Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Tamiya “Sho” Masakichi (44), singer of the popular 80s rock band Yokohama Gin Bae, has been arrested again for possession of stimulant drugs. The drugs and paraphenalia were spotted by police on the dashboard of his car as it was parked in Tokyo’s youth mecca of Shibuya. He did 16 months of prison time for a previous offence back in 1998. The band has just released a new album and was to play a live show next week. The show has been cancelled.

• TV personality Nakayama Hideyuki (photo, 35) and his wife, former Takarazuka star Shiraki Ayaka are expecting their second child in July.

• As predicted here a few days ago, actress Tomosaka Rie (23) and actor Kawahara Masahiko (33) married yesterday at the Takanawa Prince hotel in Tokyo. The reception was small and closed to the media.

TV Asahi announcer (“ana” for short) Tokunaga Yumi (27) came clean about her affair with Uchimura Teruyoshi (photo, 38) of the comedy duo Uchan Nanchan, and she has quit as presenter of the Super Morning program. Tokunaga joined TV Asahi in 1998 and married director Suda Koju (29) two years ago. But they have been separated since last month. Uchimura is one of Japan’s most eligible bachelors who seems to have a thing for female announcers.

• Fuji TV announcer Tashiro Naoko (36), who married car magazine editor Horie Shiro last year, is three months pregnant.

Enka beauty Fuji Ayako (41) and actor Kimura Kazuya (33), eldest son of the late, great comedian Yokoyama Yasushi, are said to be getting ready to marry. Though Fuji is nine years his elder and has a 21-year old child, Kimura is said to be serious about their future together. Fuji regularly visits his Tokyo home and they are “semi-cohabitating.” The couple first met when they performed on stage together five years ago.

• Former Judy and Mary vocalist Yuki (31) has given birth to a baby boy. Husband Yo-King, vocalist of the group Magokoro Brothers, was not present at the birth.

• Yakult Swallows pitcher Takatsu Shingo, in his 13th season, set a new Japanese record when he clinched his 230th save in a dramatic comeback against the Yomiuri Giants. The record was previously held by Seattle Mariners closer Sasaki Kazuhiro.

Actress Tomosaka Rie (23) and stage actor Kawahara Masahiko (33) announced their engagement on Monday. A source close to the couple said that they may hold the wedding ceremony at a Tokyo hotel this weekend. The couple met in August 2000 while appearing together in a three-man play. Kawahara was the leader of the controversial and recently disbanded performance group “Highleg Jesus.”

• Okinawan five-piece band HY are the first indies artist to enter the Oricon album chart at No.1, with their second album “Street Story.”

One of Japan’s most popular TV anime series “Detective Conan” (Meitantei Conan) is currently raking it in on the big screen. The 7th movie version, “Crossroad in the Ancient Capital” has grossed ¥3.4 billion, making it one of the biggest box-office hits of the year. The total is sure to get a boost during the upcoming Golden Week holiday. The latest story is the first to be set in Kyoto, where a press conference was held yesterday, complete with maiko (apprentice geisha). The photo shows maiko Toshihana, the Conan character and Takayama Minami, who does his voice. The official web site is here.

Dreams Come True vocalist Yoshida Miwa (37) is to do her first solo tour in 7 years. The tour will kick off in Nagoya on May 6th, the day her new album “Beauty and Harmony 2” goes on sale. She says that doing the tour was an impulse decision made while recording the album. DCT will do a show in Shiga on July 19th, Wonderland 2003, which they put on only once every four years.

The latest “hot” movie is an action flick starring two of Japan’s most narcissistic rock stars. Gackt (photo), who is enjoying huge success these days as a solo artist and in various TV commercials, came up with the script for “Moon Child” and co-stars with Hyde. Both singers made their names with visual rock bands, Gackt with the short-lived Malice Mizer and Hyde as front man for L’Arc en Ciel. Despite his ability in several languages and being classically trained in a virtual orchestra of instruments, Gackt trades very much in his image as the cool silent type. But recent commercials have revealed a sense of humor that indicate previously hidden depth to his character.

“Mandan” comic Ayanokoji Kimimaro (52) has admitted stealing some of his best gags. Several jokes were taken directly from a compilation of contributions from real office workers put together by Dai-ichi Seimei insurance company. Kimimaro has re-released last year’s best-selling CD and book with the “second hand” material edited out. He has been entertaining middle-aged fans for years on the comedy circuit but grabbed headlines last year when a live album sold a whopping 750,000 copies. His style of comedy is rarely seen on Japanese TV but is much closer to western stand-up than the popular “manzai.”

R&B duo Chemistry played the Nippon Budokan for the first time yesterday as the Tokyo leg of their 17-city national tour. With this being their third tour, it’s hard to believe they made their debut only in March of 2001. The show was attended by 12,000 fans and centered around songs from their current album “Second to None.”

Veteran actress Nakamura Tamao (63) has been named honorary “village chief” of the Nihon Showa Mura theme park. The park is based around a reproduction of Japan in the mid-Showa era (1950s and 60s. The Showa Era was from 1926 to 1989). Nakamura is the widow of the famous actor Katsu Shintaro (1931-1997). He is best remembered for his legendary role as the blind swordsman Zatoichi. Kitano “Beat” Takeshi recently revealed that he is planning to play the character in his upcoming movie, adding that he would never have dared to do so while Katsu was alive.

• Rob Marshall, director of Oscar winning movie Chicago, has cancelled a planned promo trip to Japan due to the outbreak of SARS in Asia. There have still been no cases reported in Japan.