Actress Kawashima Naomi (photo, 44) has admitted that she is currently romantically involved with a Frenchman. The game was given away at the launch of the new women’s magazine Glamorous, held at a French restaurant. The always glamorous Kawashima has been with many younger men, the latest being Florent Dabadie (30), assistant to the former Japan national soccer team manager Phillipe Troussier.
• The NTV drama series “Gokusen” is enjoying huge success. Starring popular actress Nakama Yukie (25) as an ass-kicking high school teacher, the series scored an audience rating of over 32% for the 8th episode last Saturday night. It’s the first drama series to break the 30% figure on the network since “Ie Naki-ko 2” in 1995.
• A memorial is to be erected at the site of last year’s huge concert held by rocker Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi (48) on his home turf in the shadow of Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima. Over 75,000 people turned out for the all-night event. The memorial will be officially opened on the first anniversary on August 21.