Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part V]

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Hey! Say! JUMP’s Morimoto suspended indefinitely for underage smoking (Corrected)
Posted on June 27, 2011 by tokyograph



Hey! Say! JUMP’s youngest member, Morimoto Ryutaro (16), has been suspended indefinitely by his agency, Johnny's Jimusho. This week’s issue of Shukan Josei published photos of Morimoto smoking, in violation of Japan’s laws as he is still under the legal smoking age of 20.

The magazine published two separate photos, one taken in January 2010 (when Morimoto was 14) and the other taken in May 2010 (when Morimoto was 15). According to a source familiar with the matter, Morimoto has been smoking openly for a long time, and there have been people warning him that it would be bad if he was found out, but Morimoto always brushed it off without worry.

Johnny’s Jimusho stated that when it confirmed the matter personally, Morimoto acknowledged that he has smoked several times in the past out of curiosity. As a result, the agency has placed his entertainment activities on hold indefinitely.

Hey! Say! JUMP will continue as a 9-member group for now. Their next single, “OVER,” will still be released on June 29 as planned, but there won’t be any changes such as removing Morimoto from the CD’s jacket photo. Their summer show “SUMMARY” (August 7 – September 11) will be performed with only 9 members.

Correction: There was an error in this article due to a hasty translation. The original source actually stated that there won’t be any changes to the CD jacket photo. We apologize for the mistake.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Final episode of “JIN” scores 26.1% ratings
Posted on June 27, 2011 by tokyograph



The two-hour final episode of the second “JIN” drama series aired on Sunday night. Viewers around the country tuned in to watch the ending, pushing the episode’s ratings to an average of 26.1% in the Kanto region. The episode reached its peak at 10:44pm, with ratings reaching 31.7%.

Previously, the highest ratings that “JIN” achieved was with its first season finale in 2009, at 25.3%. This second season also surpassed the first season in terms of the average ratings for the whole series, at 21.3% compared to 19.0%.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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“2ch no Noroi” goes to the big screen, starring Idoling’s Ojima Chika
Posted on June 27, 2011 by tokyograph



Ojima Chika (17) of the idol group Idoling!!! has been given her first movie acting role, as the star of the horror flick “2ch no Noroi Gekijoban.” She is being joined by fellow Idoling!!! member Nomoto Manami (15), who is also making her movie debut.

“2ch no Noroi” was originally a DVD series, based on a thread about scary stories posted on the popular internet forum 2ch. Four DVDs have been released so far. Nagae Jiro, the director of volumes 1 and 4, is behind the camera for the new theatrical version.

Besides Nomoto, Ojima’s supporting cast includes Yamasaki Jun, Saeki Daichi, Kitamura Takako, and Yano Minori.

The story revolves around an urban legend called the “Samejima Incident,” known among 2ch members as something that they cannot talk about because the truth is being hidden away due to certain circumstances. However, whether the incident is real or not is debated in the forum. But when a post promises to reveal the truth behind the Samejima Incident, the occult-loving college student Shuhei and his girlfriend Kaede start becoming involved in strange occurrences.

“2ch no Noroi Gekijoban” opens in theaters nationwide on August 6.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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SOPHIA moves to Avex, announces new single and Budokan concert
Posted on June 28, 2011 by tokyograph



Rock band SOPHIA participated in a special event on Monday celebrating the completion of the V-cinema film “Kamen Rider Eternal.” During the event, they announced that they are changing labels to Avex and will release a new single called “cod-E ~E no Angou~” on July 27. That song is being used as the theme of “Kamen Rider Eternal.”

SOPHIA halted activities in April 2010 after keyboardist Miyako Keiichi revealed that he was diagnosed with lymphoma and would be undergoing treatment. He resumed his musical activities in October.

During the “Kamen Rider Eternal” event on Monday, there was a talk event with the movie’s main cast, including SOPHIA vocalist Matsuoka Mitsuru. At the end, SOPHIA performed as a complete band with Miyako for the first time in approximately 14 months.

SOPHIA also announced that they will hold a concert on August 13 at Nippon Budokan, which will be their first real concert since restarting.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Dreams Come True announces U.S. tour and free mini-concerts in Tohoku
Posted on June 28, 2011 by tokyograph



DREAMS COME TRUE has just made two announcements about upcoming live performances. In August, they plan to perform a series of free acoustic mini-concerts in the Tohoku region, and in October, they will hold their first U.S. tour since 9 years ago.

DREAMS COME TRUE just started their “DREAMS COME TRUE WONDERLAND 2011? tour on June 24 at Sapporo Dome, and it is scheduled to end in Okinawa on September 23-24. In the middle of their tour, they are planning to do free acoustic performances in 4 of the prefectures heavily affected by the Tohoku earthquake. They are currently looking to visit Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki on August 19-21. Details are still being determined and will be announced at a later date.

Then in October, after their Japan tour, they will be heading to the United States for a short tour called “DREAMS COME TRUE WONDERLAND 2011, THE NIGHT WITH DREAMS COME TRUE in the USA supplied by POCARI SWEAT.” They are scheduled to perform in Los Angeles on October 1, Seattle on October 5, and New York on October 9-10. It is reported that unlike their previous U.S. performances, they will include Japanese songs in these concerts.

More information about the U.S. tour can be found on their website.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Akimoto Yasushi teams up with Sony to produce AKB48's “official rival” Nogizaka46
Posted on June 28, 2011 by tokyograph



AKB48 producer Akimoto Yasushi is apparently planning to create an “official rival group” to AKB48. An announcement on Tuesday revealed that he is working with Sony Music to create a new group called (read as “Nogizaka 46?).

Unlike AKB48's sister groups such as SKE48 and NMB48, this new group is specifically being billed as a rival to AKB48. The group’s name comes from the fact that the final audition will be held at the SME Nogizaka Building (where Sony’s office is located). According to Akimoto, the 46 was chosen with the meaning, “Even with fewer members than AKB48, we won’t lose.”

The audition will be open to everyone. The first round (application) deadline is July 20, and the second round (interviews) will take place in seven cities (Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Okinawa) on August 6-7. The final round will be held on August 20-21.

Akimoto is looking to choose approximately 20 members for the first generation. The chosen members will appear on a television variety show that is scheduled to start in October, and they will make their CD debut under Sony Music Records.

An official website with more information has been launched at http://www.nogizaka46.com/.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Rie Hasegawa promotes Tohoku fruit and vegetables

Entertainment Jun. 30, 2011 - 05:41AM JST ( 19 )



TOKYO —

Actress Rie Hasegawa on Wednesday helped to launch a special event by agricultural co-op ZEN-NOH to promote fruit and vegetables from the Tohoku region.

Hasegawa, who attended as a vegetable sommelier, said, “I really want to let people know that produce from most of the Tohoku region is still safe. There are six prefectures and they need our help.”

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Sera Roeru dies of uterine cancer

June 29, 2011 by J!-ENT



Half Japanese/half American model Sera Roeru (Sara Ishii) who became popular in Japan and known for her appearance on NTV’s “11PM” has passed away on June 28th due to uterine cancer.

Last year, Sera underwent surgery to remove her uterus as cancer cells had spread throughout her body and throughout this year, she was hospitalized as she fought the cancer.

Sera starred in the 1981 TBS drama series “G-Men 75? and appeared in the 2008 issue of “Croissant” and on TV Tokyo’s “Bijou Houdan”.

Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT

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Horikita Maki confirmed to star in NHK morning drama “Umechan-sensei”
Posted on June 29, 2011 by tokyograph



Actress Horikita Maki (22) has officially been announced as the star of an upcoming NHK morning drama, confirming a rumor from earlier this month. The drama is titled “Umechan-sensei” and is an original story written by Ozaki Masaya (“Kekkon Dekinai Otoko,” “Oniyome Nikki”).

The story is set in the devastated area of Kamata, Tokyo, in 1945 just after the end of the war. Horikita plays Shimomura Umeko, the youngest of three siblings whose father is a doctor at a university hospital. Compared to her outstanding sister Matsuko and brother Takeo, she lacks self-confidence, but an incident makes her determined to become a local doctor. However, her path is fraught with failures.

Horikita will play the character from the age of 16 up to her mid-30s. This is the first time that she has been cast as a doctor.

Filming is scheduled to begin in November of this year. The series will last 156 episodes, starting on April 2, 2012.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Uehara Sakura remarries
Posted on June 29, 2011 by tokyograph



The management agency of talento Uehara Sakura (34) announced on Wednesday that she has remarried. She and her husband registered their marriage on April 1, and they held their wedding ceremony in Guam earlier this month.

Uehara announced her engagement in December of last year. Her husband, Aoyama Koji, is the president of KRH & Co., a company whose operations include renting out scaffolding for construction sites.

Uehara was previously married to fashion producer Endo Noriaki from 2003 to 2009.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Aragaki Yui joins “Shinzanmono” movie cast
Posted on June 29, 2011 by tokyograph



Actress Aragaki Yui (23) has been added to the cast of the upcoming film “Kirin no Tsubasa: Gekijoban Shinzanmono.” This will be her first time appearing in a mystery movie.

The “Kirin no Tsubasa” movie was initially revealed in May. It is a continuation of the popular “Shinzanmono” drama series, which is based on Higashino Keigo’s “Kyoichiro Kaga” novel series. Like the drama, the movie stars Abe Hiroshi with a supporting cast of Mizobata Junpei and Kuroki Meisa.



Aragaki will play the role of Kaori, the girlfriend of a suspect in a murder case.

The last time Aragaki and Abe acted together was in the 2005 drama series “Dragon Zakura.”

“Kirin no Tsubasa” has been filming since May 12 and will continue until early July. Theatrical release is planned for January 2012.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Charts: Maeda Atsuko, Nishino Kana, AKB48
Posted on June 29, 2011 by tokyograph



AKB48 member Maeda Atsuko topped the charts this week with her solo debut single “Flower,” selling nearly 177,000 copies. The last female solo artist to take #1 with a debut single was Sawajiri Erika in 2006, when she released “Taiyou no Uta” under the name of Kaoru Amane. Counting only female solo artists who were first part of a group, the last one was Goto Maki in 2001 with “Ai no Bakayarou.”

At #2 on the singles chart was SHINee, tying with BEAST, MBLAQ, and SUPER JUNIOR for the highest ranking by a debut single from a Korean group. At more than 91,000 copies sold, SHINee’s release also set a new record for highest first-week sales for a Korean group’s debut single, surpassing SUPER JUNIOR’s “BONAMANA” that just set the same record two weeks ago.

    Maeda Atsuko – Flower – 176,967
    SHINee – Replay -Kimi wa Boku no everything- – 91,419
    AAA – No cry No more – 47,498
    T.M.Revolution – FLAGS – 38,496
    DIR EN GREY – DIFFERENT SENSE – 24,218
    Kaoru to Yuki, Tama ni Mook – Maru Maru Mori Mori! – 19,857
    GReeeeN – Hana Uta – 16,894
    AKB48 – Everyday, Kachusha – 12,259
    KinKi Kids – Time – 11,627
    Shinsengumi Lien – Iroito – 11,475



In albums, Nishino Kana led the charts with her “Thank you, Love” at just over 178,000 copies sold. She now has a streak of two consecutive #1 albums.

    Nishino Kana – Thank you, Love – 178,006
    Various Artists – Gintama BEST 2 – 91,626
    Superfly – Mind Travel – 64,911
    AKB48 – Koko ni Ita Koto – 38,558
    Lady Gaga – Born This Way – 35,745
    Shonannokaze – Shonannokaze ~Single Best~ – 34,971
    Shoujo Jidai – GIRLS' GENERATION – 33,438
    Various Artists – DJ KAORI'S PARTY MIX 2 – 17,705
    w-inds. – w-inds. 10th Anniversary Best Album -We dance for everyone- – 15,517
    w-inds. – w-inds. 10th Anniversary Best Album -We sing for you- – 15,003



Meanwhile, AKB48 set yet another record, this time with their music video collection DVD “AKB ga Ippai ~The Best Music Video~.” They topped the DVD rankings with approximately 209,000 copies sold, the highest first-week sales ever for a music DVD by a female artist. The previous record holder was Amuro Namie, whose “namie amuro BEST FICTION TOUR 2008-2009” sold 155,000 copies in its first week in 2009.

The Blu-ray version of “AKB ga Ippai ~The Best Music Video~” ranked #1 with 93,000 copies sold, also setting a new record for first-week sales.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Arashi’s Aiba Masaki hospitalized for collapsed lung
Posted on June 29, 2011 by tokyograph



Management agency Johnny's Jimusho has announced that Arashi member Aiba Masaki (28) is currently in the hospital due to spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung). On the night of June 28, Aiba complained of chest pain after finishing a recording for the television show “Arashi ni Shiyagare.” He was taken to a hospital for examination, where the doctor diagnosed the pneumothorax and had Aiba immediately admitted.

Aiba was re-examined the next morning, and it was determined that he indeed had a collapsed left lung. He was advised to remain hospitalized for about a week.

As a result of Aiba’s hospitalization, he has canceled some scheduled interviews. He will also be absent from Arashi’s rehearsals on June 30 and July 1 for their upcoming tour that kicks off on July 24.

This is the second time that Aiba has suffered from pneumothorax. In March 2002, he had a collapsed right lung as a result of practicing the saxophone too hard for a television show project. He underwent surgery as part of his treatment at that time, but it appears that surgery will not be necessary this time.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yamamoto Mona retires from show business
Posted on June 30, 2011 by tokyograph



Talento Yamamoto Mona (35) is finally calling it quits from the entertainment industry, after a turbulent career beset by scandal. On June 30, she suddenly announced to the media that she is fully retiring from show business, effective immediately.

One factor in her decision appears to be her marriage. Yamamoto got married in August of last year to the president of a real estate company, and they held their wedding ceremony in Hawaii this past April. In her announcement, she stated that at the time of her marriage, she once again reflected on her life up until then and how she wanted to live her life after that. She also said that she wants to “return” to using her real name now that she has married.

Yamamoto, who is half-Norwegian, started out as an announcer for the Asahi Broadcasting Corporation in 1998. She went freelance in 2005, signing with Kitano Takeshi’s management agency Office Kitano. She continued as an announcer, but her affair with politician Hosono Goshi that was discovered in 2006 forced her to temporarily withdraw from the spotlight. Yamamoto returned to television the following year, but another affair with Yomiuri Giants player Nioka Tomohiro led to another temporary break.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Tsumabuki Satoshi, Takei Emi co-star in “Ai to Makoto 201X”
Posted on June 30, 2011 by tokyograph



Kajiwara Ikki’s romance manga “Ai to Makoto” is being turned into a new live-action movie, titled “Ai to Makoto 201X.” Miike Takashi will direct the film, while Tsumabuki Satoshi (30) and Takei Emi (17) take on the starring roles.

“Ai to Makoto” was originally published between 1973 and 1976 in Weekly Shonen Magazine. It was highly successful, going on to sell 8 million copies. In 1974, it was adapted as a television drama, followed by three movies in 1974, 1975, and 1976.

The story tells of the love between a pure high school girl named Saotome Ai (Takei) and a high school delinquent named Taiga Makoto (Tsumabuki).

“Ai to Makoto 201X” is set for a 2012 release.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Maki Horikita to play doctor in postwar drama

Entertainment Jul. 04, 2011 - 05:55AM JST ( 19 )



TOKYO —

Actress Maki Horikita, 22, will play a doctor an NHK drama to air next year. The drama, which starts next April 2, is titled “Ume-chan sensei,” and is based on a screenplay by Masaya Ozaki.

Horikita plays the title character, Dr Ume, who becomes a doctor in Kamata, Tokyo after World War II. Horikita said the theme is one of recovery, and added that it is also relevant to Japan today, which is trying to recover from the devastation of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Ex-AKB48 member Shiho Watanabe places second in Miss Earth Japan contest

Entertainment Jul. 05, 2011 - 04:00AM JST ( 23 )



TOKYO —

Former AKB48 member Shiho Watanabe, 23, has won second place in the Miss Earth Japan contest. The top prize in the pageant was won by 24-year-old Tomoko Maeda. After placing second, Watanabe told the press, “Of course, it’s a little tough to come so close and not scoop the top prize, but then again, back in my AKB48 days, I never really stood out, so I guess it’s nice to be noticed.”

Watanabe says she is still in contact with the rest of the girls, adding, “I can’t wait to tell them about this.”

Watanabe was one of the original lineup, known to fans as the “first grade,” of AKB48 along with Atsuko Maeda, 19, who joined back in 2005. Watanabe “graduated” from the pop project with a final performance in October 2007.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Aki Hoshino promotes next-generation KFC store

Entertainment Jul. 06, 2011 - 04:00AM JST ( 47 )



TOKYO —

Bikini model turned TV personality Aki Hoshino, 34, attended a publicity event for KFC in Shinjuku this week. The event, titled “Facebook Chicken Check-in Project Launch,” was held to introduce the next generation of KFC stores. The new stores, which are currently under development in the capital, now have a “vegetable menu” as well as a new look.

Hoshino dutifully reproduced KFC slogans before telling the press, “I got my first ever part-time job here. When I was young, we only had KFC on birthdays and at Christmas. I wanted to have it every day.”

When she was asked the obligatory question about her love life, Hoshino confessed that she had been taking cooking classes with “talent” and friend Yuko Ogura, 27, in preparation for married life. Asked which of the pair was likely to marry first, Hoshino replied, “I’d imagine Yuko would be first, right?”

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Hitomi Kuroki, Junior Chihara given Best Swimmer awards

Entertainment Jul. 07, 2011 - 04:19AM JST ( 12 )



TOKYO —

Actress Hitomi Kuroki, 50, and comedian Junior Chihara, 37, have been honored at the 12th annual “Best Swimmer” awards. The pair were honored for helping to spread the popularity of the swimming.

“When I was a kid, I used to go swimming every day in the kind of river in which you’d expect to see a water sprite,” said Kuroki who also revealed that she has been taking part in “aquabics” for the past few years. “I like to collect my thoughts by exercising in water before I go on
stage. I feel water really affects me.”

Chihara revealed that he likes to visit Miyako Island in Okinawa every month. “I like to think of new material for TV shows while I swim. I think I used to be a sea creature in a past life, ” he said.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Maki Mizuno dodges question on marital bliss

Entertainment Jul. 07, 2011 - 08:00AM JST ( 11 )



TOKYO —

Actress Mizuno Maki, 41, made an appearance this week to promote the stage production “Light Snow,” which runs Oct 5-22 at Tokyo’s Imperial Theatre. It was her first public appearance since her husband, Masazumi Gotoda, 41, a member of the lower house for the Liberal Democratic Party, was spotted kissing and fondling a hostess in an expensive Tokyo bar.

When asked if her family will come and see her on stage, Mizuno—who was not wearing a wedding ring—simply nodded and said yes. She was also asked if Gotoda, who has been living separately, had returned home, she said “We have a perfect married life” with a smile, but did not elaborate.

Source: www.japantoday.com