Category Archives: Entertainment News

Prosecutors sought an eight-year prison sentence for disgraced actor Haga Kenji (46) at the Osaka District Court yesterday. In the ongoing trial that began in February, Haga is accused of attempted blackmail and fraud of over ¥370 million. Also on trial is former world boxing champion Watanabe Jiro (53), for whom prosecutors are seeking a four-year sentence. Both defendants have pleaded innocent. Haga, real name Toma Mikio, once again turned on the waterworks, shedding tears as he has done at most of the hearings over the last few months. But prosectors said he has shown no sign of repentance and there is no room for taking extenuating circumstances into consideration. The case dates back to 2001, when Haga sold an acquaintance shares in a medical consultancy business at three times their value. When the company went bankrupt in 2006 and the man came looking for his money back, Haga enlisted the help of Watanabe and others. Using threats of violence and worse, they coerced the man into forgiving the debt for a small repayment of ¥10 million. The court’s verdict will be handed down on July 15.

• Veteran rakugo-ka Katsura Beichou (82) has been hospitalized with a broken lumbar vertebrae. He suffered the injury from a fall on a staircase after a performance at the Torii Hall theater in Osaka on May 3. But it was several days before he saw a doctor about his recurring back pain, and he is expected to remain in hospital for about a month. He says he plans to make a full recovery for the formal succession of his son Katsura Kobeichou (49) to the stage name Yonedanji in October. As a veteran of the traditional comic storytelling theater, Beichou is designated as a living national treasure, someone whose individual skills are deemed essential to their art.

• Hip hop/dance trio W-inds were among the performers at a rare concert held at the prime minister’s official residence. The show was held in honor of visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao, who attended with Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, and to promote friendship between the youth of both countries. Other performers included Chinese singer Jane Zhang (23), local duo Kiroro and dancer/talento Papaya Suzuki. W-inds performed at two official events in China last year, as well as playing shows in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

• Nanao Aika (29), a field reporter for NTV’s “News Zero” show, revealed on her blog yesterday that she married a political journalist (31) at the end of March. The two are both graduates of the prestigious Tokyo University and met again last year while Nanao was working on location. They plan to hold a wedding and reception in the summer. The daughter of a diplomat, Nanao was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in the U.S., Switzerland and South Korea.

• More coy is actress Maya Miki (44). The former top Takarazuka star said at the launch of her new book yesterday that she is romantically involved with someone. She refused to reveal any more but said they had no plans to marry within the year.

Actor Oguri Shun (25) and actress-model Yamada Yu (23) are the latest young power couple. Though management for both stars refuse to acknowledge their relationship as anything more than good friends, it is widely believed that they are serious. They first worked together on the Japanese dubbing of U.S. animated movie “Surf’s Up” last October. And in January they appeared together in the NTV drama series “Binbomen,” which was Oguri’s first starring role. Both ended romantic relationships last year, Oguri with model Tanaka Miho (25) and Yamada with actor Itoh Hideaki (31).

Up-and-coming American enka singer Jero (26) has his first TV commercial contract. From May 21 he will appear in commercials for Kirin’s Fire Cafe Zero canned coffee. The singer made his debut in February and will release a cover album of enka classics in June.

• In his trial for robbery and assault, former idol singer Goto Yuuki (21) pleaded guilty yesterday to most charges. The younger brother of former Morning Musume member Goto Maki (22), he and members of his teenage gang were arrested last year for stealing materials from a construction site and assaulting a security guard. At the second hearing at the Tokyo District Court, he admitted to several cases of theft but said that another member of the group was responsible for the assault.

• Yamaguchi Tatsuya (36) is a father. Less than two months after getting married, the member of Johnny’s Jimusho idol group Tokio had the day off on Tuesday and was at the hospital when his wife gave birth to a baby boy a few weeks earlier than expected. Yamaguchi announced his marriage to the former model at a concert in early March.

Japan’s most famous techno trio have teamed up with a trio of international movie directors for the omnibus movie “Tokyo!” The members of HASYMO – Hosono Haruomi (60), Sakamoto Ryuichi (56) and Takahashi Yukihiro (55) – are better known as the pioneering 80s band Yellow Magic Orchestra. They wrote the instrumental “Tokyo Town Pages” between them, mixing in station platform announcements and other sounds familiar to anyone who has been to Tokyo. The song, which features as the movie’s ending theme, will be released as a double-A side single with the TBS “News23” theme “The City of Light” on August 6. The trio were chosen for the movie for a variety of reasons, among them being that they are all Tokyo natives, and the fact that their number matches the number of directors – Frenchmen Leos Carax (47) and Michel Gondry (44), and Korean Bong Joon-ho (38). The movie is to have its world premiere later this month in the “Un Certain Regard” category at the Cannes International Film Festival. Among the cast members are Kase Ryo, Kagawa Teruyuki and Aoi Yuu.

• A red-faced Sylvester Stallone (61) is in Japan promoting his latest Rambo movie. The Hollywood star was red-faced but happy as he greeted the 50 or so fans who greeted him at 3am at Narita Airport. During the 11-hour flight on a privately chartered Gulf Stream jet, the actor indulged in two steak meals and plenty of booze. He’s due to meet with reporters today and attend the movie’s Japan premiere tomorrow.

• Madonna (49) has her first No.1 album on the combined Oricon chart in 18 years. Sales of “Hard Candy” have been helped by heavy airp@lay for the single “Four Minutes” and the fact that the track “Miles Away” is the theme for the highly anticipated Fuji TV drama series “Change.” Meanwhile Aoyama Teruma’s “Soba ni Irune” has become the biggest-selling single of the year. It’s been in the Oricon Top 10 for 12 weeks and has sold over 420,000 copies. It was used as the spring campaign song by NTT for its DoCoMo mobile phone service, and has been downloaded more than 6 million times.

• British singer Leona Lewis (23) paid her first visit to Japan at the weekend. Her album “Spirit” and the single “Bleeding Love” have been smash hits in the U.K. and the U.S., and the album has sold 150,000 copies here. Appearing on a live radio show on Saturday, she said she loved the warmth of the Japanese fans and that she planned to spend her day off shopping in Harajuku.

• A Golden Week roundup of pregnancy announcements: singer UA (36) told the audience at the 9Alive concert on Sunday that she’s expecting her second child. She had a son with actor Murakami Ryo (34) in 1997, but they divorced in August 2006; actress Itaya Yuka (32) said on her regular slot as an announcer on the NTV show “News Zero” last night that she is taking maternity leave as of today. She is expecting her first child at the beginning of June. She married stylist Furuta Hirohiko (40) in February 2007; and NTV announcer Mori Fumi (34) said on Monday that she is four months pregnant with her first child. The former Miss Japan married a staff member from the afternoon show “Za Waido” in 2002.

The latest trial of rock musician Okamura Yasuyuki (45), who already has two convictions for the use of stimulant drugs, began at the Tokyo District Court yesterday. He was arrested in February for the use of the drugs at his Shinjuku, Tokyo home and is likely to face prison time for a third drug-related offense. Prosecutors are looking for a sentence of two and a half years, while lawyers for the defendant asked for leniency. The court will hand down a verdict on May 8. The singer, whose heyday was in the late 1980s, likes to invite comparisons with Prince and prides himself on his dancing and ability to play multiple instruments.

Singer Akko (35) was joined on stage by her ex-husband at an anniversary concert yesterday. She and Kobayashi Takeshi (48), along with guitarist Fujii Kenji (39), debuted as My Little Lover on May 1, 1995 and went on to release 21 singles and 11 albums with combined sales of almost 12 million. The pair were married for twelve years and have two children but divorced on New Year’s Day. “MaiRaba”, as the band became popularly known, has been Akko’s solo project for some time, though she remains with the management agency run by Kobayashi and they are clearly still on friendly terms. Yesterday’s concert was the first time for them to share a stage in almost 4 years. Since before their divorce, Kobayashi has been romantically linked with singer Hitoto You (31).

• Popular singer Anri (46) announced this week on her blog that she and American guitarist Lee Ritenour (56) have broken off their engagement. She says, “I still intend to continue my music activities at my own pace.” The two, both divorcees, announced their engagement in May 2005, and Anri has a house in Los Angeles. An insider said the break-up came because Ritenour, known as “Captain Fingers,” wouldn’t make the commitment on getting married.

• It’s the end for Coconut Musume. The group of five Hawaiian-born idols was formed in 1999 as part of the Hello! Project that grew from the success of Morning Musume. But after many member changes, the only one left since 2004 has been Ayaka (26). She announced on her website yesterday that she is leaving the Project to become an actress.

• A group of 23 celebrities performed a concert at the Four Seasons hotel in Tokyo yesterday to raise awareness of the fight against cancer. Led by talento Yamada Kuniko (47), one of several members who have spoken about their battle with cancer, the group call themselves the “Star Mixed Chorus.” Other members include singer Kobayashi Sachiko (54), actress Baisho Chieko (66), commentator Torigoe Shuntaro (68) and fashion designer Koshino Junko (68). The group plan to perform about once a month.

• Singer-songwriter Aiko (32) is to provide one of the theme songs for the upcoming movie finale to the popular TBS drama series “Hana Yori Dango.” Her bittersweet ballad has been provisionally named “Tsukushi’s Theme”, named after the heroine again played by Inoue Mao (21). The movie’s main theme is “One Love” by Arashi, whose Matsumoto Jun (24) again plays her love interest Domyoji Tsukasa. The movie opens on June 28.

Veteran singer Wada Akiko (58) announced this week that she will perform her first ever overseas concert, and the venue will be none other than the Apollo Theater in New York’s Harlem. The September 29 concert is to mark the 40th anniversary of her distinguished career. She has always regarded the late Ray Charles as her idol, and she says she is excited to finally have a chance to perform on the stage that he and so many other soul and R&B stars made their own. Charles was a guest performer at her 30th anniversary show in Tokyo in November 1998. She says the inspiration to become a singer came when she heard Charles’ 1958 hit “I Can’t Stop Loving You” when she was in junior high school. She made her wish that she would someday perform at the Apollo four years when shooting a TV show in New York (photo). But if “Akko” had been a bit more serious about her English language studies, she might have had her chance many years ago. Early in her career Hori Takeo, the founder of her Hori Pro management agency, saw in her powerful voice and larger-than-life aura the makings of a singer who could succeed in the U.S. But Wada was more interested in playing pachinko than going to English classes and the plan never materialized. In 1975, she recorded the song “Mienai Sekai” in Los Angeles, and was the first Japanese artist to use black backing singers. She is taking her upcoming overseas debut seriously, is going to the gym two or three times a week to get into shape, and has cut back on her renowned drinking and socializing. Before heading to the U.S., she will have a Japan tour from June 20 to mid-September.

Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson (71) turned on the old school charm yesterday in Tokyo. In town to promote his latest movie, “The Bucket List,” he hammed it up for the cameras during a PR event at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel. The movie, directed by Rob Reiner, is about two elderly terminal cancer patients (Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who share a hospital room and decide to write a list of things to do before they die. Nicholson’s billionaire character pays for a final big trip that takes the pair sky-diving, to the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, and a safari in Africa (…but not to Japan). The promotional visit is Nicholson’s fourth time in Japan but the first in 14 years. Throwing kisses to fans, he said that top among his remaining goals in life was “one last big love.” Asked what had been the best kiss of his life he just gave that famous grin and said “So many!” Though Nicholson and Freeman have several Oscars between them, their on-screen collaboration has received generally poor reviews.

• Musician-producer Tsunku (39) is the father of twins. He announced yesterday that his wife Kanako (27) gave birth to a boy and a girl on April 29. Tsunku is the Svengali-like man behind the Hello! project and groups such as Morning Musume.

As one half of the hugely successful Johnny’s Jimusho duo Kinki Kids, Domoto Koichi (29) may be something of a prince of J-pop. But in New York he’s now better known as the “Sushi Prince.” He was in the Big Apple yesterday for the U.S. premiere of the movie “The Sushi Prince Does New York,” which was held at the Walter Reade Theater in the Lincoln Center. Somewhat surprisingly given his status in Japan, it’s Domoto’s first movie in 13 years and his first starring role. The action comedy, a mix of sushi and martial arts, was first conceived by director Tsutsumi Yukihiko when filming another movie in New York in 2003. He and his staff tried to come up with an idea that would be a hit in the U.S., but the payoff so far is not encouraging. Last year’s not very successful TV Asahi drama series (average audience rating only 7.5%) was actually developed more as a prequel to the movie. The cast also includes fellow Johnny’s singer Nakamaru Yuichi (KAT-TUN), Ihara Tsuyoshi (“Letters from Iwo Jima”) and Shaku Yumiko. You may notice that the casting of Nakamaru and the movie’s catchphrase, “nigitte yaru,” are also in keeping with the N.Y. theme. The movie opened in Japan on April 19.

• It was announced yesterday that popular group Morning Musume are to perform their first ever concert in Shanghai on June 28. They have been invited as the first Japanese artists to take part in the promotional buildup for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The nine-member group, which added two Chinese to the lineup last year, are already scheduled to perform in Taiwan on May 24 and in South Korea on June 1.

• Up and coming comedienne Torii Miyuki (27) revealed at a PR event yesterday that she got married last year. Seemingly her marriage last spring to an older man not involved in show business was a surprise even to her management agency. Torii has recently making a name for herself on comedy shows such as “Enta no Kami-sama” with her white nightgown and eccentric style.

Matsumoto Jun (24) got a rapturous welcome from fans and students at USC yesterday. He was at the University of Southern California for a special screening of his latest movie, a remake of the Kurosawa Akira classic “Kakushitoride no Sanakunin.” The venue was chosen for its connection between Kurosawa’s original and USC alumnus George Lucas’s “Star Wars.” Among the audience were future filmmakers and actor Anthony Daniels (62), who played the role of C3PO. At a discussion following the screening, the 300 attendees gave it a big thumbs up. “MatsuJun” said of his role as Takezo, “I put a bit of Spiderman, a bit of Captain Jack Sparrow, of all sorts of Hollywood heroes into the part. I wanted to capture the essence of Hollywood.” A member of the idol group Arashi, who are somewhere in the middle of the Johnny’s Jimusho hierarchy, he’s probably better known in the U.S. as an actor, especially since a subtitled version of his 2005 TBS drama series “Hanayori Dango” was aired here. But among those welcoming him yesterday were 36 members of the Arashi Secret Agency fan club. The movie opens in Japan on May 10.

• Former members of 80s idol group Hikaru Genji seem to be getting a lot of press these days. Morohoshi Kazumi (37) donned his roller skates for the first time in 13 years yesterday when he took part in a preview of the “Voyage/Tabidachi” stage show at the Shibuya Muscle Theater. he said he’s been practicing seven hours a day to get back the skills that once were the hallmark of his group. Another member, Ohsawa Mikio (39), got married to a former model at the weekend, while Akasaka Akira (34) was arrested on drug charges in October of last year.

• Restaurateur and former comedian Ohshima Naoya (36) and former talento Takeda Kayoko (30) are engaged after a relationship of two years. The couple plan to hold a wedding reception at a Tokyo hotel on May 18. Ohshima was a member of the now defunct comedy group Dronz, who made their name in 1997 on the variety show “Susume! Denpa Shonen” but broke up in 2003. He now works as an actor and runs a nabe restaurant in the Ebisu district of Tokyo. Takeda is the great-great-granddaughter of Yoshihara Shigetoshi, the first ever governor of the Bank of Japan.

• Korean vocal unit Touhoushinki have entered the latest Oricon singles chart at No.1 with “Beautiful You/Sennen Koiuta.” It is the 23rd single release from the five-member group in the three years since they debuted in Japan.

• Rock trio C-C-B played their first concert in 18 years in Tokyo yesterday. The band, who broke up in 1990 and are best known for the hit “Romantic ga Tomaranai,” started a nationwide tour at the Omotesando FAB venue.

• A couple of celebrities announced new arrivals yesterday. Brazilian-born bossa nova singer Ono Lisa (45) said on her blog that she recently gae birth to her third child. Meanwhile comedian Tanaka Naoki (37) of the duo Cocorico is a father for the second time. He announced by fax that his wife, talento Kohinata Shie (28), had another baby boy on April 24.

Actor and former idol singer Ohsawa Mikio (39) and former model Sayaka (24) registered their marriage on Saturday, just four months after they first met. Ohsawa, a former member of 1980s Johnny’s Jimusho idol group Hikaru Genji, later gave a solo press conference. He told reporters that he proposed in mid-February while they were on a trip to Macao, saying before doing the world’s highest bungee jump (233m), “If I jump, will you marry me?” Ohsawa was married to actress Kitajima Mai (35) from 1996 to 2005 and he has since been raising their son (11). The 172cm-tall Sayaka worked as a model in Italy and is qualified as a power yoga instructor. Ohsawa said she advised him on the development of his new fashion brand Street Star, which he will launch in June. He wore one of his self-designed t-shirts on Saturday.

• TV Asahi announcer Dou Mariko (26) and her Sony Records employee husband held their wedding reception at a Tokyo hotel on Saturday. About 100 guests attended the event, while musician Hyde of the band L’Arc En Ciel and comedian Tamori passed on their wishes to the newlyweds via video appearances. Dou and Tamori are co-presenters of the long-running “Music Station.” Dou and her husband tied the knot in December 2007.

• The reason Hyde couldn’t be present at that event was that he and L’Arc En Ciel are touring overseas. They played in Taipei on Saturday, following their show in Shanghai a week before. And they announced at the weekend that their upcoming show in Paris will be broadcast live in cinema complexes here in Japan. The May 9 concert at the Le Zenith Arena will be shown at cinemas in five major cities, including Tokyo and Osaka, from 3am, May 10 local time. It’s believed to be the first time for an overseas concert to be broadcast live.

• Actor-singer Terao Akira (60) and actress Momoi Kaori (57) were among the hundreds recognized by the government yesterday for their contributions. They received the Medal with Purple Ribbon, while actor Sugi Ryotaro (63) was awarded the Medal with Green Ribbon, both awards being for contributions to the arts and academia. A total of 738 individuals and 17 organizations were recognized. In receiving his award, Terao followed in the footsteps of his late father, actor Uno Juukichi (1914-88), who was recognized in 1981.

• Musician Tsugaki Hiromichi (53) is the latest celebrity to be arrested for stimulant drug use. He failed a urine test after he was questioned by police in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo late Friday night. Admitting the charges, he offered up the usual line, “I bought the drugs from a foreigner in Roppongi a few days ago. I had some personal troubles.” Tsugaki has performed as a session musician for such big names as Ono Lisa and Nakamori Akina and wrote songs for Moritaka Chisato.

• Ohyama Nobuyo (71), who for many years was the voice of anime cat Doraemon, was hospitalized last week following a mild heart attack. She was working at the Institute of Sound Arts in Tokyo, where she is the principal, when she felt short of breath. She took a taxi to a nearby hospital and was admitted for tests.

• Techno trio Perfume are on a roll. Their second album “Game” is on top of the Oricon charts and tickets for their concert tour sold out in minutes. They kicked off the 10-city tour with a show for 2,200 fans at Zepp Osaka yesterday. They performed 18 songs including their two major hits so far, “Polyrhythm” and “Baby Cruising Love.” It was also announced that they will play at the venerable Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on November 6 & 7.