The Golden Week holiday has come to an end. Here are some of the stories from the last few days. • On Monday, a ceremony was held to commemorate the "shichkaiki" (7th anniversary of a death) of X Japan guitarist Hide (photo). The traditional buddhist ceremony is actually held six years after someone's death. The ceremony was held at the Hide Museum in Yokosuka City, and 18,000 fans waited in a line that stretched 2km to pay their respects. Also in attendance were band members Yoshiki (38) and Pata (38). Notably absent was bandmate Toshi, who has been recently caught up in child abuse accusations. • Mini Moni played their last gig at the Saitama Super Arena on Monday. Leader Mika (19) is off to study in the US. • Singer Noguchi Goro (48) and his wife Mitsui Yuri (35) became parents for the second time. Mitsui gave birth to their first boy at a Tokyo hospital on Monday. • It was revealed this week that comedian Horiuchi Ken (34) of the trio Neptune had emergency surgery in late February following the discovery of testicular cancer. The loss of a testicle is the same fate suffered by fellow funny man Tanaka Yuji (38) of the duo Bakusho Mondai in 2000.
New teen singing sensation Tamaki Nami (15) played her first live concert in Tokyo yesterday. She performed 20 songs at the NHK Hall in Shibuya before 3,700 fans to start a brief tour. At the end of this month, she heads off to events to promote Asian entertainment in Los Angeles and San Jose. She will then take dance and voice lessons - and hopefully a trip to Disneyland - for two weeks before returning to Japan. Tamaki turned a lot of heads in the music business last year when she sold 300,000 copies of her debut single "Believe", also used as the opening theme of the popular anime Gundam Seed. • Fujioka Hiroshi (58), the original Gamen Raida (Masked Rider), said at a talk event yesterday that he wants to make a comeback as the motorcycle-riding superhero. Usually such statements are to generate publicity for a real project, but it seems there are currently no plans for the self-proclaimed modern "samurai" to revive his 1971-73 role as Gamen Raida #1. These days, the series is a launching pad for the careers of young "ikemen" - good-looking actors who are as popular with mothers as they are among the target audience of young boys.
Actress Mizuno Maki (34) and politician Gotoda Masazumi (34), who recently registered their marriage, will hold their wedding ceremony in the city of Tokushima tomorrow. Mizuno says she is a big Hugh Grant fan and plans to have the theme tune to one of his movies at the ceremony. Before leaving Tokyo, she attended a press conference for her upcoming TV Asahi drama, "Jakou" (Evil Light). The suspense story is based on a prize-winning bestseller novel from last year. Mizuno plays the heroine, whose husband – played by Sawamura Ikki (36) – cheats on her. Asked what she thought of such things, she replied "I guess it's okay if I don't know. Some things are just better not known. Secrets should be taken to the grave".
There will be two Japanese movies competing at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Oshii Mamoru's anime "Innocence" and "Nobody Knows" by Koreeda Hirokazu are both entered for the Palme d'Or grand prize. Japan's perennial #1 heart throb, Kimura Takuya (photo, 31) may also be in attendance, as he is a star of Wong Kar Wai's "2046", also selected for competition. • "Free caster" Katsu Keiko (37) and magazine editor Ebihara Takaaki (47) got married at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on Saturday. • Baseball legend Nomura Katsuya (68) and his wife Sachiyo (72) have both written new books. They gave a simultaneous "sain kai" (book signing) in Tokyo yesterday. Widely hated TV personality "Satchi" has dropped out of the limelight since highly publicized libel and tax evasion cases put her under an effective "gag order".
Fuji TV's summer drama series is to be a remake of the 1977 movie "Ningen no Shomei" (Proof of the Man). It will star Takenouchi Yutaka (33) and air at 10pm on Thursdays from July 8. Other big names lined up include veterans Matsuzaka Keiko (51) and Ogata Ken (66). The original movie teamed up some of the biggest Japanese stars of the time - Matsuda Yusaku, Mifune Toshiro, Tsuruta Koji - with Hollywood star George Kennedy. When an American is murdered in a Japanese inn, Tokyo detective Munesue (Matsuda) follows the trail of the killer to New York, where he teams up with detective Shuftan (Kennedy).
Dreams Come True vocalist Yoshida Miwa (photo, 39) announced yesterday that she had married video director Sueda Ken (30) in a small private ceremony. The couple have not registered their marriage, and have no plans to do so, making it unofficial in the law. They met on a DCT video shoot 2 and a half years ago, while Sueda was still married. He got a divorce in March of last year. • Nemoto Mitsuyo (46), better known as Mii of the pop duo Pink Lady, recently noticed that her bank account had been "skimmed" of \17 million. After reporting the theft to the police, it was discovered that the money had been withdrawn from her account over the course of the last six months. She hadn't missed the ATM card, which she says she seldom used.
Dreams Come True vocalist Yoshida Miwa (photo, 39) announced yesterday that she had married video director Sueda Ken (30) in a small private ceremony. The couple have not registered their marriage, and have no plans to do so, making it unofficial in the law. They met on a DCT video shoot 2 and a half years ago, while Sueda was still married. He got a divorce in March of last year.
sigh.. i don't know much about dreams come true.. but from that coupleof times i've watched them on tv.. i felt miwa's patrner seems so much better for her.. ^^''
Actress Mifune Mika (photo, 21) is four months pregnant with her first baby. The daughter of screen legend Mifune Toshiro married rock vocalist Takahashi Joji (45) on her 16th birthday in 1998. She announced the pregnancy as the reason for taking a break after finishing a recent stage production in Tokyo. • Tetsu (34), the red-sweatsuited half of comedy duo Tetsu & Tomo, announced this week that he recently got married on his bithday. His wife is a 29-year old accessory designer. Tetsu & Tomo got their break in showbiz last year with the "Nandedaro" song and dance routine. • Wedding bells also for comedian Nishii Ryuji (28) of the manzai duo Rainbaku, who announced this week that he tied the knot with 30-year company employee Sachimi way back on Valentine's Day. By the way, the name "Rainbaku" is a tribute to former Hanshin Tigers slugger Mike Reinbach, a popular star with the team in the late 1970s. • And former TV Asahi presenter Kawakita Momoko (29) is engaged to marry a 32-year old director at a company that produces shows for NTV
Actress Tomosaka Rie (photo, 24) is four months pregnant with her first child. She married producer and actor Kawahara Masahiko (34) in April of last year. She is currently starring alongside Yoshida Eisaku (35) in the TBS political drama series "Atarashii Kaze" (A New Wind), due to finish filming in June. • Kono Akiko (25), a "sub-caster" on the TV Asahi "Houdou Station" news show and member of the Japanese lacrosse team, is romantically linked with head coach and former national team player Okubo Yoshihiro (36).
Japanese movies are making a strong showing at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Koreda Hirokazu's "Nobody Knows", the first movie shown of the 19 works contending for the prestigious Palme d'Or, received a resounding ovation from the audience yesterday. It has a good chance of becoming the first Japanese movie to take the top prize since 1997's "Unagi". Leading actress You (photo, 39) - a veteran TV personality but in her first real dramatic role - said tearfully, "It was the longest round of applause I've ever heard!" The Ishii Katsuhito-directed "The Taste of Tea" was the first Japanese movie to be chosen to open the Director's Week at the event. The film stars Asano Tadahito (30) and includes a special appearance by SMAP member Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (29). Fellow SMAPer Kimura Takuya (31) stars in the Wong Kar Wai flick "2046", also showing at the festival.
Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 10291 Location: Matsuhama-cho, Ashiya-shi, Hyogo-ken, Japan Country:
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 10:43 am Post subject:
bmwracer wrote:
•Tetsu (34), the red-sweatsuited half of comedy duo Tetsu & Tomo, announced this week that he recently got married on his bithday. His wife is a 29-year old accessory designer. Tetsu & Tomo got their break in showbiz last year with the "Nandedaro" song and dance routine.•
Congrats to Tetsu. (I seen it on the KikuTV 6:00pm news yesterday.... or the day before??)
But Tetsu and Tomo are great!
bmwracer wrote:
Wedding bells also for comedian Nishii Ryuji (28) of the manzai duo Rainbaku, who announced this week that he tied the knot with 30-year company employee Sachimi way back on Valentine's Day. By the way, the name "Rainbaku" is a tribute to former Hanshin Tigers slugger Mike Reinbach, a popular star with the team in the late 1970s.•
Go Hanshin! *raises fist in air and yells out "Oooo!"*
On a side note, I wish Kiku would broadcast the Hanshin Tigers baseball live rather than the Yomiuri Giants. *sigh* Oh well. _________________
Over in South Korea, Amuro Namie (photo, 26) finished the final leg of her Asian tour at the Olympic gymnastics arena in Seoul on Saturday. The last show, for which she shared the headline with popular Korean male R&B singer Rain, brought the total number of fans for the three nights she played in Seoul to 25,000. The local media gave the event a lot of attention, welcoming Amuro as the "uta-hime" (song princess) of the Japanese pop world. • Another J-pop star trying to relive her glory days, Suzuki Ami (22), gave her showbiz comeback a good publicity boost by playing a "mini live" before a J-League game on Saturday. Wearing a Kashiwa Reysol shirt, 'Amigo' sang three songs, including her new single, before the game between Reysol and Kashima Antlers at the National Stadium.
Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 10291 Location: Matsuhama-cho, Ashiya-shi, Hyogo-ken, Japan Country:
Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 10:01 am Post subject:
bmwracer wrote:
Over in South Korea, Amuro Namie (photo, 26) finished the final leg of her Asian tour at the Olympic gymnastics arena in Seoul on Saturday. The last show, for which she shared the headline with popular Korean male R&B singer Rain, brought the total number of fans for the three nights she played in Seoul to 25,000. The local media gave the event a lot of attention, welcoming Amuro as the "uta-hime" (song princess) of the Japanese pop world.
Oooh! Amuro!
She deserves such a dub as "uta-hime" _________________
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Nonetheless, It should've kept me awake if it was good. 
