The 48th Japan Record Awards were held on Saturday, and Kiyoshi Hikawa's "Ikken" claimed the top prize over nine other nominees. Hikawa is the first male solo artist to win the award since Saburo Kitajima in 1991, and the first enka artist to win since Kaoru Kozai in 1993.

Among the other awards given out, Kumi Koda won for Best Singer and Ayaka received the prize for Best New Artist.

Popular Johnny's group NEWS will be making its return for the Johnny's Countdown 2006-2007 event being held on New Year's Eve. The group has been on suspension since May after two of its members (Hiroki Uchi and Hironori Kusano) were caught for underage drinking.

NEWS will resume work without Uchi and Kusano, leaving the group with only 6 members. Since the drinking incident, Uchi has also been withdrawn from his other group Kanjani8. Both Uchi and Kusano will remain with Johnny's, but will be returned to trainee status.

As for NEWS, details of an upcoming single and a concert tour will be announced early next month.

Kenji Haga and his wife Mayu Yamada finally held their wedding ceremony yesterday at the Central Union Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. The couple has been legally married since October.

Haga and Yamada will remain in Hawaii until January 10.