The success of Arashi’s latest single shows that they are the hottest Johnny’s Jimusho (profile) act these days. It’s no surprise that their 26th single, “Ashita no Kioku/Crazy Moon-Kimi Wa Muteki,” entered the Oricon chart at No.1, the group’s 15th consecutive chart topper since February 2004. But it has also sold over half a million copies in its first week, as did their previous release “Believe/Kumori Nochi Kaisei” in March. The last artist to manage those numbers twice in a row was the hugely popular Southern All Stars vocalist Kuwata Keisuke (profile) in 2001. Arashi debuted in 1999 and their popularity has been broadened by their appearances on variety shows, dramas and major movies.
Former Judy and Mary vocalist Yuki (37, photo left) announced on her website yesterday that she recently gave birth to her third son. Yuki and Magokoroburazazu member Yo-King (41) have been married since 2000. Their first child died of SIDS before he was a year old. They had another boy in 2006. Meanwhile, producer and actor Noda Hideki (photo right) has become a father for the first time at the age of 53. He and his former actress wife Yoko (28) married in December 2005.