club in Tokyo, the same venue that gave her the first break after her arrest, but was considered too overweight to continue.
Related stories:
Court Orders Idol to Keep Clothes On (Jun. 3, 2009)
The Fall of the Bikini Model (Jan. 26, 2009)

Celebrities also fall victim to drug abuse, and would need addiction rehabilitation just like regular people.

It comes as no surprise to hear that the marriage of rock star Tamaki Koji (52) and Aota Noriko (43) is a tempestuous affair. The Anzen Chitai vocalist and the former C.C. Girls pinup idol drew a large crowd of passersby when they had a huge argument on the street during their recent trip to Guam, according to today’s issue of the “Shukan Josei” magazine. The couple, together with several work colleagues, were on vacation in mid-January when the incident happened. Locals and other tourists stopped to take photos when they realized that it was celebrities doing the very public shouting. The magazine reported that they are living separately, but management for the couple denied that. They said that Aota has spent time staying with friends, adding that it is simply to give space for Tamaki and his bandmates to work a lot from their home.

Tamaki and Aota are both outspoken personalities and neither of them match the Japanese stereotype of being shy about expressing their emotions. They were both divorcees when they tied the knot last July, and Tamaki in particular is known for his many and complicated romantic involvements.
Related stories:
Tamaki, Aota Tie the Knot (Jul. 19, 2010)

The world of sumo faces perhaps its greatest ever crisis after last week’s revelations of bout fixing in the sport. The exposure of a series of text messages sent between more than a dozen top level rikishi (wrestlers) was followed by public admissions by two of them and a coach. Though such “yaocho” (bout fixing) rumors and accusations have circulated for years, this time the evidence is out in the open and cannot be ignored. As a result, the Japan Sumo Association announced yesterday that next month’s “haru basho” (spring tournament), one of six major events held every other month during the year, would be called off and the sport will be in a state of suspension until thorough investigations are carried out. It is the first cancellation of a basho in the post-war period other than one occasion in 1946 when structural repairs were required at the official venue.

The sport has its roots in the traditional religion of shinto and is officially a government affiliate with preferential tax treatment, so membership of the sumo world brings with it the expectation of high moral standards. But that image has been greatly damaged by a series of major scandals over the last few years. 2007 saw the hazing death of a 17-year-old trainee and the arrest of his “oyakata” (stablemaster); in 2008, drug use led to the expulsion of two Russian rikishi and the resignation of the JSA chief; Mongolian Yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu quit the sport while at the top of his game in 2010 after accusations of a drunken assault; gambling by rikishi on baseball games led to the expulsion of two top rikishi last summer, and it was police investigation of that gambling that led to the latest scandal.