How new is Fukuhara Miho? Well, she doesn’t even have an entry on the Japanese version of Wikipedia…yet. But “Change,” the debut single from the 20-year-old R&B singer, will soon change that. It’s a “power play” on 33 FM radio stations nationwide this month, the most ever for a new female artist, and one listen to her powerful vocals proves that it’s not just empty hype. She certainly stands out from the majority of J-pop artists, and with the heavy promotion from Sony Music the song should be a big hit. Though yesterday’s release was her official debut, she did take part in last year’s Celine Dion tribute album, covering the song “Because You Loved Me.” And needless to say, Fukuhara’s youth and good looks certainly won’t do her career any harm.
• Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone (61) is coming to Japan next month to promote the latest, and final, movie in the Rambo series. He will be arriving in Tokyo on May 6 and will attend the movie’s Japan premiere at the Toho cinema complex in Roppongi Hills on May 8.
• It was revealed yesterday that announcer Mekata Yoriko (48) got married to a fellow NHK staffer earlier this month. She and financial commentator Yamada Shinji (58) tied the knot on April 5. It’s Mekata’s first marriage and Yamada’s second. Mekata is a presenter on the nightly “Fukushi Network” show.
• Koda Kumi (25) has provided the theme song for the upcoming TV Asahi drama series “Puzzle”. Currently on a nationwide tour, Koda is keeping the song “Moon Crying” under wraps until the series starts tomorrow. It is scheduled to go on sale as a single in June.
Fictional Japanese-American assassin John Rain is coming to the big screen. Shiina Kippei (43) is to star in a mostly Japanese-language adaptation of “Rain Fall,” the first book in the John Rain series by thriller writer Barry Eisler. Rain, an ex-US Special Forces hit man who “may not be a good man, but he’s good at what he does” finds himself protecting the daughter of one of his victims against assassination by the CIA. Though some fans initially speculated that he might play the lead, British star Gary Oldman (50) has been named to play Rain’s CIA nemesis William Holtzer. Max Mannix is both writing the script and directing. Shiina, an established though hardly high-profile actor, has appeared in over 30 movies including “Shinobi” (2005) and “Sakuran” (2007). Perhaps appropriately for his latest role, he is from the famous ninja city of Iga in Mie Prefecture (more trivially, he starred in a 2007 stage version of the Tom Cruise movie “Rain Man”). In 2003, he 
Hollywood-based actor 
Shibasaki Kou (26) may yet be the next Japanese female action star. The popular star of TV dramas like “Good Luck” and movies such as “Dororo” was in Hong Kong yesterday for the premiere of her latest movie “Shorin Shojo” (Shaolin Girl). Shibasaki spent the best part of two years preparing for and filming the role of a woman who returns from her 3000-day training at the famous Shaolin Temple in China to take over her grandfather’s dojo in Japan, only to find it in ruins. She ends up combining her martial arts training with the teamwork of lacrosse as a member of a university club team. The theater in the recently opened Grand Cinema complex was packed with 300 moviegoers. After the premiere, audience members said they were impressed with Shibasaki’s performance, some comparing it favorably with the action-comedy style of Jackie Chan. The cast also includes Eguchi Yosuke and Nakamura Toru, as well as Kai Man Tin and Chi Chung Lam. Directed by Motohiro Katsuyuki, the movie has reportedly received interest for distribution in more than 30 countries. It opens in Japan during the Golden Week holidays in May.
Students at the Zeal dance school in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo were excited to hear that Janet Jackson’s choreographer was to pay them a visit. So imagine their reaction when the star herself showed up. Some of the 23 students, aged between 10 and 26, had to fight tears as they put on a performance of the dance moves they had learned from the video for Jackson’s recent hit “Rock With You”. The singer (41), in town to promote her latest album “Discipline,” posed for photos and promised to invite all the students backstage when she visits Japan on her planned world tour. The tour is scheduled to kick off in September.
Actress Matsui Kazuyo (50) showed just how tough she is this week. While practicing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game next week, she was hit square in the face by a regulation baseball and suffered a fractured nose. Bleeding badly, was taken to hospital by ambulance but with a very swollen and bandaged nose, she resumed practicing a couple of days later. Her husband, actor Funakoshi Eiichirou (47) said “She’s amazing, that woman. Indestructible!” Matsui is a regular on the variety show circuit and renowned for her good health and as a super housewife. She was married to a company president from 1986-96 and married Funakoshi in 2001. Speaking about her latest accident, she said “I’m glad I suffered this injury after getting married!” She still plans to throw the first pitch at the Rakuten Golden 
Oh Rie (38, right) admitted in public for the first time yesterday that she and doctor Honda Masaki (37, far left) have formally broken off their engagement. She said they made the decision about a week ago, when they met for the first time since their relationship hit a trough at the end of last year. She said they decided to remain friends. It’s only been a few months since the two were on the verge of getting married, heading off on a pre-nuptial holiday with Rie’s father, baseball legend Oh Sadaharu (67). As we reported 
J-pop diva 
One of Japan’s great showbiz writers, Kawauchi Kouhan died early Sunday morning at a hospital near his home in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. He was 88. The cause of death has not been formally announced but is believed to have been lung cancer, and Kawauchi was rarely seen without a cigarette. He had his first major hit as writer of the hugely popular 1958 TV series “Gekko Kamen”, the forerunner of Japan’s “tokusatsu” super heroes. He was also the man behind “Manga Nihon Mukashibanashi”, a series of anime versions of old Japanese folk tales that originally ran on TBS from 1975-94 and remains popular today. He penned the lyrics for hits by such top stars as Katsu Shintaro and Yashiro Aki. But although he was a major 20th-century figure with the power to influence even prime ministers, his name was mostly unknown to the younger generation until last year. He thrust himself back into the limelight when he very publicly chastised top enka singer Mori Shinichi (60, photo inset) for making changes to the lyrics of his signature tune “Ofukuro-san” without his permission. Mori countered by saying that the changes were made some 30 years ago, which just made Kawauchi madder than ever. He refused to allow Mori to sing any of the hits he had written for him ever again, going so far as to enforce the ban legally through JASRAC. Mori tried on several occasions to change his mind, but Kawauchi stubbornly refused to speak with him or even read his letters, right up to the end. Though legally he is now entitled to sing the original version of “Ofukuro-san,” it’s unlikely that Mori will ever do so.