Among the dramas in the spring lineup is Fuji TV’s provisionally titled “Magari Kado no Kanojo.” The theme is one that is very popular at the moment, that of the “loser dog.” In Japanese “make-inu” refers to a woman in her 30s who is unmarried and without children, which marks her out as a failure in Japanese society. You get the impression that the media is trying to shame women into getting married and having kids, thereby solving the problem of a rapidly aging society. Make-inu poster girl, actress Sugita Kaoru, recently married a wealthy businessman and can’t stop telling the world how happy she is. In Fuji’s new drama, Inamori Izumi (32) is a beautiful and successful career woman, but her age is a big hurdle in her rivalry with the also beautiful Shaku Yumiko, who is still in her 20s. The drama is based on a bestselling book that lists 10 ways not to become a make-inu, with one episode focusing on each.
• Shaking off any make-inu tendencies is Fujimori Yuko (36), a former member of the “sexy group” CC Girls. She announced at a press conference this week that she had married a 37-year old TV production company president last October. They plan to hold a ceremony after Golden Week.