Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Actor Nakamura Ryu (29) revealed on his official website yesterday that he recently got married. He and model Takuma Yui registered their marriage on January 23 and held a wedding ceremony in a church on the Hawaiian island of Oahu during Golden Week. Still a fairly minor name, Nakamura had a supporting role in the Fuji TV drama series “Hakusen Nagashi”, which has aired on and off since 1995. In addition to his acting career, he has been a professional surfer since 2000. Takuma runs her own fashion apparel company.

• Hollywood-based actor Watanabe Ken (46) showed off his English skills to the foreign media yesterday. Just the third Japanese actor (after Mifune Toshiro and Ikebe Ryo) to meet the press at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Tokyo’s Yurakucho, Watanabe introduced himself in English. Though he answered questions in Japanese, he was largely able to understand them without an interpreter. The Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee spoke about his roles in such films as “The Last Samurai” but was there largely to promote his new film “Ashita no Kioku” (Tomorrow’s Memories). “I wanted to bring to foreign audiences a Japanese movie that didn’t have samurai or ninja!” The movie, expected to open in the US at the end of this year or early in 2007, is a drama that tells of one man’s struggle with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Watanabe is the star and also executive producer.

• Publishing company Kodansha yesterday announced the winners of its 30th annual manga awards. Winning the general category was “Mushishi” by Urushibara Yuki, which has appeared in the “Gekkan Afternoon” manga since 1999. It has also been made into an anime by Fuji TV. The award for boy’s manga went to “Air Gear” by Oh!Great (Ogure Ito), while for girl’s it was “Life” (Suenobu Keiko). The children’s section award went to “Kicchin no O-Hime-sama” (Kobayashi Miyuki & Ando Natsumi).

Hugely popular rock group B’z have sold over 75 million CDs in Japan. And now they are set to become the first Asian artists on Network Live. The US-based online service offers downloads of live performance video by the world’s top recording artists, including the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi and Madonna. Kevin Wall, who was Executive Producer of last year’s Live 8, is the company’s CEO. The service is set to launch in Japan in June, and footage of the upcoming B’z show at the Osaka live house “Nanba Hatch”, scheduled for September 1, will be available on the new service in the autumn. The show itself will be a first for the band at such a small venue, and attended by 1,000 lucky fans selected from those who buy the new album “Monster”, due out on June 28. For those who can’t wait, the next single “Splash!”, out on June 7, will include a DVD with the first available footage of last year’s concert tour. The CD/DVD tieup is also a B’z first.

• Former Fuji TV announcer Uchida Kyoko (29) and Yoshimoto Kogyo employee Kimoto Kimitoshi (32) are to hold their wedding ceremony and reception in July. The couple got married in March and were first introduced by comedian Hamada Masatoshi (42), one half of the Yoshimoto duo Downtown and a co-presenter of Fuji’s sports variety show “Junk Sports”.

• Following yesterday’s story about forged Takarazuka tickets being sold on Internet auction sites, it seems Johnny’s Jimusho have been hit by the same problem. The agency handles almost all of Japan’s major boy bands and the fake tickets were for shows by three top artists during the spring. They were all photocopied from tickets sold through the Lawson convenience store chain and sold online. They were discovered at the concert venues. Like Takarazuka, Johnny’s artists enjoy huge fanbases and tickets can be very hard to find, leading to huge markups and huge potential profits for forgers. Buyers beware.

A bunch of forged tickets for the popular Takarazuka theater revue have been discovered. The tickets for the all-female revue, which enjoys huge popularity and fierce loyalty among its predominantly female fans, had fetched up to ten times their face value on Internet auction sites. The forgeries were for yesterday’s final performance of the Moon Troupe’s show “Never Say Goodbye”, the last appearance for retiring top “male” star Wao Yoka (photo). One 46-year old woman from Takarazuka City went to the local police station after being refused entry to the show. She said she had bought the two tickets, face value ¥7,500 each, for ¥150,000.

• Actor Nishimura Kazuhiko (39) has married calligraphry artist Kunishige Tomomi (27). The couple registered their marriage at the municipal office of Kunishige’s home in Yamaguchi Prefecture yesterday. the couple met on the set of a TV show last summer. Nishimura, who first became known through the Lipovitan D TV commercials and became popular following the 2004 Fuji TV drama series “Botan to Bara”, divorced actress Tachihara Mai (36) in January 2005.

• Boxing sensations the Kameda brothers scored big in their recent fights. Not only did both flyweight Koki (19) and super-flyweight Daiki (17) win their fights by knockouts, but the TBS broadcast pulled in a peak audience rating of 40.8% in the Kanto region. The number is remarkable given that they were not even title fights. Third brother Tomoki (14) is also an amateur boxer.

The veil is finally being lifted on Studio Ghibli‘s latest anime feature. The title song and lead role of “Gedo Senki” are performed by newcomer Teshima Aoi (18). Since February, previews shown at movie theaters nationwide have featured only the song and text, with no mention of who was singing. The studio planned to keep everything under wraps until the official release in July, but was overwhelmed by the number of requests from fans wanting more information. From today, a TV commercial tie-up with Asahi Soft Drinks will feature the song and is the first visual glimpse at the movie and its star. Teshima is described as a tall 18-year old beauty from Fukuoka who is a fan of Louis Armstrong, Fred Astaire and Billy Holliday. She did her recording alone in the studio, buts says “When I realize I’ll be standing on stage with (co-stars) Okada Junichi (of pop group V6) and Sugawara Bunta, I get very nervous!” Studio Ghibli’s summer releases have continually broken box office records, but the latest film marks the first time that studio founder Miyazaki Hayao (65) has handed the reins over to his son Goro (39). Goro originally said he’d never get involved in the world of anime and worked as a building design consultant. The closest he got to his father’s work was designing the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, west of Tokyo. But the draw of the family business has proved too strong. His first venture is into a world of dragons and a tale that seeks to remind people of what has been lost in the world of today, based on the “Tales from Earthsea” fantasy novels. The final, 1236th cut of the film was completed on Saturday, according to the Studio Ghibli website.

• Hip hop unit Teriyaki Boyz represented Japan at yesterday’s MTV Asia Awards show. Broadcast from Bangkok to an estimated 100 million homes across the continent, the show was the biggest exposure yet for the unit led by fashion designer Nigo (35). His “A Bathing Ape” brand, which enjoys huge street cred, is gaining increasing popularity across Asia. Naturally the band appeared on stage wearing BAPE t-shirts and launched into a version of “Heartbreaker”, their debut single which was produced by popular French duo Daft Punk. The show was hosted by Kelly Rowland, formerly of Destiny’s Child.

• Morning Musume members Konno Asami (19) and Ogawa Makoto 818) have announced that they will be “graduating” from the pop group. The announcement was made yesterday during the final show of their national tour at the Saitama Super Arena. Konno, who celebrated her birthday yesterday, told fans that she is going to go to college. Ogawa plans to study abroad. The group’s 30th single, unnamed but due for release on June 21, will be the pair’s last.

Today is Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi), a national holiday and part of Golden Week.

Veteran Rock band Godiego chose a World Heritage Site for their first concert in six years. They played at the Todaiji temple in Nara yesterday as part of an event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the foundation of UNESCO. The site was designated in 1998 and this was the first rock concert to be held there. 3,000 fans waited excitedly to catch a rare performance by the legendary group, best known outside Japan for the 70s song “Monkey Magic”. The song was the theme tune for the TV series “Saiyuki” (shown abroad as “Monkey”). With the 15m-tall Buddha as a backdrop, the group also played such hits as “Gandhara” and “Ginga Tetsudo 999”. With the Chinese folk tales that inspired Saiyuki being about ancient Buddhist travelers and Gandhara being an Indian kingdom steeped in Buddhist history, the setting seemed very appropriate. Vocalist Takekawa Yukihide (53) spoke for all five band members when he said that it was an inspirational way to relaunch their career. The band, a rarity in that it is made up of Japanese and foreign members, consists of Takekawa, Mickie Yoshino, Tommy Snyder, Steve Fox and Asano Takami. In their heyday, from the late 70s to the 1985 break-up, they released something like 27 original albums and about 40 in all. They were also the first rock band to perform in China. They reformed briefly in 1999 and played a tour the following year.

Today is the National People’s Day (Kokumin-no Kyuujitsu) national holiday, part of Golden Week.

If you thought the Korean boom had cooled off in Japan, think again. Korean star Lee Byung Hun (photo, 35) held a fan event at Tokyo Dome yesterday and no less than 42,000 fans turned out to catch a glimpse. Also in attendance for the 3-hour show were his co-star in the TV drama series “Utsukushii Hibi” (Beautiful days) Choi Ji Woo (30), so popular here she is known as “Ji Woo-hime” or Princess Ji Woo, and several top pop artists.

Here’s the latest singles chart (up to May 8).

1. Tabibito – Ketsumeishi

2. Dear Woman – SMAP

3. Junrenka – Shonan no Kaze

4. Age Age Every Kishi – DJ Ozma

5. Believe – Ai

6. Frienger – Otsuka Ai

7. 19-sai – Suga Shikao

8. Yuruginai Mono Hitotsu – B’z

9. Real Face – KAT-TUN

10. Bouken Desho Desho? – Hirano Aya

• Hoping to make it back into the charts soon is T.M.Revolution. The singer will be celebrating his 10th year in showbiz this month and has announced a greatest hits album, “Billion”, that will go on sale on June 7. The jacket has been designed by popular art director Sato Kashiwa.

Popular model/talento Rinka (32) is to release her first pop single in 11 years. “Millions Kisses” is to go on sale on the Avex label in July and will include a DVD. The jacket for the new single includes a bikini poster and a selection of sexy photos. Rinka made her singing debut in 1993 but last released anything in 1995. She has been something of a pioneer for the current crop of fashion models who are crossing over to the TV circuit. The timing of the new release is no doubt related to the growing number of singers using sex appeal as their main marketing weapon. The leader in the field is currently Koda Kumi (23), but she’s recently been joined by former CC Girls member Aota Noriko (38) and pin-up girl Kumada Yoko (23).

• It was revealed yesterday that TV Asahi announcers Murakami Yuko (27) and Nishiwaki Kyosuke (35) got married on April 29. In a regular corner on yesterday’s “Yajiuma Plus” early morning show, Nishiwaki presented the day’s newspaper headlines and, red-faced with embarrassment, included one from the sports papers about his own marriage.

• NTV announcer Osugi Kimie (42) is five months pregnant with her first child. She and her husband, who is nine years younger, have been married for four years. Osugi was previously married from 1996 to 2001 to an entrepreneur who was two years younger.

• Actor Odagiri Jo (30) is to make an appearance at Cannes for the second year in a row and the third time since 2003. His new movie “Yureru” will be shown as part of the Director’s Week at the 59th Cannes International Film Festival, which runs from May 17-28. The movie, directed by Nishikawa Miwa, is scheduled to open here in July.

The band with the flashiest names in all of Japanese pop are back! Kome Kome Club, who enjoyed huge popularity in the 1980s and 90s, are making their comeback after a 9-year absence, though only temporarily. They officially launched the comeback yesterday and will be recording and performing only until the end of October, with an album planned for September to be supported by a national tour. The group turned up at Tokyo FM’s Spain-zaka radio studio in Shibuya on Sunday, their first appearance together since a farewell concert at Tokyo Dome in March 1997. Led by vocalist Carl Smokey Ishii (46), the group consists of Bon (bass), Ryo-J (drums), Be (guitar), James Onoda, Joplin Tokuno (guitar/keyboards), Flash Kaneko (sax), and dancers Mari and Minako.

• In baseball, the Yomiuri Giants just can’t seem to win. Win over fans, that is. Long regarded as Japan’s team, the Giants are off to a very good start this season and currently lead the Central League. But according to Video Research, their TV audience rating for April was the lowest ever. The monthly average for Giants night games was only 12.6%, a further decline from last year’s record low. The lowest rating for the month was for the Hiroshima Carp game shown on TBS on April 26.

Six-piece rock band High and Mighty Color got a great reception from 2,000 fans Friday at the Shiokaze Con anime festival in Houston, Texas. The event marks their first move into the foreign market, and they performed 8 songs including tracks from their album Goover, which went on sale in the US in March. Their debut single “Pride” is used as the theme for the popular “Kidou Senshi Gundam – Seed Destiny” anime series, which went on the air in the US last month. (See earlier story)

• Johnny’s boy band News insist this is not the end. The group played the last concert in their national tour in Sendai last night, and from today are on a forced sabbatical until the end of the year following a series of underage drinking scandals. The six members, including Yamashita Tomohisa (21), ended up in tears as a full house of 9,000 fans screamed out their support. Yamashita returned the encouragement, saying, “We’re not breaking up. We’ll do our best as solo artists and be back, even stronger, next year.” Koyama Keichiro, who turns 22 today, briefly mentioned an accident that happened on Saturday when a female crew member was seriously injured by a speaker that fell onto the stage. She is said to be in stable condition.

• Rapidly rising young star Yamada Yuu (21) and Matsuda Ryuhei (22), son of the late screen legend Matsuda Yuusuke, are to co-star in a movie about yakiniku. The pair appeared at a pre-production PR event in Tokyo yesterday. It will be the first leading movie role for Yamada, a former model who has been appearing in a number of variety shows and TV commercials.

• Veteran singer Kato Tokiko is a surprise addition to the lineup for this year’s Fuji Rock Festival. The 62-year old Kato is best known as a chanteuse, and voiced the role of Madame Gina in the Studio Ghibli anime classic “Kuranai no Buta” (Porco Rosso). The character appears in the advertising for kato’s latest album of french music. She plans to sing some of her old hits as well as a couple of John Lennon songs at Fuji Rock.

SMAP member Kimura Takuya (33) is to revive the hugely popular dramatic role he played in “Hero”. The 2001 show had an average audience rating of 34.4%, the highest ever for a Fuji TV drama series. It was also the first time that all eleven episodes of a public network drama had broken the 30% barrier. It is just one of several solid performances from Kimura that have made him probably the most popular male star in Japan. Fuji announced this week that will be broadcasting a Hero special in July. As for the timing, with a series of recent headline stories featuring public prosecutors investigating high-profile crimes, Fuji decided it was a good time for Kimutaku to revive his role as the rebellious prosecutor Kuriu Kohei. The special will include original cast members such as Matsu Takako (28) and Abe Hiroshi (41), but also add big names like Tsutsumi Shinichi (41) and Nakai Kiichi (44), and rising young star Ayase Haruka (21).