J-pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi was in the spotlight yet again, after making a rare appearance at the Tokyo FM radio studio in the middle of Tokyo’s trendy Shibuya district. The studio is visible to passers-by on the famous Spain-zaka street, and more than 1,000 people mobbed the area for a glimpse of the star. Some female fans were said to be in tears after such a close-up encounter with the aura of their idol.
• The latest in the recent spate of Hollywood remakes of Japanese hit movies is said to be Kurosawa Akira’s “Shichinin no Samurai” (The Seven Samurai). The movie was already the inspiration for 1960’s The Magnificent Seven, but the latest project is said to be happening under the Disney umbrella. Another movie in the works is a version of “Shall We Dance?” with Richard Gere in the lead.