Popular singer BoA (photo, 16) will release her new single “Double” on the same day in Japan and her home country of Korea. It is the first time for an original Japanese song to be released in both countries at the same time, and reflects the recent opening of Korean society to Japanese pop culture. The Japan-based singer is scheduled to release a full album next January, which will mark another milestone for J-pop in the Korean market.
• Takahashi Maasa (22) daughter of veteran actor Takahashi Hideki (59) will make her debut as a presenter on Fuji TV next spring. She is currently a senior at Tokyo Women’s University. Meanwhile, Dad takes over this month from Bando Eiji as presenter of the Monday evening TV Asahi show “TV no Chikara – SOS.”