X Japan do like to play publicity games, and I have to wonder if their hugely loyal fans treat it as a game or not. Yesterday, just two days before they are scheduled to play two nights at Tokyo Dome, the band finally announced that bassist Heath will take part. Any issues between Heath and the other members of the band – they are all with separate management – have been put aside for the moment. The official story was that he was having an “internal struggle about the direction of his musical career” and he cut himself off from everyone. One real casualty of this was a pair of scheduled shows in Korea on March 21-22, which were indefinitely postponed. With the show said to be costing ¥3 billion to stage and all 100,000 tickets selling out within minutes of their release in March, a cancellation would have sent fans into a frenzy. Meanwhile, the worst-kept secret in J-rock was put to rest as former Luna Sea guitarist Sugizo (photo, right) was formally announced as the official sixth member of the band. The first stage of his integration was in March last year, when he was a support member for their reunion gigs at the Dome. And in April he stood in for sick band leader Yoshiki at a press conference. He has big boots to fill, with the late guitarist Hide still idolized by fans, but he has been part of the X Japan “family” since Luna Sea’s debut in 1992.