Japanese pantomime duo Gamarjobat are to tour their own country for the first time. Barely known at home, the pair have won awards worldwide for their silent comedy, including two years running at the major Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2004-05). They had a sold out tour of the U.K. in 2006 and recently completed a pilot program for the BBC. Last year they were included in Newsweek’s annual list of 100 prominent Japanese people. The tour will begin in Tokyo next February and then take the duo to 21 countries. Members Hiro-Pon (42, yellow mohican) and Ketch! (38, red mohican) formed in 1999 and had an eye on the international stage from the start – their name means “Hello!” in Georgian. British media have variously described their comedy as “Irresistibly, endearingly funny” (The Scotsman), “Utterly mesmerising” (The Telegraph) and “Astonishingly good” (sedative-meds.com).
• Singer Onizuka Chihiro (27) has postponed her scheduled nationwide tour due to exhaustion. The tour, her first in six years, was to start in Hyogo Prefecture next month but a busy promotional schedule has affected her health. Following doctor’s orders, five shows between Oct. 12 and Nov. 24 have been postponed.
• Miwa Tetsuya (41), guitarist with the rock band Spitz, revealed to his fan club last week that he has been undergoing treatment for lung cancer. The cancer was discovered early, during a checkup in the spring of 2006. Miura also revealed that his own father died of lung cancer in February, when the band were on tour. They re-started their nationwide tour yesterday in Saitama and release a new single on Nov. 5. They recently announced their first arena shows, at Saitama Super Arean on Jan. 17-18 and Osaka Castle Hall on Jan. 24-25.
• Veteran actor Fujita Makoto (75) is returning to work, in the revival of one of his most famous roles. Seven months after undergoing surgery for cancer, he returns to his role as an assassin in an update of the popular 1970s TV Asahi drama series “Hissatsu Shigotonin.” Filming starts next month for the show, which will air on Friday nights from January for the first time in 17 years. The lead role is to be played by former Johnny’s Jimusho idol Higashiyama Noriyuki (41), who starred in a one-off revival in 2007. While he recovered from surgery, Fujita had to drop out of theatrical productions in June and September.
• British rock legends The Who have added an extra date to their upcoming Japan tour. With date in Osaka (Nov. 13), Yokohama (Nov. 14), Saitama (Nov. 16) and Nippon Budokan (Nov. 17) already sold out, they’ve added one more night at Budokan (Nov. 19). The first Budokan show was sold out in 10 minutes. Though they visited once to take part in a rock festival, the tour will be the band’s first and possibly last in Japan.
• Speaking of the Budokan, visual rockers Sid sold out the 13,000-seat venue in just two minutes even though they’re still officially an indie band. The Nov. 2 show is several days after they release “Monokuro no Kiss,” their debut major-label single on Ki/oon Records. They have clearly have built up a big following since they formed in 2003, and a single released late last year reached No.4 on the Oricon chart. They performed at Budokan in 2006 as well as other large venues, and are one of the country’s biggest indie acts.
• Busty pin-up girl Komukai Minako (23) may find her showbiz career over, after she was dropped by her management agency. On their website, the agency said that Komukai, who debuted in 2000 at the age of 15, has repeatedly failed to keep in contact with them. They said she’s been unable to overcome the health and psychological problems she’s been struggling with for several years and they are no longer able to support her attempt to make a comeback.
• Indian enka singer Chadha (56) has re-launched his singing career after a break of 30 years. After becoming the first ever non-Japanese enka singer in the 1970s, he retired in 1978 and returned to India to run an export business. He made a point of thanking Jero (27), the black American who has been the darling of the enka world over the last year. he releases a new single “Odoru Mahachadha” on Nov. 19.
• NTV announcer Mori Fumi announced during her regular slot on the “Tensai! Company” show that she’s taking maternity leave. Married since 2002 to a staffer from the “The Wide” afternoon show, she is expecting her first child in November.