Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Popular rock singer Yazawa Eikichi (53) is a strong contender for this year’s Kohaku Utagassen (Red-White Song Contest), NHK’s annual New Year’s Eve spectacular. Last year, Nakajima Miyuki made her belated debut on the show and pulled in a massive 53% viewer rating and NHK had hoped to have her back. But she has a prior commitment, so now the focus is on “Ei-chan,” who has a broad fan base. If you don’t know him, he’s considered something like a Japanese Mick Jagger.

• A memorial service was held on Sunday for the late music critic Fukuda Ichiro, who died last month at the age of 78. The service was attended by 18 current and former members of Morning Musume. The group and their producer Tsunku had looked up to Fukuda as a father figure and the basic system of member changes and new groups was Fukuda’s idea. Messages of condolence were also received from such artists as Elton John and Jon Bon Jovi.

Impersonator Corokke (43) and his wife Mariko (40) are said to be close to divorce after 15 years of marriage. They have four children. They are currently living apart, and Corokke is said to only visit their home when he needs money. He has been connected with a former “gravure idol” (pin-up girl) with whom he appeared in a drama series. It would be his second divorce.

Popular singer BoA (photo, 16) will release her new single “Double” on the same day in Japan and her home country of Korea. It is the first time for an original Japanese song to be released in both countries at the same time, and reflects the recent opening of Korean society to Japanese pop culture. The Japan-based singer is scheduled to release a full album next January, which will mark another milestone for J-pop in the Korean market.

• Takahashi Maasa (22) daughter of veteran actor Takahashi Hideki (59) will make her debut as a presenter on Fuji TV next spring. She is currently a senior at Tokyo Women’s University. Meanwhile, Dad takes over this month from Bando Eiji as presenter of the Monday evening TV Asahi show “TV no Chikara – SOS.”

Singer-songwriter Okamura Takako (41) and former baseball star Ishii Hiro (39) have recently divorced. They have been separated since December of last year. Okamura, who will have custody of their 6-year old daughter, is scheduled to restart her musical career with a tour in December. She complained in the past that her husband had no interest in family life. During a 14-year playing career, Ishii was known as a man’s man and was a clean-up hitter for several teams including the Kintetsu Buffaloes, Yomiuri Giants, and Yokohama Bay Stars. He became Japan’s third ¥100 million player in 1993. He is currently a baseball commentator and is slated to become second-base coach for the Seibu Lions next season.

When a song was played as BGM in the Fuji TV Tuesday drama series “Anata no Tonari ni Dareka Iru,” the station was inundated with calls wanting to know who was singing it. It turns out to have been B’z vocalist Inaba Koji (38). Produced by the other half of Japan’s biggest rock duo, Matsumoto Tak (42), “Kate ni Shiyagare” is the first single from a cover album by artists on B’z label. The album is set to be released next month. B’z will depart this weekend for a 7-date tour of North America before starting a domestic “dome” tour.

TV personality and former Olympic marathon runner Matsuno Akemi (35), who for several years tried unsuccessfully to have a child, is now pregnant with her second in two years. her husband and manager Maeda Shinji (35) announced that they are expecting the baby in January. They had a son in October of last year.

• And speaking of pregnant women, it seems they can’t get enough of the song “Warabigami.” When she performed her song on the radio, Natsukawa Rimi (29) was inundated by calls from “nimpu.” The song was written by Koja Misako, vocalist of the legendary Okinawan group Nenes. She wrote it when her daughter, whom she felt she had failed as a mother, gave birth to her own child.

Actress Hirosue Ryoko (23) has formally become a Waseda University dropout. Just a few days after announcing that she was taking a sabbatical in her fifth year at the prestigious Tokyo college, her agency made it clear that she would be focusing solely on her acting career.

• Actor Kubozuka Yosuke (24) has admitted kicking a photographer last week outside the hospital where his wife had just given birth to their child. He apologized for the incident and the assault case looks likely to be dropped, but the women’s magazine that employs the photographer may seek damages from Kubozuka’s agency.

Actress Miyazawa Rie (30) claims that her new super-short haircut is not a sign of a broken heart, though that is often what it signifies in Japan. She appeared with the new hairstyle at an event to promote her new movie “Tony Taniai” alongside co-star Issei Ogata (51). She said that as she’s now turned 30, she’s starting a new stage in her life and so decided to cut her hair short. When asked about whether she had a significant other, she said she is in a serious relationship at the moment. The lucky guy is said to be an accessory designer. “Tony Taniai” is based on a short story by renowned novelist Murakami Haruki.

Actor Kubozuka Yosuke (24) and his wife of five months, dancer “Non-chan” (21) are the proud parents of a bouncing baby boy, who they had already named “Airu” before knowing the sex of the baby. Kubozuka was typically vague and obscure in his replies to questions from the media hordes waiting for him outside the Yokosuka hospital. He got into a scuffle with a photographer and the matter is being looked into by prefectural police.

• Fuji TV’s Saturday evening music show “Music Fair” is celebrating its 40th birthday this month. Since 1964 the show has featured 4,700 artists including top names from abroad (Madonna, Abba, Janet Jackson etc) as well as local legends like Misora Hibari and Yamaguchi Momoe. The show is currently hosted by actress Suzuki Anju and comedian Megumi Toshiaki.

TBS presenter Akisawa Junko (36) plans to marry Kotani Kazuhiko (40), a producer on the early morning show “Asagake Watch”, on which she is an “announcer.” They plan to register their marriage tomorrow and have a ceremony within the year. It will be Kotani’s second marriage. Akisawa last grabbed headlines back in 1999, when she was alleged to be having an affair with a young entrepreneur.