As predicted on Japan Zone a week or so ago, talento Henmi Emiri (29) and comedian Kimura Yuichi (42) have announced their marriage. They held a press conference on Monday and rather than announcing their engagement, they told the gathered media that they had already registered their marriage that afternoon. The couple got romantically involved just last October when Henmi appeared on the “Downtown DX” comedy show, of which Kimura is one of the writers. He said at the press conference that they had “proposed to each other” on their 5th date while driving in the Gaien area of central Tokyo. Henmi’s mother, singer Henmi Mari (55), went through her second divorce shortly afterwards, a time when Kimura was a great comfort to his soon-to-be third wife.
• Hollywood star Jodie Foster (43) flew into Narita Aiport on United Airlines yesterday. In town for the first time in four years to promote her latest movie, “Flight Plan,” she was welcomed by about 300 fans. She will attend the movie’s local premier on Thursday night.
• Sexy pop star Koda Kumi (23) is the first female artist to have three singles in the Oricon Top 10 at the same time. She has released 5 of 12 singles since early-December, one every week. The first one “You” is still in at No.9, while the 4th release, “Shake It Up!” is a No.6 and the 5th, “Lies” is at No.7. Back on top of the singles chart is “Seishun Amigo” from young Johnny‘s duo Shuji & Akira. Meanwhile, Hamasaki Ayumi has a No.1 album for the 11th time and the 8th year in a row with “(miss)understood”. Her string of chart-topping years is the second best ever.
• The all-female Takarazuka theater troupe has staged the 1,500th performance of its classic musical “Berusayu no Bara” (The Rose of Versailles). The production dates back to 1974. It currently has Star Troupe lead actress Kozuki Wataru in the role of a prince who has a fatal romance with Marie Antoinette.