Another twist in the Avex saga. President Yoda Tatsumi (64) has resigned, leaving the door open for Matsuura Masato (39) and Chiba Ryuhei (40) to return. Taking over as president will be Kobayashi Toshio (39), formerly an executive director, but it is presumed to be only temporarily, until Matsuura assumes the post. Top artist Hamasaki Ayumi (25) is expected to stay with the label, after earlier saying she would leave amidst the accusations (for more details, see earlier stories this week).
• Impersonator Corokke (41) announced during a show last night that he and his estranged wife are back together.
• Folk singer Yoshida Takuro (photo, 58) had to stop halfway through a performance in Tokyo last night. The singer, who became a big star in the 1970s, was diagnosed with cancer last year. He recovered well enough to play a comeback tour last autumn, and had recently started another.