Monthly Archives: December 2003

It was reported yesterday that Hyde (age “undisclosed”), vocalist for popular rock group L’Arc En Ciel, and his TV personality wife Oshi Megumi (30) had a baby almost a month ago. No further details were provided and no doubt the “leak” is to generate a bit of extra publicity for the recent release of Hyde’s second solo album “666.” L’Arc are said to be gearing up for a return next spring.

• Young actress Ikewaki Chizuru (photo, 22) has admitted that she is romantically involved. She refuses to say who with, but it seems likely that it’s no longer with comedian Shimane Sadayoshi (30), whom she has been linked with for the last couple of years. Ikewaki is one of the most promising young actresses and won several newcomer awards following her debut in an NHK taiga drama in 1998. She has appeared in about 30 movies and TV drama series since then.

This seems to be the year for collaboration between the Japanese and Hollywood movie worlds. Following Tarantino’s Kill Bill, a homage to chambara movies, we have The Last Samurai, an epic tale of chivalry and honour. Tom Cruise has top billing, but Japanese stars Sanada Hiroyuki and Watanabe Ken are sure to get a lot of studio attention after this. Both were in Los Angeles for Monday’s premiere, which received a standing ovation. It opens on the same day in the US and Japan (tomorrow Japan time) and is sure to be one of the big Christmas hits.

The Last Samurai official site | Japanese site

TV personality and model Umemiya Anna (31) has found herself a new boyfriend. The (not so) lucky guy is 31-year old entrepreneur Nojiri Yoshitaka. Anna recently divorced after the birth of a child and the briefest of marriages, a result that only reinforced her image as one of Japan’s most spoilt rich kids. She is the daughter of actor Umemiya Tatsuo. Nojiri will need to make sure that his bridal business, which took in a reported ¥5 billion last year, continues to do well if he’s to support her in the manner to which she is accustomed.

Judo star Tamura Ryoko (28) married baseball player Tani Yoshitomo (30) yesterday. They are scheduled to have a Christian wedding ceremony at the American Church in Paris on December 11 and host a ¥300-million reception in Tokyo on December 20. “Yawara-chan” said she had wanted to get married at the church, located by the Seine River and near the famed Eiffel Tower, since training in the area in recent years. She will miss the major tournament in her hometown of Fukuoka for the first time, because it clashes with her wedding plans. The current Olympic gold medallist, Tamura has won the World Championships in her 48kg class for a record six straight times. Tani, an outfielder with the Pacific League Orix BlueWave, also helped the Japanese Olympic team in its recent qualifying tournament.

• Headed in the other direction is TV personality Hinagata Akiko (25), who announced her divorce from her director husband today (see story below).

The highly acclaimed Thursday night Fuji TV medical drama “Shiroi Kyoto” is to become the first non-documentary TV program to use Aushwitz as a location. The site in southern Poland will forever be associated with the Nazi death camps, and the decision to film there will no doubt draw criticism. The 11th episode of the series is a 2-hour special to be filmed this month. It will include a visit to the camp by the main character, played by Karasawa Toshiaki (photo, 40), in Poland for a medical conference. In the novel on which the drama is based, the doctor visits the camp at Dachau. The special will air from 9pm on January 8.