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Popular enka singer Sakamoto Fuyumi (35) has announced her comeback a year after she dropped out of sight complaining of burnout. Her news conference was unusual in that she was flanked by the presidents of both her agency and her record label, Toshiba-EMI. The announcement came just a couple of weeks after a greatest hits album went on sale.

Former Morning Musume member Goto Maki (17) is to have her first starring movie role this autumn. “Seishun Bakachin Ryori Juku” tells of an aimless high-school graduate that finds the meaning of life at a cooking school. She’ll have the backing of such veteran actors as Takeda Tetsuya (53) and Tani Kei (71). Also scheduled for release this fall is a movie starring current MM Ishikawa Rika (left, 18) and soon-to-be member Fujimoto Miki (18) about a couple of troubled high school girls. It is Fujimoto’s movie debut.

The “Gorgeous” Kano sisters are to get their first ‘main regular’ gig on TV. The jet-setting pair have appeared as guests on countless shows, usually just to regale people with details of their extravagant lifestyle and show off their finely (surgically?) sculpted bodies. Otherwise, they’re usually shown adding their glamour (for a fee) to movie premieres or fashion shows. It remains to be seen what kind of rankings they can maintain as presenters of “00Celeb” (a pun on zero-zero-seven) in the 12:30am late-night slot on Fuji TV.

The 26th Japanese Academy Awards show was broadcast last night. As expected, “Tasogare Seibei ” (The Twilight Samurai) swept the boards, winning Best Movie, Best Director (Yamada Yoji), Best Actor (Sanada Hiroyuki, left) and Actress (Miyazawa Rie), Supporting Actor (Tanaka Min), Best Music and a bunch of others, 12 in total. Miyazawa received the award for Sanada, who is currently in New Zealand filming the new Tom Cruise movie, The Last Samurai.

Nakamoto Tetsuya (32), the dancing, red-tracksuited half of the currently hot comedy duo Tetsu and Tomo, has been living with his 27-year old jewelry designer girlfriend for the last three months. Hardly a big deal but the gossip mags seem to consider it newsworthy and the duo felt they had to give a press conference about it. They are making a big splash at the moment with their frenetic “Nan de daro?” routine, even breaking into the Top 10 of the Oricon chart with a single version.

Kuzu, a folk music duo made up of comedians Miyasako Hiroyuki (32) and Yamaguchi “Gu-san” Tomoya (33), are to release their debut album. The release will feature several major stars, such as Utada Hikaru and Glay vocalist Teru. The pair are currently enjoying great popularity as part of the team on the “One-Night Rock ‘n’ Roll” TV show. The show has also launched the ‘career’ of the “Gorie” character, played by Gori of the manzai duo Garage Sale, who is hugely popular among school girls.

SMAP member Inagaki Goro (left, 29) was forced to apologise to his girlfriend, actress Kanno Miho (25), after a magazine published photos of him at a Shinjuku hotel with a 24-year old woman identified only as “A”. It seems she and Inagaki met at the hostess club where she works about two years ago. Meanwhile, comedian Nakagawa Reiji (31) has apologized to the woman who charged him with assault (see story below) and, during a very solemn press conference, vowed to never drink again. This will probably be good enough to keep his career on track. He is due to appear on TV again this weekend.

Veteran movie and TV actor Nishida Toshiyuki (55) was rushed to hospital after suffering an acute heart attack on Monday. He is expected to recover after a couple of weeks of rehabilitation. He is best known for his roles as ‘Piggy’ in the classic TV series “Saiyuki” (Monkey Magic) and as the fishing fool of the movie series “Tsuri Baka Nisshi.”

Two of Japan’s most popular female entertainers have teamed up to form a singing duo. Comedienne Hisamoto Masami (left, 42) and singer Wada Akiko (52) have worked together often and this week released their first single, whose title translates as something like “Things I Learned from Onions.” ‘Matchami’ has been voted No.1 in NHK’s popularity ranking for the last two years. ‘Akko’ also regularly makes the Top 10 and is currently celebrating her 35th year in showbiz.

Assault charges were filed against Nakagawa Reiji (31), the younger of the two brothers who make up the popular Nakaga-kei comedy duo. A woman whom he met while the pair were appearing in Hiroshima told police that he had got drunk and hit her in a local bar. He denied the charges saying that it was just a “tsukomi”, a staple part of Japanese manzai where one comedian slaps the other around the head. The duo are part of the huge Yoshimoto talent agency. Elder brother Tsuyoshi married recently while Reiji was married briefly back in 1999.