Latest News from Japan Zone & Japan Store

Plaudits have been coming in from the show business for the latest feat by baseball superstar Ichiro (35, profile). The Seattle Mariners leadoff batter equaled the record for career hits by a Japanese player yesterday, with the record holder Harimoto Isao (68, active from 1959-81, photo right) watching in the stands. And with typical aplomb, Ichiro’s 3,085th, 7th-inning hit was a grand slam home run that helped seal an 11-3 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Angels. What made it even more remarkable was that it was his first game of the season after a bleeding stomach ulcer had landed him on the disabled list for the first time in his Major League career. The win propelled the Mariners to 7-2, the best record in the majors and a far better start than expected after their recent terrible seasons. Ichiro was already riding a huge wave of popularity after helping Japan defend their title at the World Baseball Classic last month. Regarded as the best batter of his generation, Ichiro has many celebrity friends and they all wanted to congratulate him on yesterday’s achievement. Enka singer Ishikawa Sayuri (51), whose “Amagigoe” plays every time he steps up to the plate, said, “I heard the news during rehearsals and started clapping. And to do it with a grand slam home run – he really is loved by the baseball gods.” Veteran actress Mori Mitsuko (88) said, “He has set the kind of records that you need to live to my age to reach. I’m just honored to be living in the same time as him. Long time friend and enka singer Koda Shin said, “He’s really aging well, isn’t he? As younger men, we used to go to yakiniku restaurants or karaoke. Now he’s an inspirational team leader.”

• Singer Inagaki Junichi (55) announced yesterday that he got remarried last year. He and his bride (45) tied the knot at a shinto shrine in Kyoto in October and held a reception in Tokyo last month. Inagaki’s first wife died in 2006.

It looks like comedian Kimura Yuichi (46) might be gearing up for marriage number four, according to a weekly magazine. Today’s issue of women’s mag “Josei Seven” says Kimuni is in a relationship with fledgling actress Nishikata Ryo (28). She is currently appearing in the movie “Nisesatsu,” which opened on April 11 and is the directorial debut for Kimura. After the official launch event last week, the cast and staff went out to celebrate. Nishikata and Kimura were later spotted returning to his Tokyo apartment. He left for work early the next morning, while she was in and out of the apartment during the day. Of course it’s only three years since he got hitched to actress Henmi Emiri (32), a marriage that lasted all of two years. They split in April last year, leaving Kimura with three divorces under his belt. The new movie is also the debut for Nishikata as an actress. She formerly worked as a plasterer and broke into showbiz as a regular on the Akashiya Sanma-hosted variety show “Koi no Karasawagi” in 2002-03. She then switched to modeling and appeared in several TV commercials and music videos before auditioning for the movie role last year.

Earlier stories:

Kimura, Henmi Wed (Jan 11, 2006)

Kimura Yuichi, Henmi Emiri Split (Apr 16, 2008)

Actor Nakamura Shunta (31) has been released with a suspended indictment following his recent drug arrest. The son of actor Nakamura Masatoshi (58) and actress Igarashi Junko (56) was nabbed by police in Tokyo on April 4 for possession of marijuana. But the Tokyo District Court decided that as it was a first offense, the amount of the drug was small, and perhaps most importantly he showed the required remorse, he would not be prosecuted. On his release yesterday afternoon, he bowed deeply to reporters outside the Takaido police station and muttered a one-word apology, “Sumimasen” (sorry). He was then bundled into a waiting car by his managers and lawyer, who said he plans to formally apologize at a press conference in the next few days. His parents did not visit him during his 10-day detention, but they issued a statement yesterday. “We heard that he received leniency and was released. His lawyers tell us that he is both physically and mentally drained by the incident. We will give him some time and then talk with him about he should repent, apologize and get on with his life.” Masatoshi, who is also president of the management agency that handles him, originally said he would see that his son gave up show business. His name has been taped over on posters promoting the movie “Kondo no Nichiyobini,” which opened last Saturday, though his scenes have not been cut.

Earlier story:
Nakamura Shunta in Drug Arrest (Apr 6, 2009)

• Details still haven’t emerged as to what exactly talento Kitano Makoto (50) said on air to get himself into so much trouble. But his Shochiku Geino management agency and the Asahi Housou network have resigned from the Japan Association of Music Enterprises as a result. Shochiku has also taken internal disciplinary measures against several employees. JAME has said that the problem is not just Kitano’s remarks about a particular individual. They said that, during the more than 20 years that his “Makoto no Seinendan” show has been on ABC radio, he has a history of inappropriate and slanderous remarks. They filed a formal complaint with the two companies in March. JAME has about 100 talent agencies and 40 broadcast networks among its membership. A popular and well-known celebrity, Kitano has been dropped from all of his regular TV and radio shows and his show business future is in doubt.

Earlier story:
Kansai Comics in Trouble Again (Apr 13, 2009)

• Meanwhile, more trouble over at TBS. The network was ordered to compensate a man identified without permission during a live morning show in January 2007. The Mino Monta-hosted “Asa Zuba!” show included a live segment on a murder scene where a Tokyo woman had killed her husband and dismembered his body. The face of the man who sued the network was clearly visible during the broadcast and he was identified as a garbage truck driver. At the Tokyo District Court, he sought ¥11 million in damages from TBS and Mino, claiming that the unwanted exposure had led to his son being bullied and forced to change elementary schools. The court ordered TBS to pay ¥1.2 million but said that Mino bore no responsibility.

An online matchmaker has announced Japan’s most popular celebrity marriage choices for this year. For its annual rankings of the stars people would most like to marry, Match.com interviewed 500 people between the ages of 22 and 44 in and around Tokyo (so to be fair, the survey is slanted towards the tastes of the capital). On top of the male rankings was actor and singer Fukuyama Masaharu (40, top left), who is always at or near the top in polls of the country’s most popular bachelors. In second place was young actor Mizushima Hiro (25), who only this month announced his engagement to singer Ayaka (21). Filling out the top 3 was actor Tustsumi Shinichi (44). The number one female catch was actress Ayase Haruka (24, bottom left), whose main appeal seems to be her “iyashikei” (soothing, therapeutic) smile. It helped her hold off the challenge of somewhat more established actresses Ueto Aya (23) and Nakama Yukie (29).

Second-tier celebrity Ogasawara Masaya (33) has been arrested for having sex with an underage schoolgirl. Tokyo Metropolitan Police said they arrested the comedian at the Tachikawa police station on April 12, though the crime dates back to June of last year. Ogasawara is said to have met the 16-year-old high school student through a mobile game website and, though he knew she was underage, had sex with her at his home in the Tokyo suburb of Suginami. He has admitted to the offense and is to be sent to the Tokyo District Court today. Though one of the lesser known comedians in the Yoshimoto Kogyo (profile) stable, Ogasawara appeared quite regularly on the variety show circuit. Before entering Yoshimoto’s training school in 2002, he practiced the family business of fortune telling in his hometown of Sapporo and he used that background in his comedy after graduating from the school in 2004. As in the case of comedian Yamamoto Keiichi, who was arrested for rape in 2006, a return to show business is unlikely.

Earlier story:

Yamamoto Rape Case Continues (Aug 30, 2006)

Actress Miyazawa Rie (36, profile) and her new husband recently held their wedding ceremony and reception away from the media glare, according to today’s issue of weekly magazine “Josei Jishin.” The couple registered their marriage in February and Miyazawa is expecting her first child in June. She has appeared in public over the last couple of months but made no mention of any wedding plans. According to the magazine article, the event was held in Tokyo and mainly a family affair. The only celebrity said to have attended was actor Sanada Hiroyuki (48, profile), who starred alongside Miyazawa in the hit 2002 movie “Tasogare Seibei” (Twilight Samurai).

It seems that the frank nature of Kansai comedians just keeps getting them into trouble. Popular talento Kitano Makoto (50, photo left) has been taken off the air indefinitely, according to his Shochiku Geino management agency. The specific reason has not been made clear but it is believed to have been something he said on his long-running radio show “Makoto no Psychic Seinendan.” The show was abruptly taken off the air last month, three weeks earlier than scheduled, after a run of 21 years. A regular on several TV shows, in each case Kitano has either already made his final appearance or will not be renewing his contract. A popular celebrity for the last two decades, his mouth has often gotten him into trouble. One famous incident was in 1993 when his scathing comments about a nude photo book published by Yamamoto Linda (58), a popular singer but well past her prime, led to a ¥100-million slander case.

• Meanwhile, it looks like the “when in Rome” adage doesn’t apply to TV celebrities indulging in drugs. The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s narcotics control department in the Kinki district announced last Friday that it issued a formal warning to the Osaka-based Asahi Housou TV network over a segment aired back in January. The “Sekai no Mura de Hakken!” show featured comedian Chihara Seiji (39, photo right) on a visit to Bolivia. At one point he stopped and asked the lady at a street stall, “Is this coca leaf?” and then tried chewing some. The scene even featured subtitles that made it clear what it was he was chewing on. Though the Bolivian government actively supports the plant’s agriculture – president Evo Morales, a former coca growers union leader, says that “coca is not cocaine” – it is strictly illegal in Japan. A TV Asahi spokeserson said, “We were trying to reflect the different culture of a foreign country, but we should have been more prudent.” The network has checked that none of the program’s staff brought coca leaves back to Japan. And if a repeat of the show is broadcast, the offending scene will be cut.

There has been a furor in the Chinese media about a planned event in the city of Guangzhou featuring some of Japan’s top porn actresses. The problem is that the event itself seems to have been a work of pure Web fiction. Several Chinese newspapers published stories about the heated discussions happening on the Web, with citizens protesting the location and timing of the event. It was to take place near a memorial to Chinese who died in the Sino-Japanese War and on the eve of an important anniversary. Others Web posts talked about how the event, to be held at a bar in the center of the city, was reasonably priced compared to similar events in Hong Kong. The newspapers said that protests against the event has reached such a level that it had to be canceled. Hong Kong’s Singtao Daily named two of the actresses, which only served to bring more attention to the story. But spokespeople for “AV” actresses Aoi Sora (25, photo) and Matsushima Kaede (26) said they had never even heard of the event let alone received an invite to China. Aoi said on her blog that she was furious that her name and photo had been abused on the Web. “But it has taught me that there are the same prejudices against adult entertainment overseas (as in Japan),” she said.

Rock band Mr. Children insist they are not breaking up. The band yesterday issued a statement on their official website denying a recent magazine article that said they were on the verge of calling it a day. The article in the latest issue of the weekly “Shuukan Gendai” on Monday based its speculation on the fact that the band have a completely blank schedule after their current concert tour finishes in May and have announced no plans to release new material. Currently in their 20th year, MisuChiru as they are known to fans are one of Japan’s most popular and successful artists. The last time the band’s future was called into question was in the summer of 2002, when vocalist Sakurai Kazutoshi (39) suffered a stroke and the band’s went on a hiatus for about six months. But they bounced back as strong as ever. Their last single – “Hanabi,” released September 2008 – was their 29th consecutive release to enter the Oricon singles chart at No.1. And their most recent album – “Supermarket Fantasy,” released December 2008 – also topped the chart and was their 12th million seller. After more than a decade of persuasion, national broadcaster NHK managed to get them to appear on its annual “Kohaku Uta Gassen” live concert last New Year’s Eve.

Veteran emcee Mino Monta (64, profile) likes to speak his mind. But a comment he made on a live morning show yesterday drew an apology from the TBS network. The topic was the upcoming visit by former Russian leader Vladimir Putin in May and how the Japanese government may be expected to help support the struggling Russian economy. Mino quipped, “We could just buy the Northern Territories!”, referring to the islands between Hokkaido and Sakhalin. The dispute over their ownership has kept the two countries from ever signing a WWII peace treaty, and is a popular rallying cry for right-wing extremists. Mino’s comment was clearly a joke, but his fellow presenters just stared awkwardly at the floor. A TBS spokesperson said, “The comment was not Mino-san’s true opinion, but it was an inappropriate choice of le kamagra.”

• Movie studio Shochiku has announced that it is bringing an end to the long-running series “Tsuri Baka Nisshi” (Fishing Fool Journal). Starring Nishida Toshiyuki (61) as Hama-chan and Mikuni Rentaro (86) as his equally fishing-mad boss Suu-san, the manga adaptation has been a movie theater institution since 1988. It was first shown as a support feature to the even longer-running “Otoko wa Tsurai Yo,” with which it has much in common. And when that series came to an end following the death of its star Atsumi Kiyoshi, Tsuri Baka took over as Japan’s “kokuminteki” (national) movie. The last movie in the series, the first to be set in Hokkaido, is due for release on December 26 and will be called “Tsuri Baka Nisshi 20, Final.” There will be guest appearances from Matsuzaka Keiko (56), Fukiishi Kazue (26) and Tsukamoto Takashi (26). A Shochiku producer says that the studio decided, along with Nishida and Mikuni, several years ago to wrap up the series at 20. Though both actors have had health problems in recent years, he denied that was behind the decision.

Enka singer Nagayama Yoko (41) revealed on her blog yesterday that she has married an American businessman. She said that she and Skillhouse Staffing Solutions CEO Mark Smith (40) tied the knot on Monday morning. But she reassured fans that she plans to continue her music career. The two first met in September 2006 through the TBS Shimada Shinsuke-hosted variety show “Sekai BariBari Value.” The show sometimes features a segment with single Japanese female celebrities being matched up with wealthy foreign businessmen. Smith, who has been in Japan for 15 years and is a fan of enka, took a liking to Nagayama and they soon hit it off. Their marriage fits neatly under the recently popular heading of “arafo-“, abbreviated from “around forty” and referring to people in that age group. A popular enka star, Nagayama is a rarity in that she started out in 1984 as an idol singer. She switched to the more traditional enka in 1993.

• A couple of popular talentos are in the hospital this week. Comedienne Minowa Haruka (29) of the duo Harisenbon has been hospitalized with pulmonary tuberculosis. She was admitted on April 3 and is expected to be in hospital for about two months. As her condition is highly contagious, Tokyo authorities have been asking anyone who thinks they may have contracted the disease at a TV studio or theater to come forward. Meanwhile “okama” (effeminate gay man or drag queen) beautician Ikko is under doctor’s orders to rest for at least a week after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The cause was said to be her overly hectic work schedule. Several dates on an upcoming concert tour have been postponed until the summer.