Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Singer Crystal Kay (photo, 17) is to make her ‘world debut.’ The ten tracks on her upcoming eponymous album are all in English. It will go on sale in Asia next month and later in the US and Europe. The teenager, who has an American father and Korean mother, was born in Yokohama and is currently attending the American International School in Tokyo. She is scheduled to sing the US national anthem at the NBA game to be held at the Saitama Arena on November 1.

• Kurosawa Yuu (21), grand-daughter of the late Kurosawa Akira, has given birth to her second child. She is married to Sophia vocalist Matsuoka Mitsuru (32). Her parents, movie producer Kurosawa Hisao (57) and TV personality Hayashi Hiroko (44), divorced in July.

Actress Fujiwara Norika (32) has a new love in her life. She broke up with actor Kato Masaya (40) earlier this year and is now seeing Skoop On Somebody vocalist Take (34). The two have been friends since the mid-1990s but their relationship changed after Take divorced at the beginning of this year. Norika and Kato split up this spring after four years, reportedly due to Kato working long-term in Los Angeles. Take has a lot in common with his predecessor, being tall, handsome and, like Norika, a native of the Kansai region.

Chiba Shinichi (64), better known as action star Sonny Chiba, is enjoying something of a revival in his home country. He appears in the new Quentin Tarrantino film “Kill Bill” and has been busy doing TV appearances to promote the movie. The director and star Uma Thurman have also been in town. Chiba is a relative unknown for younger Japanese, though he was a peer of Bruce Lee and a pioneer in Hollywood martial arts movies way before Jet Lee or even Jackie Chan. Tarantino has called him “the greatest actor to ever work in martial arts films!” Sanada Hiroyuki, one of Japan’s most talented movie stars, got his start as a protege of Chiba.

That was the headline of today’s Daily Yomiuri photo featuring Japanese sports stars enjoying success in the US yesterday. New York Yankees slugger Matsui Hideki (29) hit a game-winning home run to tie the World Series with the Florida Marlins at a game apiece. It was the first World Series home run by a Japanese player. The only other player to appear in the series was Shinjo Tsuyoshi last year for the SF Giants. Meanwhile golfer Maruyama Shigeki (photo, 34) won the Chrysler Classic at Greensboro. It was the Smilin’ Assassin’s third USPGA victory and he is one of only four players to have a win in each of the last three seasons.

A wedding date has been announced for kabuki actor Ichikawa Somegoro (photo, 30). He will marry Seki Sonoko (31), the daughter of a wealthy family, in Tokyo on November 26. 800 people have been invited to the hotel reception. Ichikawa is the son of actor Matsumoto Koshiro (61) and brother of actress Matsu Takako.

• Poet Tawara Machi (40) was recently photographed by a gossip magazine attending a maternity clinic. The unmarried Tawara has refused to comment on whether she is pregnant.

• The inaugral “Best Kitchenist” award has been given to former Morning Musume member Ishiguro Aya (25). The latest in a long line of ridiculous awards goes to to the personality who looks best in the kitchen! Ishiguro quit MM in 2000 to mary former Luna Sea drummer Shinya (33). Holding up the men’s side was TV personality Gutch Yuzo (51).

SMAP and perennial No.1 heart throb Kimura Takuya (30) slipped out of the country Friday on his way to the Shanghai set of the movie “2046.” Directed by the acclaimed Wong Kar Wai, it features Kimutaku alongside other top Asian stars Tony Leung (41) and Faye Wong (25). Production of the movie started back in 1999 but Kimura hasn’t been involved since then as the project has been beset with scheduling problems.

Popular AV (porn) star Takagi Maria (photo, 22) is to make her regular TV debut in the Fuji TV drama series “Anata no Tonari no Dareka Iru.” She plays the other woman of a married father ‘salaryman’ played by Yusuke Santamaria, a TV personality known for his loudmouth, lecherous character. Takagi says she has no intention of giving up her more established career. She is sometimes referred to as the “Matsuura Aya” of the porn business.

• ABC TV presenters Takeda Wakako (25) and Ogata Yusuke (32) announced yesterday that they got married a week ago. Both are baseball reporters, Takeda for the Hanshin Tigers and Ogata for the Kintestsu Buffaloes. Both teams are based in the Kansai region. They plan to have a ceremony next January.

Kikukawa Rei (photo, 25), a graduate of the prestigious Tokyo University, has advised actress Hirosue Ryoko (23) to stick with her studies. Hirosue ruffled a few feathers by using her fame to get into the almost as prestigious Waseda University in 1999. She made things worse by skipping classes to pursue her modelling and acting career. She finally dropped out this month. Kikukawa started her showbiz career while a junior at Todai and has since gone on to become one of the country’s most popular young stars and the reigning CM queen.

The rumors of a romance between kabuki actor Ichikawa Shinnosuke (25) and actress Yonekura Ryoko (photo, 28) continue as the stars wrapped up shooting of their NHK ‘taiga’ drama “Musashi.” The pair embraced warmly after Yonekura presented her co-star with a bunch of flowers after the final “cut.”

• It was revealed yesterday that actress Akimoto Nahomi (40) married actor Harada Atsushi last Friday. Harada, at 25, is fifteen years younger than his new wife. It’s the second marriage for Akimoto, who met her new flame on the set three years ago. Harada is still something of a bit player, but has ben getting better roles.

Eternal rivals, Matsuda Seiko (41) and Nakamori Akina (38) are to appear on the same album for the first time. The 16-track album “Tears – Miss You” was compiled by music critic Tomisawa Isssei and includes one track each from the former idols. Both stars are well past their 1980s heyday but still have a loyal fanbase and an unquenchable thirst for the spotlight. The two divas share a reputation for bitchiness and vanity – think Diana Ross on a bad day.

• Popular rock group Mr. Children are to release their first new single in almost a year. It will be their first double-A side: “Te no Hira,” a ballad and “Kurumi,” a straight rock number. The group took a hiatus since last summer following the hospitalization of vocalist Sakurai Kazutoshi (33), who has since fully recovered. They are now recording an album and plan to take up touring, where they suddenly left off last year.