Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Some details are in about the Japanese leg of the upcoming Live8 gigs. The venue and date have been confirmed as the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba on Saturday, July 2, from 2-8pm. This will actually make it the first of the concerts worldwide to kick off. The biggest international name in the lineup that we’ve seen is Bjork and she’ll be joined by rockers McFly from the UK and Good Charlotte from the US. Otherwise, it will be mostly local bands like Dreams Come True, Rize and Def Tech. Admission is free, so I can’t imagine that attendance will be as low as the projected 20,000 people. Live8 is a series of concerts put together to raise awarenes of world poverty. It’s been organized by former Boomtown Rats frontman (now Sir) Bob Geldof, who put together the massive Live Aid shows in 1985, the day that rock changed the world. The timing has been chosen to fall before a summit of G-8 leaders at Gleneagles in Scotland on July 6. A Tokyo concert wasn’t originally planned, but Geldof hopes it will help prod the Japanese government to increase its development aid to poorer nations, as EU governments recently have.

• Could actress Sugita Kaoru’s fairytale be coming to an end? For the last few years, she’s been the butt of jokes as a typical unmarriable type of woman, sarcastically referred to in Japanese as “make-inu” (loser dog). So her marriage in January to Ayukawa Junta, the 44-year old heir of a huge family fortune, had many people gaping in disbelief, but also happy for the 40-year old former child star (photo) whose life and career has had its ups and downs. This week the media have pounced on rumors that the couple might already be living apart. Sugita refused to answer questions as she left Shinjuku’s Studio Alta after appearing on the “Waratte Ii Tomo” afternoon show. But reporters noticed that she wasn’t wearing the flashy diamond wedding ring she had showed off so proudly just a few months ago.

Actress Hirosue Ryoko (photo, 24) made her first public appearance in 18 months yesterday. The last time she appeared before the media was to announced her wedding to designer-model Okazawa Takahiro (29) in December 2003. She was also several months pregnant at the time. Yesterday’s event was to promote the upcoming Fuji TV Monday night drama series “Slow Dance.” Hirosue, who seems to have lost quite a bit of weight, will star alongside popular actors Tsumabuki Satoshi (24), Fujiki Naoto (32) and Koizumi Kotaro (26, son of the prime minister). Popular weather girl Kobayashi Mao (22) will make her dramatic debut in the series.

• Pop group SMAP are to have the first simultaneous single/album release in their 14-year career. The group are aiming to be just the 6th act to reach the top of both the singles and album Oricon charts at the same time with the July 27 releases. The album “Sample Bang!” will be sold as part of a 3-CD set that includes one disc of solo songs and one of remixes of some of their hits. SMAP embark on a 21-date national tour on July 30.

• Pop duo Kiroro are to have a joint wedding ceremony in the autumn. Vocalist Tamashiro Chiharu (27) and pianist Kinjou Ayano (27), both got married in the spring. Tamashiro got hitched in April and Kinjou was three months pregnant when she married a 31-year old restaurant “producer” in May. They plan to hold the joint ceremony in their hometown of Naha in Okinawa after finishing a concert tour. They’ll release a new single, “Ikite Koso” (Alive) on July 6 and a new album in December.

Studio Ghibli is moving into the music business. Famous for such anime classics as “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke,” the studio is producing the single “Dore Dore no Uta” by singer-songwriter Haigou Meiko (27). Haigou has written several ditties for TV commercials, and a clip from her latest song was used in a Yomiuri Shimbun TV commercial in the spring. It became very popular among young kids, who liked its simple melody. Ghibli producer Suzuki Toshio (60) says he sees the decline in CD sales as foreshadowing what could happen in the anime world. The studio’s venture into a new business area is an effort to keep up with emerging trends. He’s hoping the single, which goes on sale July 6, will be a million-seller and has already hinted at plans for a follow up.

• A couple of stars from yesteryear are reviving memories of a time 18 years ago. Former idol singer Minamino Yoko (38) is celebrating her 20th year in show business and plans to release a new version of her 1987 hit “Haikara-san ga Tohru.” Widely known as Nanno, the popular singer recently released a compilation CD & DVD box set of her 80s hits. And the 50th anniversary of late actor-singer Ishihara Yujiro’s (photo) 1954 debut sees the release of a whole range of merchandise. Japan’s biggest superstar of the 1950s and 60s, a collection of all his No.1 singles is being compared to similar albums of Beatles and Elvis hits that have sold well in recent years. In a historic first, the album will be on sale at post offices across the country, along with a set of commemorative postage stamps featuring jacket covers of some of his biggest hits. On July 17, the anniversary of his death in 1987, the biopic drama that ran on TV Asahi for five nights last autumn is also to be released on DVD, together with a couple of his early film posters. Although the box set goes for a whopping ¥42,000, advance orders have already reached the 5,000 mark.

Popular duo Kinki Kids have released their 21st single, and guess what? Yes, it’s yet another No.1. “Bilodo no Yami” (Velvet Darkness) makes 21 out of 21 since their debut, extending their existing Guinness world record. It also ties them for 5th in terms of total No.1’s with pop diva Nakamori Akina (39). As the Johnny’s Jimusho duo, Domoto Koichi and Domoto Tsuyoshi (no relation), are both still only 26, they should be setting records for some time to come.

• In a related story, a ground-breaking collaboration between Fuji TV and Disney was announced yesterday. In a world first for Disney, they will jointly produce a live-action TV show with Fuji. “Hoshi ni Negai wo” (Wish Upon a Star) will air on August 26, and will star Domoto Tsuyoshi as Ohira Takayuki (35), the engineer who developed the Mega Star mobile planitarium for home use. Other names lined up for the project include Yuka (24), Osgugi Ren (53) and Japan’s first astronaut, Mori Mamoru (57). The project has been 3 years in the making and a Fuji producer described it as like a fantasy version of the Touchstone movie “Pretty Woman.” Disney gave Fuji permission to use any songs from its extensive lineup of animation soundtracks. Filming starts on June 27.

• Meanwhile, on top of the album chart is another record breaker. Oda Kazumasa (57) is the oldest artist to top the Oricon chart, beating his own record set with the 2002 release of a greatest hits album. With “Soukana” he’s also the first artist over 50 to reach No.1 with an original album.

• Comedian Golgo Matsumoto (38) of the duo TIM is planning to marry a 37-year old aromatherapist. Named only as Y-san, she is an old high school classmate and the couple met for the first time in 18 years at a school reunion last summer. They hope to get married this summer, or by the end of the year at the latest.

• NHK recently held a PR event for next year’s “taiga” period drama. The leading roles in the yearlong “Koumyo ga Tsuji” will be played by Nakama Yukie (25), who has helped several TV series reach the top of the rankings, and Kamikawa Takaya (40). No doubt, NHK are hoping her popularity will help rescue its floundering viewer numbers. As usual, the tired cast formula also includes the odd comedian, sports star and other attempts to draw fans of all types. Oh, and one or two people who can actually act, too.

The Kume Hiroshi-hosted NTV variety show “A” is on the rocks. The veteran newscaster made his comeback on this show in the spring after last year’s departure from the popular News Station, which he anchored for 18 years. But the Asian-themed show came at the wrong time, with relations between Japan and its closest neighbors, South Korea, North Korea and China all being at a low ebb. The Sunday evening show has had very poor ratings, only barely breaking 10% once in its first ten editions. Kume (photo, 60) is still popular enough that he can and should do much better, so he and the show’s sponsors have decided to call it quits. The show will go off the air at the end of this month.

• “Ima Ai ni Yukimasu,” last year’s hit love story that sparked a real-life romance between its stars, is to have a Hollywood makeover. “Daredevil” and “Alias” star Jennifer Garner (33) is to play the role portrayed by Takeuchi Yuko (25) in the original. She is said to have enjoyed the January screening in LA of a subtitled version so much that she approached Warner Brothers with the idea of a remake. No mention yet of who will direct the project or take the Nakamura Shido (32) male lead, but Garner’s fiance Ben Affleck has to be considered a candidate. Nakamura and Takeuchi announced their engagement in May and were to register their marriage this month. Meanwhile, the DVD version of the Japanese original goes on sale this week.

• Korean actor Bae Yong Joon (32) was hospitalized on June 19, right afterhe finished filming on his latest movie. Hugely popular in Japan, where he is known simply as “Yon-sama,” the star is said to have given his all on the last day on the set of “April Snow”. He collapsed from exhaustion shortly after returning to his home and was taken to a Seoul hospital.

Actress Okina Megumi (photo, 25) has denied rumors of a split with her new husband. She married Fujita Susumu (32), the president of IT company Cyber Agent, last year but there have been media rumors that the marriage may be on the rocks already. Appearing at a PR event for visiting Taiwanese theatre group, she said their relationship is just fine.

• The modest movie “Mura no Shashinshu” (Village Photo Album) and its lead actor Fuji Tatsuya (63) have taken the major awards at the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival. Directed by Mihara Mitsuhiro (41), the movie tells of a mountain village which is to be lost as part of a dam project, a story familiar to many in China.

• This is the time of year when companies nationwide hold their annual shareholder meetings. And showbusiness is no exception. Hori Pro, one of the biggest talent agencies, held its meeting yesterday in Tokyo. It was followed by an event hosted by comedy duo Summers and talento Hirayama Aya (21), attended by about a quarter of the over 4,000 shareholders together with family and friends.

• Oricon is the first music business-related company in Japan to offer free access to blogs written by famous stars and industry insiders. The new service is launched today: Oricon Blog site

In spite of his fame and recent success in Hollywood, actor Watanabe Ken (45) has never had the starring role in a movie. That’s finally about to change. He’s been chosen as the lead in the movie adaptation of the book “Ashita no Kioku” (Memories of Tomorrow), in which he will play a man stricken with early-onset Alzheimer Disease who battles the disease with the support of his wife, to be played by Higuchi Kanako (46). The project is being directed by , who was the man behind such recent TV drama hits as “Trick” and “Sekai no Chushin de, Ai wo Sakebu.” Filming is set to begin on June 20, and the movie is scheduled for release next year. Watanabe was to play the lead in Kadokawa Haruki’s “Ten to Chi to” (Heaven and Earth, 1990) but while on location in Canada, he was diagnosed with leukemia. He overcame the disease with the support of his wife Yumiko (45), whom he recently divorced.

• Actress Ayase Haruka (20) continues her role as the image character for Pocari Sweat. The young actress, who made her breakthrough in the above-mentioned drama series, “Sekai no Chushin…,” sheds her high school girl sailor uniform from the last commercial and takes to the crystal waters of Hawaii.

• Also having a change of clothing is actor Matsudaira Ken (51). He has turned in the glittering gold kimono of last year’s mega-hit “Matsuken Samba” for a pirate’s outfit in a TV commercial for glasses maker Megane Top. And the music to go with the new image? Over the next few months prepare to be inundated with the “Matsuken Mambo”! The commercial airs from June 21.

Actor Kubozuka Yousuke (26) is showing no signs of fear on the location of his latest movie project, “Onaji Tsuki wo Miteiru” (Looking at the Same Moon). Following a fall last June from the balcony of his 9th-floor apartment (earlier story), he could be forgiven for thinking twice about doing dangerous stunts. But the eternal optimist does all his own stunts, including one where he rescues a child from a burning building, saying, “I approach it as if I’ve already died once.” This despite the fact that physically, he says he has only recovered about 60% from his horrendous injuries. “I was scared when I left the hospital, but not anymore. I can play with my kid on the veranda now!” The new movie, scheduled for release in November, is directed by Fukasaku Kenta and is currently filming near Lake Kawaguchi.

• Rize, one of Japan’s best hard rock bands, are making a comeback. They appeared at a Tokyo hotel yesterday to present a 40-minute video based on their upcoming new album, their first original release in over two years (they put out a hits album “Fuck’n Best” in March). The 4-piece never quite achieved real stardom, despite their breakthrough with the excellent single “Music” in January 2001, and put the band on ice two years ago. They have high hopes for the new album “Spit & Yell,” which they are releasing on their own newly-formed label. Mohican-haired guitarist/vocalist Jesse (24) had a go at what he sees as a lack of craftsmanship in the music being churned out by other artists in Japan. He has the support of labelmates Def Tech, the duo who first appeared on the 2003 Rize single “Vibration” and had this year’s first million-seller.

NTV’s late-night show “Uta-Sta!!” has chosen its next music star. The audition show chose Kamita Mika (22) from over 4,000 hopefuls looking to break into the professional music business. Kamita will release her debut single “Kirei ni Naru Watshi” on the Pony Canyon label in the near future. The show teamed up with a major karaoke service to allow singers across the country to audition from their local karaoke box. Kamita appeared on the show on April 25 and performed Matsu Takako’s song “Koishii Hito” in front of the panel of five songwriters. She chose Komorita Minoru (46), who has penned such hits as SMAP’s “Lionheart,” to write her debut song. He was very taken with her strong and slightly husky voice, comparing it with that of veteran star Takeuchi Mariya. A strong athlete in her school days in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kamita came to Tokyo after graduating high school. She has worked in a variety of part-time jobs while trying to make a name for herself as a singer. she hopes to emulate the success of Dream Comes True vocalist Yoshida Miwa.

• Actress Kuga Yoko (31) is to leave for Korea today to get married. Her fiancee is described as in his 30s, and not involved in showbusiness. Kuga became the first Japanese actress to play the lead in a Korean movie in 2003 ‘s “Venus.” She has done filming on Chejudo, Korea’s largest island, and liked it so much she decided she wanted to get married there. She was romantically linked with singer Noguchi Goro back in 1999.

• Rock star Yazawa Eikichi (photo, 55) lost his case against a pachinko machine maker at the Tokyo District Court. Yazawa claimed that a character used on Heiwa’s machines was a rip off of his image and demanded a published apology. The machine’s LCD display shows a rock star with a towel over his shoulders and striking a pose with the mikestand, but doesn’t use Yazawa’s name.

Kick The Can Crew member Little (photo, 29) is surprisingly releasing his debut solo album a week ahead of schedule. It’s surprising because all three singles he has released since the hip hop unit decided to take an extended break last June have come out about a month late. He’s been working late nights in the studio to get the album out early, as the group only wanted the break to last a year. Little will support the new album with 4 live shows across the country in July.

• SMAP members Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (30) and Katori Shingo (28) are to be the main presenters of this year’s 28th 24-hour TV marathon on TV Asahi. The show will air from the evening of August 28. It’s their first time for SMAP members to take part since 1995. Katori has designed the official logo t-shirts for the show.

• Comedy duo Cream Stew are to appear in TV commercials for the upcoming release of the remake of the Disney classic “The Love Bug” about a Volkswagen Beetle with a life of its own. The new version, “Herbie,” is scheduled for release on July 30. The original was the biggest US box-office money maker in 1969.