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A special drama about legendary former prime minister Tanaka Kakue, planned for next spring, has been cancelled. The Fuji TV drama was to have starred actor/director Kitano “Beat” Takeshi (56) as the firebrand politician. In a press release, it was announced that they had not been able to elicit the cooperation of the Tanaka family. Tanaka Makiko (photo, 59), daughter of the famous leader, recently resumed her political career after a scandal forced her out of the government a year ago. Meanwhile, a TV Asahi drama on the Lockheed scandal that brought down her father, which was scheduled for Dec. 29, has also been postponed.

• Finger Five, a 70s Japanese version of the Jackson Five, played a one-night-only gig last night at the New Takanawa Prince Hotel in central Tokyo. They played four of their biggest hits, such as their 1973 debut Kojin Jugyo and the smash hit Gakuen Tengoku. It’s been 27 years since the brother and sister group broke up.

Pop superstar Utada Hikaru (20) is set to play her first live shows in three and a half years. The venue for the five shows, running from February 3-10, is the venerable Budokan near the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, where she played with TLC and Monica back in 1999. Hikki married 35-year old photographer Kiritani Kazuaki in September of last year and has since been working toward a launch into the US market. An all-English album is expected next year, which could be a real breakthrough year for her.

It was reported yesterday that Hyde (age “undisclosed”), vocalist for popular rock group L’Arc En Ciel, and his TV personality wife Oshi Megumi (30) had a baby almost a month ago. No further details were provided and no doubt the “leak” is to generate a bit of extra publicity for the recent release of Hyde’s second solo album “666.” L’Arc are said to be gearing up for a return next spring.

• Young actress Ikewaki Chizuru (photo, 22) has admitted that she is romantically involved. She refuses to say who with, but it seems likely that it’s no longer with comedian Shimane Sadayoshi (30), whom she has been linked with for the last couple of years. Ikewaki is one of the most promising young actresses and won several newcomer awards following her debut in an NHK taiga drama in 1998. She has appeared in about 30 movies and TV drama series since then.

This seems to be the year for collaboration between the Japanese and Hollywood movie worlds. Following Tarantino’s Kill Bill, a homage to chambara movies, we have The Last Samurai, an epic tale of chivalry and honour. Tom Cruise has top billing, but Japanese stars Sanada Hiroyuki and Watanabe Ken are sure to get a lot of studio attention after this. Both were in Los Angeles for Monday’s premiere, which received a standing ovation. It opens on the same day in the US and Japan (tomorrow Japan time) and is sure to be one of the big Christmas hits.

The Last Samurai official site | Japanese site

TV personality and model Umemiya Anna (31) has found herself a new boyfriend. The (not so) lucky guy is 31-year old entrepreneur Nojiri Yoshitaka. Anna recently divorced after the birth of a child and the briefest of marriages, a result that only reinforced her image as one of Japan’s most spoilt rich kids. She is the daughter of actor Umemiya Tatsuo. Nojiri will need to make sure that his bridal business, which took in a reported ¥5 billion last year, continues to do well if he’s to support her in the manner to which she is accustomed.

Judo star Tamura Ryoko (28) married baseball player Tani Yoshitomo (30) yesterday. They are scheduled to have a Christian wedding ceremony at the American Church in Paris on December 11 and host a ¥300-million reception in Tokyo on December 20. “Yawara-chan” said she had wanted to get married at the church, located by the Seine River and near the famed Eiffel Tower, since training in the area in recent years. She will miss the major tournament in her hometown of Fukuoka for the first time, because it clashes with her wedding plans. The current Olympic gold medallist, Tamura has won the World Championships in her 48kg class for a record six straight times. Tani, an outfielder with the Pacific League Orix BlueWave, also helped the Japanese Olympic team in its recent qualifying tournament.

• Headed in the other direction is TV personality Hinagata Akiko (25), who announced her divorce from her director husband today (see story below).

The highly acclaimed Thursday night Fuji TV medical drama “Shiroi Kyoto” is to become the first non-documentary TV program to use Aushwitz as a location. The site in southern Poland will forever be associated with the Nazi death camps, and the decision to film there will no doubt draw criticism. The 11th episode of the series is a 2-hour special to be filmed this month. It will include a visit to the camp by the main character, played by Karasawa Toshiaki (photo, 40), in Poland for a medical conference. In the novel on which the drama is based, the doctor visits the camp at Dachau. The special will air from 9pm on January 8.

TV personality Hinagata Akiko (25) has separated from her TV-commercial director husband Yamamoto Kazuma (36). The couple married in 1999 and have a 3-year old daughter. Hinagata, who is with the Yellow Cab agency, known for its stable of busty starlets, was caught having an affair in 2001 and the couple’s marriage never recovered. She and her daughter are now living with her mother. Those of you who watch too much TV may have noticed Hinagata making more and more regular TV appearances after fading away following her marriage, a clear sign in such cases that someone has chosen career over family.

• Actress Kobayashi Chitose died on Wednesday of heart failure. She was 66. Born in Seoul, Korea, she made her name in dramas on the NHK network, including the famous series of the early 1980s “Oshin”.

The big names are being rolled out for the annual Kohaku New Year’s Eve song contest on NHK. One of the biggest TV events every year, an appearance on Kohaku is considered a sign of having made the big time, even if only temporarily. Matsui Masao (61) is enjoying sharing the limelight with his son, NY Yankees outfielder Matsui Hideki (photo, 29). “PapaGoji,” so named after his son’s nickname of Godzilla, is to sing a duet with 12-time vetran enka singer Kasai Kaori (40). The pair recorded a hit single this year. The younger Matsui is to be a judge on Kohaku, but a father-son double act seems too good for NHK to resist. Also among the more than 60 artists on the bill are Morning Musume, J-pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (25), and the “nande-daro” comedy duo of Tetsu and Tomo.

Full Kohaku lineup (Japanese)

Two foreign-born sumo giants have been in the news recently. Former Yokozuna Akebono (34) announced that he was turning his back on the Sumo Association and accepting a lucrative offer to fight in the increasingly poplar K-1 sport. He will face former NFL lineman Bob Sapp in what will probably be one of the most hyped TV events of the New Year schedule. The main reason seems to be money, as he said to not have had enough to buy his way into the lifelong security of an oyakata (stablemaster) position. The Hawaiian-born Akebono was the first foreigner to reach sumo’s highest rank. The second, Musashimaru (photo, 32), finally announced his retirement mid-way through the ongoing basho. After missing six straight tournaments, his career was on the line. But a recurring wrist injury, not mention being about 8okg over his prime fighting weight, meant that he couldn’t perform at the high level expected of a Yokozuna. After he rakes in some money from his retirement ceremony and bonuses, he is expected to leave Japan and sumo behind.