Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

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Tamaki Ogawa, Keralino Sandorovich marry
Sat, March 7, 2009 (3:52am EST)



Actress Tamaki Ogawa (37) just got married on Friday to musician/playwright/director Keralino Sandorovich (46). Sandorovich, whose real name is Kazumi Kobayashi, announced the marriage on his blog.

The couple began dating in May 2007 after Ogawa acted in her first play by Sandorovich's theater troupe, Nylon 100癈.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Mizumoto's ex-wife seeks damages for alleged affair with Kago
Sat, March 7, 2009 (2:19pm EST)



In January, FRIDAY reported a romance between Ai Kago (20) and actor Hidejiro Mizumoto (33), but the rumor was denied by Kago's agency at the time. Now, the matter has surfaced again, as Mizumoto's ex-wife is seeking damages against both Mizumoto and Kago.

Mizumoto and his wife, Asato (25), had divorced on January 8, before the FRIDAY article had appeared. But Asato claims that the reason for their divorce is that Mizumoto and Kago were having an affair. As a result, she is seeking monetary damages, reportedly on the order of 10 million yen from Kago and 50 million yen from Mizumoto. She is also asking for some of Mizumoto's assets and child support for their three children. The judge has apparently already received Asato's claim, which means that the matter may be taken to court if it is not settled.

Kago met Mizumoto through his mother, the psychic Yoshiko Shimo, whom Kago had often consulted before her comeback to show business. The pair reportedly became intimate after working together on the movie "Benten-dori no Hitobito," which opens in April.

Asato plans to submit Mizumoto's script for "Benten-dori no Hitobito" as evidence. In the back, Kago wrote a message to Mizumoto, which included lines like "I love you" and "If we get married, I want to have a boy," ending jokingly with "This message is a work of fiction."

It is also said that Kago has been living with Mizumoto in his apartment in Kanagawa since the end of last year. Asato has obtained photographic evidence of Kago's underwear, clothes, cosmetics, and other items at the apartment.

Kago's agency has declined to comment.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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A huge number of TV viewers tuned in for last Saturday's big baseball game between Japan and Korea. The Koreans have been a major hurdle for the Japanese team in recent big events, such as the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 and last summer's Beijing Olympics, and a tough battle was anticipated. The live broadcast was watched by 37.8% of households in the Kanto region (with a peak of 46.3%), and 40.1% in the Kansai area (49.7% peak). The atmosphere at Tokyo Dome was electric as superstar and team leader Ichiro stepped up to the plate. He reversed his batting slump so far in the tournament and led the team with three hits. In the end, Japan thrashed their rivals by a 14-2 scoreline that under WBC rules meant the game was called in the seventh inning.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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Hollywood star Tom Cruise (46) has brought his whole family to Japan with him for the first time. He arrived in Tokyo yesterday with his wife, actress Katie Holmes (30) and their daughter Suri (2). They flew by private jet into Narita Airport, where they were greeted by about 1,000 fans, before transferring to a helicopter for the trip to the Roppongi Ark Hills complex in central Tokyo. Cruise is in town to promote the WWII movie "Valyrie," which opens here March 20, and the helicopter was painted with a promo for the flick. Cruise and family will be here until Thursday and attend the movie's Japan premiere.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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Actress Maiko Ito marries
Tue, March 10, 2009 (2:07am EDT)



Actress Maiko Ito (44) got married earlier this year, it was learned on Monday. On January 20, she tied the knot with a salaryman five years younger than her.

The couple apparently met nearly 10 years ago, when they were part of a neighborhood group of dog owners. After Ito's golden retriever died 6 years ago, she left the group, but three years later she reunited with the man and their romance began.

The pair mutually decided to get married on January 17, and they formally registered the marriage three days later. After that, they bought a new apartment in Tokyo and have been living together.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Ikimono Gakari does another "Naruto" theme
Tue, March 10, 2009 (2:42am EDT)



Rising rock band Ikimono Gakari is doing the newest opening theme song for popular anime series "Naruto Shippuden." They already provided the opening theme "Blue Bird" for the series last year, which became their highest-ranked single on the charts at #3.

This time, their song is titled "Hotaru no Hikari." No CD release date has been set yet, but the song will be available as a ringtone starting April 9, the same day the song debuts on the show.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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TELEVIEWS / Change isn抰 always for the better

March 6, 2009 by J!-ENT

In an excerpt from the latest Televiews column by Wm. Penn for the Daily Yomiuri, Penn comments on how the networks in Japan are doing things differently by switching up schedules (note: in Japan, unlike the US, rarely do you see shows change from its time slot and day of airing):

Change is coming. Prepare to be discombobulated. Every new season brings schedule alterations such as Fuji TV抯 plans to replace the romance-seekers

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Anime giant Miyazaki to open atelier in Toyota Motor's HQ

Tuesday 10th March, 03:25 AM JST



TOKYO

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Asashoryu makes his modeling debut in Shibuya Girls Collection
Monday 09th March, 09:57 AM JST



TOKYO

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Namie Amuro rocks Yokohama with 30 song non-stop show
Monday 09th March, 03:00 PM JST



YOKOHAMA

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Jero to sing at opening of cherry blossom festival in Washington
Sunday 08th March, 06:17 AM JST



WASHINGTON

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Akina Minami to appear in new 'Kamen Rider' movie
Monday 09th March, 05:18 AM JST



TOKYO

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Aki Hoshino to co-host new interview show on NHK
Friday 06th March, 05:16 AM JST



TOKYO

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Maki Horikita flying high in animated 3D movie
Sunday 08th March, 04:25 AM JST



TOKYO

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Globetrotting pop idol Rieko recounts tumultuous trips to 54 countries
Saturday 07th March, 04:47 AM JST



TOKYO

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French Film Festival set for March 12-15
Saturday 07th March, 04:05 AM JST

By Sarah Cortina

TOKYO

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Junji Takada causes minor injury in traffic accident
Tue, March 10, 2009 (3:16am EDT)



Talento Junji Takada (62) recently caused a traffic accident in Tokyo's Meguro ward while returning home from work. At around 1:35am on March 10, he was making a right turn at an intersection when he collided with a minibike coming from the opposite direction. The bike's 19-year-old male driver was knocked down and suffered a minor injury to his shoulder.

According to the police report, Takada was not properly watching the traffic ahead of him. The case is being sent to the prosecutor's office for negligent driving.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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ONE OK ROCK's first drama theme
Tue, March 10, 2009 (4:13am EDT)



The band ONE OK ROCK has been tapped for their first theme song for a television drama. "Around the World Shonen," their 4th single, will be used in the manga-to-drama adaptation "God Hand Teru" that starts on TBS next month.

ONE OK ROCK made their major label debut in 2007. Vocalist Taka helped gain the group some attention for being the son of singers Shinichi Mori and Masako Mori, as well as being a former member of the idol group NEWS. The band's last album, "Kanjou Effect," charted at #13 in November.

"Around the World Shonen" goes on sale May 6.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Eiji Okuda's daughter tries filmmaking with "Love Vibes" adaptation
Tue, March 10, 2009 (4:01am EDT)



Momoko Ando, the 26-year-old daughter of actor Eiji Okuda and talento/essayist Kazu Ando, is making her debut as a film director. Her first work is titled "Kakera," based on the manga series "LOVE VIBES" by Erica Sakurazawa.



Like "LOVE VIBES," the movie is about a love relationship between two women. Hikari Mitsushima plays Haru, a college student with an unfaithful boyfriend, while Eriko Nakamura plays Riko, a "medical artist" who deals with making artificial limbs.

The project has been in development for a while, but it was halted due to various circumstances. The film was eventually resumed after Okuda's production company Zero Pictures took over.

Rino Katase and Masahiko Tsugawa have reportedly been attached as cast members. Nakamura Brace, a Shimane-based prosthetics company, was involved in the research and script development. James Iha, the former guitarist of rock band Smashing Pumpkins, has been chosen to handle the music.

Ando, who studied in London and New York, has previous experience as film production staff, starting with Okuda's directorial debut "Shojo: An Adolescent" in 2001. However, this is her first time taking the helm. The movie was shot this past autumn, and Ando is aiming to finish editing next month, in time for a possible showing at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Romance has bloomed between comedian Date Mikio (34) and freelance announcer Kumagai Maiko (38), according to today's issue of weekly gossip magazine "Flash." The pair are both natives of Sendai City in northern Japan and are said to have started dating last October. Kumagai is a presenter on such shows as Fuji TV's "Tokudane," while Date is one half of the manzai duo Sandwichman, who made their breakthrough last year.

Source: www.japan-zone.com