A ceremony was held yesterday to mark the sixth anniversary of the death of legendary actor Katsu Shintaro. His widow, actress Nakamura Tamao (63), was joined by some of the biggest names in showbiz. Actor Watari Tetsuya (61) and actor/director Kitano “Beat” Takeshi (56) were among the 600 who paid their respects in the Buddhist tradition. Katsu is best remembered for his role as the blind swordsman Zatoichi. Kitano is planning to revive the role in his next movie.
• According to a magazine published today, singer Matsubara Nobue (41) and her husband are said to be close to divorce, following recent financial problems that saw their ¥300 million home repossessed.