Takuro (34), vocalist of the popular rock band Glay, and his wife, popular model Iwahori Seri (28), are the proud parents of a new baby. The time and date of birth and the sex of the baby were not announced. The couple married in May of last year and held an elaborate wedding reception last March.
• German movie star Bruno Gantz (64) is to star alongside Matsudaira Ken (51) in next year’s film “Balto no Gakuen” (Baltic Paradise). The movie is based on the story of how Beethoven’s 9th Symphony was first performed in Japan 87 years ago by a group of German prisoners of war in Tokushima Prefecture. The movie, to be directed by Deme Masanobu, is scheduled for release next June. The film is part of the current EU-Japan fest that encourages collaboration and friendship between the two economic and cultural powers, though the recently re-married Matsudaira, who is all smiles while on stage doing his popular Matsuken Samba routine, is a lot less friendly when facing the media.