Actress Yuki Uchida will make her first movie appearance in nine years, starring in Suzuki Matsuo's "Quiet Room ni Youkoso." The film is based on Matsuo's novel of the same name, which was a candidate for the 134th Akutagawa Prize. Uchida will play the role of Asuka Sakura, a divorced writer who ends up confined in a psychiatric hospital.

Uchida herself is divorced, having separated from actor Hidetaka Yoshioka in 2005 after three years of marriage. She began reappearing in television dramas last year, not having appeared in any since she married. So far, she has not publicly talked about the divorce.

"Quiet Room ni Youkoso" is scheduled to open by the end of the year. The rest of the cast includes Kankuro Kudo, Yu Aoi, Satoshi Tsumabuki, and Shinobu Otake.

Katsuhiro Otomo's "Bugmaster" (also known as "Mushishi") is currently playing in the Sundance Film Festival, and Toshiba Entertainment has reportedly received offers from more than ten countries, including the U.S.

The film stars Joe Odagiri and is based on the manga by Yuki Urushibara.

While broadcaster NHK is still dealing with the controversy created by DJ OZMA during the recent Kohaku Uta Gassen, one company has decided to capitalize on it. Party goods maker Clearstone will be selling bodysuits similar to the ones used by DJ OZMA's female back dancers to make them appear nude. The suits are slated to go on sale in March.

Clearstone has previously sold imitation costumes involving celebrities, such as Razor Ramon HG's trademark leather and a Matsuken Samba outfit. The company decided to sell the DJ OZMA outfits after many customers inquired if they had any.

The 36th International Film Festival Rotterdam opens on January 24. Several Japanese films will participate in the festival. Two of them ("Bakushi" by Ryuichi Hiroki and "Freesia - Bullet Over Tears" by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri) will be making their world premieres.

The following films will be making their international premieres during the IFFR:

• "Fourteen," Hiromasa Hirosue
• "The Matsugane Potshot Affair," Nobuhiro Yamashita
• "Strawberry Shortcakes," Hitoshi Yazaki
• "M," Ryuichi Hiroki

Two films will make their European premieres:

• "Dog Days Dream," Masahide Ichii
• "Lost in Tokyo," Kotaro Ikawa

Four other major Japanese films will participate in the festival:

• "Hana Yori Mo Naho," Hirokazu Koreeda
• "Nightmare Detective," Shinya Tsukamoto
• "Paprika," Satoshi Kon
• "Retribution," Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Of all these films, only Hiromasa Hirosue's "Fourteen" is in competition for a VPRO Tiger Award.

In the second announcement of FUNimation's Kickoff 2007, the company has officially announced their acquisition of the 26-episode "Suzuka" anime series. DVD releases are scheduled to begin in the spring or summer.

It was discovered on Tuesday that singer Rimi Natsukawa has separated from her management agency and is now independent. Her agency had wanted to build her career as a more traditional singer whose songs could have wide appeal across generations, but Natsukawa herself has decided that she wants to try pursuing pop music. Her contract expired on January 15.

Natsukawa has already finished recording her new single, "Furusato," and her new album, "Umuikaji." They will still go on sale as planned on February 7 and March 9, respectively.

Talento Asami Ishikawa gave birth to a healthy baby boy early Tuesday morning. The child weighed in at 2,782 grams.

Ishikawa married vocalist RYOJI of hip-hop group Ketsumeishi last July.

The official site of the Ri Kouran drama special states that it will air on February 11 and 12 in TV Tokyo's 8:54pm time slot. The special is about the life of Yoshiko Yamaguchi (also known as "Ri Kouran" and "Li Xianglan"), a successful actress/singer in the '40s and '50s who later served in the government and is currently a vice-president of the Asian Women's Fund. Aya Ueto stars in the drama.