Matsuda Seiko (42) is working hard to promote her new single and upcoming album. One of Japan’s biggest ever “idol” singers, Seiko has a 24-year career behind her but is pulling out all the stops to give it yet another boost. In the past, she has often relied on controversy and publicity stunts to keep herself in the public eye. But this time she is working the TV shows and live events, appearing on early morning TV, seemingly, for the first time in her career. She even showed up for the daily morning assembly of staff at her Sony Music label. The new single “Aitai” is her first ballad in several years and she wrote the lyrics to music composed by the man said to be her latest flame, musician Harada Shinji (45). “Sunshine”, her first original album in three years, goes on sale June 13.