Monthly Archives: February 2003

This week actress Fujiwara Norika (31) received an official “Thank You” from the government for her role as a good will ambassador between Japan and South Korea in 2002. Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Atsuko presented the document to Fujiwara, who together with Korean actress Kim Yunjin appeared at various events during the year of cultural exchanges. The biggest event was, of course, the World Cup.

Former idol singer Sakai Noriko (32) has launched her own fashion brand. It is targeted at the so-called “young missus” market. “Noripi” has been popular in much of Asia since her heyday in the late 80s/early 90s. The brand name “PP Rikorino” is a mishmash of her name, nickname, ‘p’ for ‘produce’ and ‘pino’, meaning ‘cute’ in Italian. It is backed by Itochu, one of Japan’s biggest trading companies.

To mark the 25th anniversary of its founding, Epic Records held a concert featuring some of its biggest stars from the 1980s. These included Komuro Tetsuya (left, 44), representing the band TM Network, Watanabe Misato (36) and Sano Motoharu (46). The concert, attended by 10,000 fans, also featured the first performance by the Barbee Boys since they broke up in 1992. In their heyday, they were one of the biggest J-Rock bands and were the first Japanese act to play the Tokyo Dome.

Idol star Fujimoto Miki (17) started her first solo tour at Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo yesterday. “Miki-Ti” as she is known to fans went through 17 songs and nine costume changes. Her debut album “2003 Spring Miki (1)” will go on sale on February 26th. The first single is “Boogie Train ’03”. She will officially become a member of Morning Musume in May.

It was revealed this week that popular young kabuki star Ichikawa Shinnosuke (25) is the father of an illegitimate child. He is curently starring in the NHK ‘taiga’ period drama “Musashi.” The mother was identified simply as 29-year old “A”, a former singer, and their child is a one-year old girl. The couple are believed to have been seeing each other for the last six years. The scandal is similar to one involving Ichikawa Somegoro (30) back in 1997. Meanwhile, Shinnosuke’s Musashi co-star Yonekura Ryoko has denied rumours of a relationship between the two despite photographs that show otherwise.

In a Brisbane courtroom, a verdict was reached for one of the two Japanese on trial for swindling popular rock singer Yazawa Eikichi (53) out of ¥3.5 billion. The man, a 66-year old real estate agent from Saitama and formerly an employee of Yazawa’s production company, was sentenced to 4 years. The scam involving a plan to build a skyscraper, including a recording studio, on Australia’s Gold Coast. Yazawa’s company filed a complaint back in 1998.

TV actress Yada Akiko (photo, 24) has broken up with Chunichi Dragons and former Giants pitcher Hiramatsu Kazuhiro (28). The pair admitted their relationship after they were spotted at Hiramatsu’s home by gossip magazine “Friday.” The breakup was revealed when Yada said she had no one to give Valentine’s Day chocolates to this year. Also announced was the separation of singer Okamura Takako (40) and husband Ishii Hiro (38) of the Yokohama Bay Stars.

TV commercial queen Kikukawa Rei (24) is to get her first starring role in the TV Asahi (Ch.10) drama series “O.L. Zenimichi”. She plays an office worker obsessed with money and saving. The series starts on April 11th. Kikukawa is currently appearing in a phenomenal 22 different CM’s.

“Spirited Away” (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), the movie by master animator Miyazaki Hayao, has been nominated for the “Best Animated Feature” Oscar. The Studio Ghibli flick set box office records in Japan in 2002, and has since received several prestigious awards in the US. It has already grossed $5.5 million in the US, pretty good for a foreign film. The award ceremony will be held on March 23rd. See the movie poster.

Fujimoto Miki (17), who recently became the first new addition to Morning Musume not to be chosen by audition, is to make her TV commercial debut. “Miki-Ti” as she is known to her fans is currently the biggest rival for Matsuura Aya’s unofficial title of most “kawaii” (cutesy) idol. She, Matsuura and former MM member Goto Maki also make up the trio known as “Gomatto.” The CM for Glico’s “Panappu” ice cream will run from March 3rd.