Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

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Juzo Itami Award founded to encourage artistic activities
Wednesday 26th November, 03:01 AM JST



TOKYO

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Sapporo names new image girl
Wed, November 26, 2008 (12:50am EST)

Sapporo Breweries announced its 2009 Image Girl on Tuesday. Taking over for the current representative Hinata Eto is 25-year-old fashion model Miyuki, who has been featured in several commercials and print ads. She regularly appears in the fashion magazine With.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Actor Nishimura hit by car
Wed, November 26, 2008 (3:16am EST)



Actor Kazuhiko Nishimura was recently injured in a traffic accident. According to police reports, Nishimura was biking through Tokyo's Meguro ward on Saturday morning, on his way to work. At around 8am, a car exiting from an alley collided with Nishimura's bicycle, and the actor was quickly taken to a hospital. He reportedly suffered a broken rib and other injuries which will take about three weeks to heal.

The driver, a 61-year-old self-employed man, is expected to be charged with negligent driving.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Comedian Nagai Hidekazu (38) has announced his return to Japanese show business. After an unsavory incident allegedly involving an underage prostitute in the Philippines last year, Nagai went to study English in the U.S. with the aim of being able to perform on the international stage. He held a press conference in Tokyo yesterday to announce his return, but what really grabbed the media's attention was the revelation that he and his wife of nine years, Minako (33), have divorced. He didn't clarify the exact cause, but his exploits while overseas no doubt had a lot to do with it. While visiting the Philippines in May 2007, Nagai obviously made the most of the nightlife but then found himself detained by local "police." They accused him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl and demanded that he pay

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Charts: UVERworld's first #1
Wed, November 26, 2008 (1:31am EST)



Rock band UVERworld has finally achieved their first #1 single with "Hakanakumo Towa no Kanashi." Currently used as the theme song for "Mobile Suit Gundam 00," the single sold 119,000 copies to easily take the top of the charts. At 71,000 copies, "Dream Fighter" by the popular trio Perfume ranked 2nd. Much further behind were the newest releases from GIRL NEXT DOOR (#3), Idoling!!! (#5), Ging Nang Boyz (#7), and ALI PROJECT (#9).



Meanwhile, boy band NEWS released their third album, "color." With 180,000 in sales, they extended their streak of having all of their singles and albums debut at #1.

Notably, the band flumpool took #2 with their album "Unreal," selling 111,000 copies. The group barely made their major label debut last month with a digital single, and now they have the best opening week for a debut album this year.

American band Guns N' Roses were #3 on the album charts. Also in the top ten were Noriyuki Makihara (#5), capsule (#6), and CHEMISTRY (#7).

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Ayaka joins Daniel Powter's concert
Thursday 27th November, 09:58 AM JST



TOKYO

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London Symphony Orchestra starts Japan tour
Thursday 27th November, 11:33 PM JST

LONDON

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Takeshi Kaneshiro, Takako Matsu to star in action movie
Friday 28th November, 05:25 AM JST



TOKYO

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Kano sisters release animation DVD starring their alter-egos
Friday 28th November, 06:21 AM JST



TOKYO

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Karina introduces her line of wedding dresses
Friday 28th November, 10:39 AM JST



TOKYO

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DJ OZMA to retire at end of year; become producer
Friday 28th November, 01:36 PM JST



TOKYO

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Newscaster Tamao Akae marries
Fri, November 28, 2008 (3:16pm EST)



TV Asahi newscaster Tamao Akae (33) recently tied the knot. Akae is a regular on "Super Morning," and she broke the good news during Thursday's show. Her husband is a 36-year-old staff member at the network.

The couple had been dating for about 6 years. They registered their marriage on November 23.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Aoi Miyazaki, Juri Ueno named Vogue's Women of the Year
Fri, November 28, 2008 (3:29pm EST)



The Japanese edition of Vogue magazine presented its 2008 Women of the Year awards on Wednesday. Nine women were given awards this year, including young actresses Aoi Miyazaki and Juri Ueno.

The other women honored were comedienne Harumi Edo, mangaka Yukari Ichijo, talento Suzanne, actress Kanako Higuchi, writer Mieko Kawakami, softball pitcher Yukiko Ueno, and author Jakucho Setouchi (who was unable to attend).

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Koyama stars in play based on "Phone Booth"
Fri, November 28, 2008 (3:48pm EST)



Keiichiro Koyama of NEWS will be starring in an upcoming play titled "Call," directed by Ayako Oki. The production is based on Larry Cohen's screenplay for the 2003 American suspense film "Phone Booth," which starred Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell and Katie Holmes.

The story of "Call" is similar to the movie, with Koyama playing a man stuck in a Kabukicho phone booth, threatened by a stranger over the phone. Koyama's supporting cast includes Maho Nonami, Masao Kusakari, Kumi Imura, and Kazuma Mori.

"Call" will be performed at The Globe Tokyo from January 30 to February 22 and at the Sankei Hall Breeze in Osaka from February 26 to March 1.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kaori Iida moves on after son's death
Fri, November 28, 2008 (9:36pm EST)



Former Morning Musume member Kaori Iida suffered the tragic loss of her son earlier this year, it was learned on Friday. Iida had given birth to her first child in January, but he died of chronic renal failure on July 27.

According to Iida's agency, the child began having kidney problems right after birth. He was kept in the hospital while receiving treatment, and Iida continued watching over him there. In April, the boy was released from the hospital. But on the morning of July 27, the child's health suddenly worsened and his kidneys ultimately failed.

Iida had reportedly been overwhelmed with grief, but she has gradually been able to overcome her grief. She has decided to return to work, starting with an Elder Club performance in Tokyo on January 10.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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NEWS' Tegoshi joins Horikita, Matsuyama in "Naku$hita Kioku"
Sat, November 29, 2008 (11:27pm EST)



Yuya Tegoshi of NEWS has been added to the cast of "Naku$hita Kioku," an upcoming movie by American director Hans Canosa. The film was announced earlier this week when it was revealed that Maki Horikita and Kenichi Matsuyama will be the co-stars.

The film, based on Gabrielle Zevin's "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac," tells the story of a high schooler named Naomi (Horikita) who loses the last four years of her memory in an accident. Tegoshi will play Mirai, her close friend.

Filming started this week. The movie is expected to be released in 2009, hopefully followed by a U.S. release in 2010.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Ichihara, Ueto named Best Dressers
Sat, November 29, 2008 (11:56pm EST)



The 37th Best Dresser Awards (organized by Japan Men's Fashion Unity) were held in Tokyo on Thursday. In the entertainment category, actor Hayato Ichihara and actress Aya Ueto were presented with awards.

Pro basketball player Yuta Tabuse took the sports award, while actor Yutaka Mizutani received a special prize. Other winners were Triumph International president Koichiro Yoshikoshi and mangaka Takehiko Inoue.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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EXILE to host variety show
Sun, November 30, 2008 (3:57am EST)



Next year, the popular group EXILE will be hosting a new show on NTV called "EXILE GENERATION." The program will be a mixture of documentary, music, and variety, and it will last half an hour late on Saturday nights (1:25am). NTV will begin airing the show on January 10.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Koizumi, Ayase win Fumiko Yamaji Awards
Sun, November 30, 2008 (4:30am EST)



The presentation ceremony of the 32nd Fumiko Yamaji Awards was held in Tokyo on Friday. The top winner this year was Kyoko Koizumi, who picked up the Actress Award for her performance in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Tokyo Sonata." The New Actress Award went to Haruka Ayase, whose latest works include "Cyborg She" ("Boku no Kanojo wa Cyborg"), "ICHI," and "Happy Flight."

Director Ryosuke Hashiguchi took the Film Award for "Gururi no Koto," while the Culture Award went to director Koji Wakamatsu ("United Red Army").

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Dragon Ash's BOTS now married
Sun, November 30, 2008 (7:55pm EST)



BOTS, the 30-year-old turntablist of rock band Dragon Ash, recently tied the knot. On Saturday, he and his wife registered their marriage and held their wedding ceremony.

BOTS' wife is a former classmate that he first became friends with 15 years ago during high school. About 10 years ago they started dating.

Around 100 people attended the wedding, where Dragon Ash performed an acoustic version of their new song "Tsunagari SUNSET." The afterparty held in Ginza had roughly 200 attendees, including artists such as RIP SLYME and Sukebo-King.

Source: www.tokyograph.com