The band with the flashiest names in all of Japanese pop are back! Kome Kome Club, who enjoyed huge popularity in the 1980s and 90s, are making their comeback after a 9-year absence, though only temporarily. They officially launched the comeback yesterday and will be recording and performing only until the end of October, with an album planned for September to be supported by a national tour. The group turned up at Tokyo FM’s Spain-zaka radio studio in Shibuya on Sunday, their first appearance together since a farewell concert at Tokyo Dome in March 1997. Led by vocalist Carl Smokey Ishii (46), the group consists of Bon (bass), Ryo-J (drums), Be (guitar), James Onoda, Joplin Tokuno (guitar/keyboards), Flash Kaneko (sax), and dancers Mari and Minako.
• In baseball, the Yomiuri Giants just can’t seem to win. Win over fans, that is. Long regarded as Japan’s team, the Giants are off to a very good start this season and currently lead the Central League. But according to Video Research, their TV audience rating for April was the lowest ever. The monthly average for Giants night games was only 12.6%, a further decline from last year’s record low. The lowest rating for the month was for the Hiroshima Carp game shown on TBS on April 26.