Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Japan’s best-selling single of all time wasn’t from B’z, Hamasaki Ayumi or even Koda Kumi. “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun” is a kid’s song that was released 33 years ago and had total sales of 4.55 million singles, a figure that has now earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Of course, in 1975 there were no CDs, so on March 5 the song is to be re-released coupled with another old Showa Era favorite “Ippon demo Ninjin.” It will have the original sleeve design and coloring book, with the addition of a DVD featuring the animation that was shown on the “Hirake! Ponkikki” show.

The reason for the sudden revival? Last year Taiyaki-kun stuffed toys started appearing in UFO Catcher machines in game centers across the country and were an instant hit among people old enough to remember the character. The popularity spread to couples and youngsters, and the Pony Canyon record label saw they had a hit on their hands. They contacted Guinness in the UK about possibly having the song listed under a “Children’s Songs” or “Food Songs” category only to discover that it would be recognized as Japan’s No.1-selling single. Nobody had ever thought to submit it before. Pony Canyon declined to comment on the fact that the singer, Shimon Masato – now 64 and retired from showbiz – got a single payment of ¥50,000 and a white guitar for the recording. Though he had other hits, he hasn’t appeared in public since 1998.

• Former talento Haga Kenji (46), currently on trial for extortion, was released on bail this week after his fourth court appearance at the Osaka District Court. It’s not known who forked out the ¥20 million in bail money. On Tuesday evening, Haga returned to his Tokyo home with his wife Mayu (30), who he had seen only once in the eight months since his arrest last summer. He is due back in the Osaka court today for a hearing that is to include an appearance on the witness stand by actor Yoshikawa Ginji (42), who was arrested in the case last July but faced no charges.

Any TV drama series that stars Kimura Takuya is sure to be popular and almost guaranteed the best time slot. But in the upcoming spring series from TBS, Kimutaku not only has the prime 9pm Monday slot, he even gets to be Prime Minister. The as-yet untitled series tells of an elementary school teacher who gets thrown into the political arena and becomes Japan’s youngest ever leader. After decades of political mismanagement, the Japanese people are likely to tune in in large numbers to see what the country’s top star can do when put in charge. The series once again joins Kimura with writer Fukuda Yasushi and the team who made “Hero” one of the most popular TV dramas ever, with all 11 episodes getting an audience rating over 30%. Last year’s movie spinoff was the most successful domestic feature at the box office.

As one half of the Yoshimoto duo Football Hour, comedian Iwao Nozomu (32) may be popular but he’s not supposed to get the girl. As the comedy agency’s No.1 “ugly” star for three years running, his romantic misadventures are part of his appeal and marketability. So his connection with a popular 24-year-old porn actress is all the more surprising. The weekly gossip magazine “Flash” photographed Iwao and Itoya Mei on a date at a Tokyo izakaya earlier this month, after which they spent the night at Iwao’s apartment. They have been spotted out together on several separate occasions, though their agencies say they are just friends. They met last year when Iwao cast Itoya in the segment he directed of a Yoshimoto omnibus movie. A junior college graduate, Itoya worked in a nursery before starting nude modeling and porn video appearances in 2006. She also has one of the AV (adult video) industry’s most popular blogs.

• Islandic songstres Bjork was at the Nippon Budokan yesterday for her first concert here in seven years. Wearing the same colorful face paint as features on the cover of her latest album “Volta”, she dispensed with talk intervals and costume changes, performing 19 songs for the 10,000 fans. She plays the same venue on Friday before heading to Osaka Castle Hall for one more show on Monday.

Talento and sometime rockabilly singer Mickey Curtis (69) recently married for the third time, this time to a woman 33 years younger. His management announced the news yesterday, saying that the couple met in May of last year. Curtis was at an outdoor cafe when the woman’s dog approached him. By the time they parted, he had her email address and took things from there. He proposed last Chritmas and they tied the knot at the end of January. Real name Kachisu Brian, Curtis was married to model and actress Yoshimura Mari (72) in the early 1960s, but domestic violence brought an end to that marriage after just two years. He was married again from 1971 to 2002, with a drawn-out and messy divorce following the drug arrest of his musician son Yuujin (Eugene, 35).

• Hip hop producer Pharrell Williams (34) was in Tokyo yesterday to help launch auditions for Japan’s next R&B diva. The man behind hits for Beyonce and Usher and Madonna’s upcoming album has teamed up with friend and fashion design leader Nigo (37) to organize the “Star Bape Search” (Nigo is the man behind the popular Bape, or A Bathing Ape, brand). Singers aged 15 to 26 are eligible to audition, with three rounds leading up to a final decision in June. The winner will be go into the studio with Williams and Nigo and release a debut single within the year.

• Asano Tadanobu (34) is to attend the upcoming Academy Awards, where “Mongol” has been nominated for a best foreign film Oscar. Directed by Sergei Bodrov, the movie is based on the early days of the great Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan, played by the “Ichi the Killer” star.

Though he was far from his peak condition, Miyazaki Prefecture governor Higashikokubaru Hideo (50) drew perhaps the strongest crowd support at yesterday’s Tokyo Marathon. The former Takeshi Gundan comedian has been a strong runner for years, and had a personal best time of just under 3 hours and 6 minutes in 2004. But his hectic political and TV promotional schedule have left him with little time to train. A live TV appearance late on Saturday night meant that he ran the race on four hours sleep. He finished three quarters of an hour behind Diet member Suzuki Muneo (60) and five minutes after Tamabukuro Sujitarou (40) of the comic duo Asakusa Kid, a fellow Gundan member running the race for the second year. The best celebrity time was by actor Wada Masato (28) who finished one second under 2 hours and 58 minutes, while diminutive comedian Neko Hiroshi (30) also managed to finish in a respectable time of just under 3 hours 49 minutes. A dozen NTV announcers finished the race, started on a chilly morning by Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro (75), in times ranging from about 4 and a half hours to almost 7 hours. A total of 32,426 people entered the race.

• Wada Masato (28, actor) – 2 hrs 57’59”
• Neko Hiroshi (30, comedian) – 3 hrs 48’57”
• Okushi Erika (27, talento) – 3hrs 50′ 54″
• Suzuki Muneo (60, politician) – 3hrs 57′ 11″
• Suzuki Takashi (33, NTV announcer) – 4hrs 27′ 33″
• Tamabukuro Sujitarou (40, comedian) – 4hrs 37′ 44″
• Higashikokubaru Hideo (50, politician) – 4hrs 42′ 27″
• Nishioka Sumiko (33, comedian) – 4hrs 45′ 35″
• Kawada Hiroki (35, comedian) – 6hrs 27′ 48″
• Katsumata Kunikazu (42, talento) – 6hrs 34′ 04″
• Cunning Takeyama (36, comedian) – 6hrs 49′ 09″
• Matsuno Akemi Takeyama (39, talento) – 6hrs 49′ 09″

• Yamada Yoji (76) failed again to win the Golden Bear at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival, but Japanese features took several other lesser awards. Young countryman Kumasaka Izuru (32) took the event’s Best First Film award for his movie, “Asyl – Park and Love Hotel”. The jury said it was reminiscent of Kurosawa Akira’s classic “Ikiru” and that the film’s imagery had both “power and beauty”. Kumasaka was dressed in a parka and jeans as he accepted his award and €50,000 prize, which he said will finance his next project. Other awards went to “Megane” (Ogigami Naoko, Manfred Salzgeber Prize) and “United Red Army” (Wakamatsu Koji, NETPAC Prize and CICAE Prize). Yamada’s “Kaabee” (Kabei – Our Mother) was well received by local press but less so with critics. Star Yoshinaga Sayuri (62) had wanted to see her director lifted in the do-age victory celebration, but Yamada himself looked to the future, saying he wants to do more films set in postwar Japan. Meanwhile, Shochiku has confirmed the release of Kaabee in 17 countries.

• Though he doesn’t usually perform solo, Nadagi Takeshi (37) became the first comedian to repeat as winner of the R-1 Grand Prix on Saturday, winning ¥5 million in the annual contest for one-man comedy. A member of the Yoshimoto five-member comedy group Plan 9, Nadagi became popular last year with the “Dylan and Catherine” routine that he does with romantic partner Tomochika. The characters are based on the Japanese dub of the “Beverly Hills 90210” TV show.

Talento Roseanna (57) gave a tearful press conference yesterday to apologize for the recent drug arrest of her son. Bowing deeply to reporters and TV cameras, she said she has no desire to see her son and is thinking of disinheriting him. Kato Raimon (29) was arrested on February 3 for possession of marijuana. He got married five years ago and has a 4-year-old son. But following his divorce last July he moved back to the family home, also shared by his sister Marion (26) and her family. It was a late-night quarrel between Raimon and Marion’s husband that led the police to visit the house, which in turn led to the arrest. Roseanna said yesterday that she always believed her late husband Hide (1942-90) was by her side, but couldn’t understand why he didn’t stop their son’s wayward behavior. Last night she performed at a scheduled concert, telling the audience she wanted to “forget about family matters”, but she has canceled a concert in July to mark her 40th anniversary as a singer. She and Hide were a very popular folk duo in the 1970s.

• Talento Yamada Mariya (27) and actor Kusano Toru (40) tied the knot on Valentine’s Day. They went to a Tokyo city office together to register their marriage. They will make their first TV appearance as a married couple of the Fuji TV “Sanma no Manma” variety show tonight.

• Actress Kuriyama Chiaki (23) has made the gossip magazines for the first time. According to today’s issue of “Friday”, she is romantically involved with actor Koshinaka Makoto (27), former vocalist of the defunct visual-kei rock band Λucifer.　 She was spotted visiting his Tokyo apartment earlier in the month. Her agency says she is taking guitar and vocal lessons and has made many musician friends recently, but denies any deeper relationship between the two. Kuriyama made her name as Gogo Yubari in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill Vol.1” in 2003, and has since established herself as an actress and model. Λucifer (or Lucifer) was formed in 1999 based around the manga “Kaikan Phrase”, with the band members taking their names from the manga’s characters. They released three albums and nine singles before breaking up in January 2003.

Popular movie director Ichikawa Kon died Wednesday of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital. He was 92. The recipient of awards at such international film festivals as Cannes and Venice, he is perhaps best known outside Japan for 1965’s art-documentary “Tokyo Orimpikku” (Tokyo Olympiad) and “Biruma no Tategoto” (The Burmese Harp), which was recognized at the Venice festival in 1956 and nominated for an Oscar the following year. Often photographed with a cigarette in his mouth, he continued to work into his 90s, his final project in 2006 being a remake of his 1976 hit “Inugamike no Ichizoku” (The Inugamis).

Born in Mie Prefecture in 1915, he joined an animation studio straight from high school and made his directorial debut shortly after the end of WWII. In 1948 he married Wada Natto, an assistant at the Toei Studio who also became the screenwriter for most of his works until her death from cancer in 1983. Ichikawa joined the major Toho studio in 1951, and in the mid-1950s made a series of adaptations of literary works. Among these were “Biruma..”, “Kokoro” (The Heart, 1955) and “Kagi” (The Key), which received a Golden Globe and the Jury Award award at Cannes in 1960. His film of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics was a sensation and has been called one of the best sports documentaries ever made. He later moved away from making large-scale projects, returning only in 1976 to make “Inugamike…”, the first feature by Kadokawa Pictures, which had risen from the ashes of the major Daiei studio. Ichikawa’s other notable works include “Ototo” (Younger Brother, 1960) and “Sasame Yuki” (The Makioka Sisters, 1983). He was recognized by the government for his cultural contributions in 1994.

• A lawyer has sued publisher Shogakkan and mangaka Inoura Hideo for stealing the ideas used in a popular manga series. The “Big Comic Original” magazine has been running Inoura’s “Bengoshi no Kuzu” for three series, with a fourth due to start this month. The strip was also adapted into a TBS drama series starring top actor Toyokawa Etsushi in 2006. But lawyer Uchida Masatoshi says that the story has copied major elements from his non-fiction books published in 2001 and 2005, and he filed a suit at the Tokyo District Court ordering Shogakkan to remove the series.

• Former top Takarazuka star Wao Yoka is to make her “Broadway” debut. She was introduced on stage after a performance of “Chicago” in New York on Tuesday, though she will be playing the lead role of Velma Kelly at the Akasaka Act Theater in Tokyo from October. It’s Wao’s first musical role since retiring from the famous all-female theatrical revue in 2006.

Who do you think are Japan’s most persuasive celebrities? A recent online survey shows that people polled overwhelmingly chose comedians with enough gift of the gab to carry their own regular TV shows. Master emcee Shimada Shinsuke (51) topped the rankings, and watching him on TV just about any night of the week it’s hard to argue. His mix of humor and often twisted logic to argue his various theories about life and love leave guests in stitches but also get a lot of heads nodding. In the survey carried out over two weeks in January by Just Systems, Shimada ranked top by a mile over equally verbose comedians and TV regulars Akashiya Sanma and Tamori, with Kitano “Beat” Takeshi, Tokoro Joji and relative newcomer Tamura Atsushi of the duo London Boots also making the Top 10. In fourth place was actor and renowned playboy Ishida Junichi, followed in fifth by Japan’s accomplished Olympic baseball coach Hoshino Senichi. Filling out the Top 10 were former prime minister Koizumi Junichiro and Mino Monta, the busiest man on Japanese TV, who surprisingly only squeaked in at No.9.

Almost a total unknown even in his own country, taiko drummer Nakamura Koji (48) was the only Japanese artist to take an award at the Grammys over the weekend. With most other winners wearing tuxedos, Nakamura stood out in his traditional kimono. A member of the Paul Winter Consort, he shared the Best New Age Album award for “Crestone”. The main recordings for the album were done in the natural acoustics of a lake high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado. The album features the pow-wow drum and cedar flute of a young singer of Apache heritage, as well as birds and animals native to the region. The photo shows, from the left, members Paul McCandless, Peter May and Nakamura. Formerly with the famous Ondekoza taiko group and a leader of the Shumei Taiko Ensemble, Nakamura moved to the US in 2004. Countryman Kitaro was also nominated in the same category, for the 12th time.

• Freelance announcer Yukino Tomoyo is expecting her first baby baby this summer. And at the age of 44, she says she wants to be an example to other women who decide to give birth later in life. She and the father, a 41-year-old real estate company owner and divorcee, plan to get married around the time of the expected birth in June. The couple met last summer and started dating within a week. They currently live together in Tokyo. Yukino made her name while with TV Asahi in the late 1980s as a presenter on the infamous late-night show “Tonight”.

• The latest single from Johnny’s Jimusho band KAT-TUN has entered the Oricon chart at No.1. “Lips” is the sixth consecutive chart topper from the 6-member band since they debuted in 2006. Meanwhile, Koda Kumi’s “Kingdom” is on top of the album chart for the second week. Despite (or perhaps thanks to) the pop star’s recent gaffe on live radio and the repercussions on her PR appearances, the album has already sold over half a million copies.

Veteran martial arts actor Chiba Shinichi (69) and an associate (49) have been questioned by police following a fight in central Tokyo on Wednesday night. The two were eating in separate restaurants in the Higashi Shimbashi district when Chiba heard from a friend that the other man was spreading rumors about his financial problems. The two got into an argument and then a fight in a nearby public square, and both are said to have suffered injuries. Police are investigating who instigated the violence, but as both men were reportedly drunk at the time a settlement out of court is the most likely result. Chiba was one of the first Japanese actors to find success in Hollywood, and was back in the spotlight again when he appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 hit movie “Kill Bill, Vol.1”. Last year he changed his stage name to JJ Sonny Chiba.

• Dressed in a black suit and white blouse rather than her usual revealing style, pop singer Koda Kumi (25) made a televised apology to fans yesterday evening (as reported here). In the recorded interview shown on Fuji TV’s “FNN Super News”, a tearful Koda said she had been surprised by the reaction to her flippant comment on live radio last weekend. But online bashing, especially from older female listeners, and the subsequent work-related consequences forced her into a leave of absence at a time when she should be heavily promoting her latest album.

• Artist and Kome Kome Club vocalist Ishii Tatsuya (48) was on stage with dozens of business and industry leaders in Tokyo yesterday. The event was the launch of a campaign to celebrate 150 years of the domestic steel industry, for which Ishii designed the image character Aira. He and science producer Yonemura Denjiro (53) will be the public faces of the campaign throughout the year. “Denjiro Sensei” regularly appears on TV to popularize science for children, and is putting on two days of science shows at the Roppongi Hills complex at the end of July as part of the campaign. Organized by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, the campaign slogan is “Steel for Life”. Ishii has also written an image song, which will be released on February 26.

• Yesterday fallen talento Haga Kenji (46) and former world boxing champion Watanabe Jiro (52) had their second day in court in their ongoing extortion case. The accused were passive as their alleged victim gave evidence, but Haga had to wipe away tears when his wife Mayu (30) was called to the stand. Married only since October 2006, the couple hadn’t been allowed to see each other since Haga’s arrest last June. Asked about entries in her husband’s bank books, which she kept charge of, Mayu said she didn’t remember. When asked if she planned to stay married to Haga, she replied simply “Yes.”

• Former idol singer Kokusho Sayuri (41) is turning back the clock on Valentine’s Day. She has re-recorded her 1986 hit “Valentine Kiss” and will be supporting it with live appearances on TV and radio shows all over Tokyo. The song was voted the one most people wanted to hear on Valentine’s Day in a survey by chart company Oricon last year. Kokusho was member #8 of the top ’80s idol group Onyanko Club and is now an actress.

• Popular young actor Matsuyama Kenichi (22) was at the Tokyo International Forum last night for the Japan premiere of “L Change the World”, the latest movie spinoff from the “Death Note” manga. The movie, directed by Nakata Hideo, opens on Saturday.

• Kansai TV has submitted a request to be allowed to broadcast again, a year after it was exposed for faking data on a popular TV show. In January 2007, the company was found to have made up data used on the long-running “Hakkutsu! Aru Aru Daijiten II” and was expelled from the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters the following April (that story).

J-pop queen Koda Kumi (25) is to make a videotaped appearance on the Fuji TV show “FNN Super News” this afternoon to apologize for her recent verbal slip on live radio. Last weekend’s comment, an insult to women over the age of 35, has led to a loss of work and a self-imposed home confinement. For the music industry’s current biggest-grossing artist with a new album just hitting the shelves, that’s no laughing matter. Koda and her Avex label management have been busy with damage control, issuing written apologies via the media and online. It can only be hoped that in today’s TV appearance, Koda will avoid the self-indulgent tears that are so often used as a show of repentance. But it’s more likely that we’ll see the usual waterworks.

• Rock singer Ayanokoji Sho, vocalist of the band Kishidan, became a father this week when his wife had a baby girl. The couple, who he met in London, got married in December 2006 and held a large wedding reception last June with Glay and Utada Hikaru among the 300 guests. In the last couple of years, Ayanokoji has been performing mainly as his alter ego, DJ Ozma.

• Actress Tanaka Minako (40) announced this week that she is expecting her first child in June. She married actor Okada Taro (33) last year. Tanaka is currently filming the TBS drama “Mikon Rokushimai 2” and plans to attend a PR event on February 14.

• Former pro wrestler turned actress Noumi Kayo (31) and PaniCrew member Hourii (35), who married last April, are to hold their wedding reception in Tokyo later this month. They will then head off for a weeklong honeymoon in the Maldives. Noumi made the announcement yesterday at a PR event for a B-movie she is making with fellow former wrestlers including Cutie Suzuki (38) and Ozaki Mayumi (39).

• Romance has bloomed once again in the TV world, according to the latest issue of women’s weekly “Josei Seven”. Takeuchi Emi (31), a presenter on the late-night TV Asahi news show “Houdou Station”, and former Fuji TV announcer Sakurai Kenichiro (34) were spotted on a recent date in Tokyo. Both networks refused to comment on the story, saying it was “a private matter.” Sakurai has been working behind the scenes in Fuji’s sports department since he caused a traffic accident back in 2001. He married a company employee in 2002 but they split up last year.