Fans of L’Arc En Ciel can rest easy. The rock band finished what was widely expected to be their final live tour in Tokyo at the weekend. But the “big announcement” following the show turned out not to be that they were breaking up but a new album, planned for next March, followed by a tour in May. Publicity stunt? You bet.
• Morning Musume’s Yaguchi Mari (photo, 20) is the leader of yet another new unit to be spawned from the ever-growing Hello! Project. ZYX – the 11th unit so far – is made up of Yaguchi and five pre-teens selected from the Hello! Project Kids. Their debut single “Fly High” is due for release August 6. Yaguchi is now in three different groups, including the “sexy” Romans. • Eric Clapton (57), who announced two years ago that he would no longer do world tours, will play a series of 16 shows in Japan this autumn. It will be his 16th trip.