Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

It seems the dream is over for Yoshimoto comedian Tsutsumishita Atsushi (30). When we reported last year on his romance with fashion model Tokita Reiko (23), they were referred to as Beauty and the Beast! But it seems that a fairy tale ending just wasn’t to be: Tokita revealed on her blog this week that they have split up after having grown apart. The couple met on the Akashiya Sanma-hosted show, “Odoru! Sanma Goten” variety show in October 2006, with Tokita telling the chubby Impulse member on air that she was a big fan. Sanma got them to exchange telephone numbers and an unlikely romance was born. Impulse, with Itakura Shunsuke as the boke, made their debut in 1998. Tokita made her debut in the teen magazine “Cawaii!” while she was in high school and is a regular cover girl for “JJ”.

• Winners of the annual Blue Ribbon Awards were announced yesterday. Second only to the Japan Academy Awards, the winners are chosen by film journalists from the country’s major newspapers. This year’s winners are:

• Best Film: “Kisaragi”
• Best Actor: Kase Ryo (33, Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai)
• Best Actress: Asou Kumiko (29, Yuunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni)
• Best Director: Suo Masayuki (51, Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai)
• Best New Artist: Aragaki Yui (19)
• Special Award: Ueki Hitoshi (1926-97)

• On the international front, “Mongol”, directed by Sergei Bodrov and starring the versatile Asano Tadanobu (34), has been nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar. It’s being reported as the first Academy Award nomination for Kazakhstan, though the countries behind the production also include Russia, China and Mongolia. The movie is based on the early days of the great Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan, played by “Ichi the Killer” star Asano.

The case against singer Takahashi Yuya (28) on drug charges began yesterday at the Tokyo District Court. The second son of actress Mita Yoshiko (66), he was arrested in the capital in mid-November. After getting high in a convenience store toilet, he was found with 0.1g of amphetamines in his possession when stopped by police. It is his third drug arrest and he has confessed to the charges, so it is likely that this time he will receive a prison sentence along the lines of the two years that prosecutors are seeking. After his first two arrests, the first dating back to when he was 18, Mita took responsibility and gave up work and lucrative commercial contracts. But she says she has now reached the limit of what she can do as a parent and has left the responsibility to his father.

• Bad news yet again for NHK. A day after the public broadcaster’s chairman offered to resign, another minor scandal hit the news. A film crew replaced the number plates on several parked cars on Sunday while filming a drama in Chiba Prefecture. The Okayama Prefecture plates were used to create authenticity for the the drama’s location. But when the crew went to remove the plates, they found one of the cars had been driven away. Driving with the wrong plates is a traffic offense. Meanwhile, just days before his term as chairman was due to end, Hashimoto Genichi offered to resign on Monday along with two managing directors over a case involving employee insider trading. The scandal erupted last week when it was revealed that three NHK employees bought shares in a restaurant operator minutes before the network ran a story about the company. At the weekend, NHK promised an investigation involving thousands of employees with access to the information.

• Oda Kazumasa’s “Jiko Besuto” is the first album ever to stay on the Oricon charts for 300 consecutive weeks. Oda (60), who holds several records for the oldest artist on the charts, released the greatest hits compilation in April 2002 and it entered the chart at No.1. It currently sits at No.28. Meanwhile on top of the singles chart is five-member Korean vocal group Dong Bang Shin Gi (known in Japan as Touhou Shinki) with “Purple Line”. They are the first non-Japanese Asian artists to top the chart.

• Former top idol singer Hori Chiemi (40) said on her blog yesterday that she broke a rib last week in a fall at her home.

• Aromatherapist and former Fuji TV announcer Ohashi Maki (31) revealed on her blog yesterday that she gave birth to a baby girl on January 13. Ohashi quit Fuji in 2001 and married an employee of major advertising firm Dentsu in 2002.

Fans of the legendary X Japan got more details of the rock band’s long-awaited comeback yesterday. The four surviving members of the band attended two events in Tokyo, with a visibly jet-lagged Yoshiki (42) having flown in Saturday from his home in L.A. “This is an important announcement and I wanted to make it in person,” he said. The first event was a press conference at the Apple Store. Their new single “I.V.”, which appears on the soundtrack of the horror movie “Saw4” and features the late guitarist hide (1964-98), will be released worldwide on iTunes on January 23.

But the big news that fans were waiting for was about their upcoming concerts. The band announced two shows on March 28 & 30 at Tokyo Dome, the venue for their farewell concert at the end of 1997, and an extra show at Ajinomoto Stadium on May 3. May 2 marks ten years since hide’s death and the band plan to have his guitar on stage for the shows. There is also a plan for Luna Sea’s guitarist Sugizo to play hide’s parts, as the band was discovered by the X Japan axeman. The Dome concerts are titled “Kougeki Saikai 2008 I.V. – Hametsu ni Mukatte”, which roughly translates as “Resume Attack 2008 I.V. – Facing Destruction”. The first show will be called “Hakai no Yoru” (Destruction Night), and the second “Souzou no Yoru” (Creation Night). Yoshiki said, “Though I say it myself, the return of X Japan is a miracle, something I never thought would happen. But I don’t want it to be like a school reunion. I want to play a tense and dangerous concert.”

During the evening event, held at Shibuya’s Tower Records, they recorded a radio show to be broadcast on FM Fuji on February 11. Yoshiki and vocalist Toshi (42) talked about going to karaoke together, perhaps in an effort to dispel rumors of animosity between them.

• Japan’s candidate for a best foreign movie Academy Award failed to make the short list for a nomination. “Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai”, Suo Masayuki’s attack on his country’s legal system and his first feature in 11 years, was aiming to be just the second Japanese film nominated in the category in the last ten years. Yamada Yoji‘s “Tasogare Seibei” (Twilight Samurai) got the nod in 2004.

90s pop darling Amuro Namie (30) is trawling through hits of the past for her new CD. She is covering or sampling one song each from the 1960s, 70s and 80s for the as yet untitled release. She performed two of the songs yesterday at a PR event for a top hair care brand: “New Look” is a cover of the Supremes hit “Baby Love” from 1964; and “Rock Steady” is a dance number that samples Aretha Franklin’s 1971 hit. The third song, “What a Feeling”, is still in production and is based on Irene Cara’s hit from the 1983 hit movie “Flashdance”. Amuro worked with top stylists Patricia Field (The Devil Wears Prada, Sex & the City) and Orlando Pita (Madonna, Julia Roberts) in making the promo video for the “Premium Vidal Sassoon” brand. Though past her heyday as an industry trend-setter, Amuro has kept her career on an even keel through a decade of marriage, motherhood and divorce. She is on a 64-show national concert tour until February 27 and the new CD is due for release on March 12.

• Popular former Fuji TV announcer Chino Shio (30) revealed yesterday that she is four months pregnant and expecting twins. Known by her nickname “Chinopan”, she worked for Fuji TV from 2000 till the end of 2005. She married the grandson of former prime minister Fukuda Takeo (1905-95) in April 2006 and now works as a freelance announcer and talento.

National broadcast network NHK has seen a recovery in license fee revenues, according to the financial report submitted to the government yesterday. Total operational revenue for 2007 was ¥657.5 billion, of which ¥635 billion was from license fees, an increase of ¥220 million from the year before. Operational expenses also increased, to ¥647.2 billion. Revenues began dropping in 2005 when almost a million households refused to pay the fees following a series of scandals at the network. From October 1, NHK will stop visiting homes to collect fees and will broaden the scope of exemptions for the disabled. From February of next year, discounts will be given to businesses and expanded for families. Last year chairman Hashimoto Genichi (photo, 64) and executives tried to introduce a reduction of up to ¥100 in the license fee, but the decrease was by denied the management committee. No such proposal was mentioned this time.

• The latest romance rumor about popular actress Yonekura Ryoko (32) comes as a bit of a surprise. Previously connected with younger handsome guys like kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo (30) and soccer star Nakata Hidetoshi (30), this time she seems to have gone for a goofy comedian. Today’s issue of women’s weekly “Josei Seven” says she was spotted in Roppongi at the end of December with Tamura Atsushi (34) of the popular duo London Boots. Atsushi is said to have pursued Yonekura since she appeared last February as a guest on the variety show “London Hearts”.

• Bunraku master Yoshida Bungo died of liver cancer at his Osaka home yesterday. He was 73. A veteran of the Japanese puppet theater, he started in the early 1950s and spent more than 20 years operating female puppets. While standing in for the ailing Kiritake Kanjuurou, he mastered the “tachiyaku” or leading male role and switched to his final stage name in 1982. He was briefly married to the American talento Edith Hanson (68).

Actor and singer Oshio Manabu (29) made his first public appearance in almost two years in Tokyo yesterday. He was in the capital to promote the brand Bodymaker, a line of training goods for combat sports. He did about a month of intensive physical training to get in shape for the photo shoot for posters that show him topless, though for yesterday’s event he wore a somber gray suit. In his first appearance since a movie PR event in March 2006, he spoke about his new baby. His wife, actress Yada Akiko (29) gave birth to their son Liam on November 19. Oshio said he chose the name, but that it has no special meaning. He seemed somewhat more relaxed in front of the media than he has been in recent years. He has yet to speak publicly about why he abandoned a promising acting career to pursue music. He and his family now live in the U.S.

• Chico Honma, a member of the band Los Indios, died last Christmas, it was reported yesterday. Real name Honma Yasuyoshi, he was 67. He is said to have died after falling from the balcony of his apartment in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward. With their Latin American sound, Los Indios had a string of hits in the 1960s but have remained active. Their last big hit was 1980’s “Wakaretemo Sukina Hito” with the singer Sylvia. Honma was the guitarist in the band, and also pioneered the use of such Latin instruments as the arpa in Japan.

• “Bara no Nai Hanaya”, the latest Monday night drama series on Fuji TV, has got off to a good start. The show stars SMAP junior member Katori Shingo (30) as the widowed manager of a small flower shop and Takeuchi Yuuko (27), and is written by the Nojima Shinji (44), the man behind a string of major hits. The first episode got an average audience rating of 22.4% according to Video Research. The show’s strong start follows the success of last season’s “Galileo” in the same 9pm Monday time slot, called “gekkyu” and considered the best for drama.

• Also enjoying high ratings is the latest sumo basho. The 15-day events are always broadcast live every afternoon by NHK. But with the sport in decline in recent years, a rating of over 15% is now a rarity even in the closing stages. The highly anticipated return of yokozuna (grand champion) Asashoryu (27), after being suspended for two bashos, saw ratings reach a peak of 23.8% on Monday as the defeated Mongolian left the ring after the final bout of the day.

Olympic judo gold medallist Inoue Kosei (29) and talento Higashihara Aki (25) held a press conference today to announce their marriage. Their engagement was announced to the media yesterday and they filed their marriage registration this morning. They then appeared before the press at Inoue’s alma mater, Tokai University. Inoue became a national hero when he won the gold medal in the 100-kilo weight class at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. As 3-time and reigning world champion, his quarter-final defeat in Athens four years later came as a huge shock to fans in Japan. He and Higashihara started dating not long after, having met on a TV show. Last year, Inoue failed to clinch a spot for this summer’s Beijing Olympics but will be hoping to make the national team with the support of his new bride. To do that, he needs to win the national championships in April. Higashihara, who made her debut in 2003 as a poster girl for Asahi Beer, made her name as an announcer with Fuji TV for its coverage of K-1 events. More recently, she has been a presenter on the horse racing show “Umanade”.

• Hip hop musician Kreva (31) recently got married, it was revealed yesterday. He got hitched on January 3 to a 32-year-old office worker after a relationship of more than four years. They have already held their wedding ceremony. Originally a member of the group Kick the Can Crew, in 2006 Kreva became the first solo hip hop artist to reach No.1 on the Oricon chart. His met his new bride when she was working as secretary to the president of a concert and event company.

• Some more cast announcements for the live-action adapatation of popular 70s anime “Yatterman”. With the lead stars already named, the roles of the main villains fell to: Fukuda Kyoko (25) as the sexy and scantily clad Doronjo, Namase Katsuhisa (47) as the effeminate tech wizard Boyacky, and Yoshimoto comedian Kendo Kobayashi (35) using his Kansai dialect in the role of Tonzler. The movie, to be directed by Miike Takashi, is due for release in the spring of 2009. A new version of the anime started yesterday on the NTV and Yomiuri TV networks.

• Popular fashion model Hasegawa Jun (21) and Maki Daisuke (32), a member of top J-pop group Exile, have broken up. Maki, known by his nickname MakiDai, will be appearing in NHK’s morning drama series “Hitomi” from March.

Comedian Takahashi Kenichi (photo left, 36) is back at work, according to a statement from his management agency. Arrested last July for molesting a high school girl on a crowded Tokyo subway train, the case was closed at the end of December without any prosecution. One half of the manzai duo King of Comedy, he denied the charges from the start but submitted to “jishuku”, the Japanese custom of apology followed by reclusion when caught misbehaving.

&$149; Impersonator Ishiyama Tatsuhiro (42) is locked in a legal battle with rock star Yazawa Eikichi (58), whose fame he makes his living from. Ishiyama was sued by Yazawa to the tune of ¥10 million for using his name. But after reviewing the documents with a lawyer, he has decided to counter-sue. He’s to give a press conference today to explain the case.

&$149; Folk duo Kobukuro are really riding on a wave of popularity these days. They recently took the award for last year’s best record at the Japan Record Awards with “Tsubomi”. And their 2006 album “All Singles Best” continues to see brisk sales. Having topped the 2.7 million sales mark, it’s overtaken Chage & Aska’s 1992 release “Super Best 2” as the best-selling album ever by a Japanese duo.

&$149; Photographer turned movie director Anton Corbijn (52) attended a press conference in Tokyo yesterday to promote his first feature film, “Control”. The biopic of late Joy Division vocalist Ian Curtis, the critically lauded movie opens here in March.

&$149; TV Asahi announcer Nomura Maki (32) revealed on the network’s website yesterday that she is seven months pregnant with her first child. She married an advertising company employee in 2004.

Johnnys Jimusho idol group NEWS played their first solo Tokyo Dome concert in front of 55,000 fans yesterday. The show featured the group arriving on stage from the 30m-high ceiling in a gondola; a fountain that measured 50m wide, 8m tall and used 50 tons of water; and a surprise appearance from their “sempai” Kondo Masahiko (43) and Question?, his backing band made up of members from Johnnys Jr. The first of two shows, it was the first time for a Johnnys concert to be held at Tokyo Dome on a weekday. The shows were added to the schedule for their NEWS Pacific Winter Tour due to popular demand. The group performed 35 songs, including the latest single “Weeeek” and the first live version of “Taiyo no Namida”, from their second album “Pacific” and due for release on February 27. The group are back in top gear after the loss of two members punished for underage drinking: Uchi Hiroki (21) in July 2005 and Kusano Hironori (19) a year ago. Having started out with nine mebers in 2003, they are now down to six. The youngest two, Tegoshi Yuya and Kato Shigeaki turned 20 last year and will be celebrating their coming of age this month. Kondo is in the 28th year of his career but this was the first time for him to appear as a surprise guest for a junior group. He performed his latest single, “Mezamero! Yasei”, which is released later this month.

• “Kaabee”, the latest movie from director Yamada Yoji (76) is to be entered for competition at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. Starring Yoshinaga Sayuri (62), the movie will be shown abroad as “Kabei – Our Mother”. Set in 1940, it tells of a woman raising her two children while awaiting the return of her imprisoned anti-war husband. Yoshinaga, a hugely popular veteran actress who is considered an iconic Japanese mother figure, will be visiting the festival for the first time in 15 years. It will be Yamada’s sixth entry at the festival, but he has failed to win a prize with his three competition entries: “Downtown Heroes” (1989), “Tasogare Seibei” (Twilight Samurai, 2003), “Kakushi-ken: Oni no Tsume” (The Hidden Blade, 2005). This year’s festival will be held from February 7-17.

• American rock band Bon Jovi landed at Narita Airport yesterday for their 14th Japan concert tour. Flying in on three separate American Airlines flights, they were greeted by about 100 fans. The band play Nagoya Dome on January 11 before heading to Tokyo Dome for two shows (Jan. 13 & 14) and finally Kyocera Dome Osaka (Jan. 16).

• Talento Wakatsuki Chinatsu (23) seems to be constantly fighting off rumors. The latest is that she is planning to head off and spend an unspecified length of time traveling the U.S. She sent a fax to the media yesterday denying the rumor. She says that next month she plans to launch a new online store selling vintage clothing, and is going to the U.S. simply to buy items for the website. Wakatsuki is the author of Japan’s most popular celebrity blog.

It seems that The Police have little faith in the charitable nature of Japanese people. With the British rock trio playing their first shows in this country since 1981, demand for tickets is sure to be as huge as it has been on the American and European legs of their world tour. While those shows brought in over $130 million in ticket sales, four front row seats for each of the 100 shows were auctioned off and the proceeds given to charity. Buyers got to meet the band and received signed instruments. The tickets sold for about ¥600,000 apiece and that money went to Water Aid, which helps provide safe water supplies in developing countries. For each of their February shows there will be two pairs of charity tickets, with ticket holders receiving goods such as a signed tour brochure and a visit to the band’s dressing room. But rather than by auction, the tickets will be sold (by lottery if there is demand) at a fixed price of ¥550,000 per pair. Asked why the price was set at half of what buyers were prepared to bid by auction in other countries, local organizers said that fake auction bids tend to be a problem in Japan and that the fixed price was decided by the band and their management. Vocalist Sting (56) has in the past canceled an endorsement contract with a Japanese company due to their poor environmental record. Still, the ¥275,000 price per person is a record for a Japanese concert ticket and more than four times the ¥65,000 that fans paid to see The Rolling Stones in 2006. Anyone wanting to apply for tickets needs to send a postcard to Ticket Pia by January 21. The Police play Osaka’s Kyocera Dome on February 10 and Tokyo Dome on February 13 & 14.

More than 2,500 fans turned out to see Johnny Depp (44) in central Tokyo last night. The Hollywood superstar originally planned to arrive for his fifth visit to Japan on Monday. But he landed at Narita Airport yesterday afternoon, and just hours later was at the Roppongi Hills complex for the local premiere of “Sweeney Todd” along with director Tim Burton (49). Depp was in a plaid shirt, jeans, sunglasses and hat on arrival at Narita, and changed into a black suit for the evening event. He leaves Japan for London after this morning’s press conference. In addition to the premiere, his intense schedule packed 16 media meetings into a brief 30-hour stay.

• Talento Sakashita Chiriko (31) announced yesterday that she is to get married today. In a fax sent to the media, she said that her fiancee is not in showbiz and so she wouldn’t give his name or personal details. Sources say he is a 29-year-old cameraman working for a TV production company. The two were photographed on a date back by one of the weekly magazines back in 2004. They chose today, his 29th birthday, to register their marriage. They don’t currently have plans for a wedding ceremony.

• Also engaged is former TBS announcer Yamamoto Fumio, and at 73, he is thought to be the oldest celebrity ever to get married. His fiancee is a 43-year-old divorcee and mother of two. Yamamoto, whose wife of 34 years died in 1995, was emcee for her wedding 14 years ago and the two met again last year.