Daily Archives: May 11, 2009

Musician and producer Komuro Tetsuya (50) has been found guilty of fraud but escaped with a suspended prison sentence, as his case drew to a close this morning. Crowds, including many young people, gathered outside the Osaka District Court for news of the verdict in one of the biggest celebrity trials in years. Komuro was given a three-year prison sentence, suspended for five years. Judge Sugita Munehisa said, “I can’t say I have no sympathy for the series of misfortunes that led up to this case, but they did not justify the actions that followed. While the crime was haphazard, it was also very devious.” But he said the judgment was offset by the fact that Komuro has shown remorse and the money has been repaid. Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison term, but by law three years is the longest sentence that can be suspended. Komuro was arrested last year for selling the copyrights to hundreds of his songs to a private investor, though the rights belonged to the Avex record label. It was revealed during the case that Avex Group Holdings president Matsuura Masato (44) later paid the plaintiff back his ¥500 million, plus ¥148 million in compensation and damages. Komuro and his wife Keiko have been living in the home of another Avex executive since his release on bail.

Earlier stories:

Komuro Tetsuya Faces Arrest For Fraud (Nov 4, 2008)

More Details on Komuro Arrest (Nov 5, 2008)

Komuro Court Case Opens (Jan 21, 2009)

Avex Boss Bails Out Komuro (Mar 13, 2009)

• Lots of maternity news over the weekend. As yesterday was Mother’s Day, there was an awards ceremony for the winners of a poll to choose the country’s best celebrity mothers. Among the recipients were actress Yasuda Narumi (43), who has three children with comedian Kinashi Noritake (47), and singer Imai Eriko of the group Speed. Meanwhile management for actress Maki Yoko (26) said yesterday that she recently gave birth to her first child. She and former actor Katayama Reo (27) married last November. And actress Nishida Hikaru (36) revealed that she is expecting her second child in November. She married a trading company executive in 2002 and had her first baby in the U.S. in 2006. They currently live in her husband’s hometown in the Kansai area.

Comedian Date Mikio (34, photo left) and freelance announcer Kumagai Maiko (38) are engaged to be married, it was revealed yesterday. The two started dating about a year ago. Marrying a fellow celebrity is seen as the icing on the cake for Date, who after ten years of struggle as one half of the duo Sandwichman made his breakthrough when they won the M-1 Grand Prix comedy event in 2007. The win brought instant success and prize money of ¥10 million. Both Date and Kumagai are from the northern city of Sendai, where they plan to hold their wedding this summer. Kumagai, who is also a qualified music teacher, joined a local TV network in 1993 and went freelance ten years later.

• One of Japan’s busiest young actors took time out from his movie schedule yesterday to promote a book and put some rumors to rest. Takaoka Sosuke (27) signed copies of his book “Hajimemashite, Konnichiwa” for fans at a Tokyo bookstore. In the autobiography he talks about how he went astray in his youth and got back on track by working in a ramen shop. Takaoka made his acting debut in a TV Asahi drama series in 1999 and hit the big screen in “Battle Royale” (2000). His big break came with the starring role in the 2005 movie “Pacchigi!” He’s recently worked on a couple of sequels, “Crows Zero 2” and the baseball movie “Rookies – Sotsugyo,” which opens at the end of the month. And he’s also appearing in what is said to be the last ever Zatoichi movie, starring SMAP’s Katori Shingo and scheduled to open next year. Takaoka married popular young actress Miyazaki Aoi (23) in 2007 but recently his late nights and rumored womanizing had the gossip magazines talking about a split. Takaoka said yesterday that he has mended his ways, given up drinking and they are now closer than ever. His new book includes the first ever official photo of the couple together.