Mon, September 17, 2007 (10:18pm EDT)
On the 12th, talento Yui Asaka gave birth to her first child, a daughter. She has been married to drummer Takahiro Nishikawa since 2002.
Mon, September 17, 2007 (5:15pm EDT)
On Monday, actress Maki Horikita made a special guest appearance at the Shibuya Girls Collection fashion event at Studio Coast in Shin-kiba, Tokyo. Along with several male cast members of the "Hana Kimi" drama series, she appeared on stage in the school uniform from the show. Later, she served as a model in the men's fashion segment of the event.
She and the other actors, which included Yusuke Yamamoto and Ryo Kimura, also took the opportunity to promote their show. The two-hour series finale airs at 9:00pm on the 18th.
She and the other actors, which included Yusuke Yamamoto and Ryo Kimura, also took the opportunity to promote their show. The two-hour series finale airs at 9:00pm on the 18th.
Mon, September 17, 2007 (4:57pm EDT)
On Monday, talent agency Amuse wrapped up a nationwide audition in honor of its 30th anniversary since its establishment.
The Grand Prix winner, chosen from an overall field of 65,368 contestants, was 13-year-old Kurumi Shimizu from Aichi Prefecture. Her strong point was her dancing skills, which she has been developing since the age of 3.
Her victory earned her 1 million yen and the right to appear in a movie produced by Amuse. "I want to become an actress like Juri Ueno," Shimizu said.
The Grand Prix winner, chosen from an overall field of 65,368 contestants, was 13-year-old Kurumi Shimizu from Aichi Prefecture. Her strong point was her dancing skills, which she has been developing since the age of 3.
Her victory earned her 1 million yen and the right to appear in a movie produced by Amuse. "I want to become an actress like Juri Ueno," Shimizu said.
Mon, September 17, 2007 (4:32pm EDT)
Actress Etsuko Nami has married cinematographer Hiroshi Ogata, it was revealed on Monday. The two registered their marriage on the 16th.
This is the third marriage for the 56-year-old actress. According to a close source, Nami and Ogata first met around 30 years ago, but they didn't start dating until a few years after her second divorce, which happened in 1980.
During their long relationship, they broke up and got together again multiple times. In 2004, Nami temporarily left show business due to health problems (palmoplantar pustulosis and arthritis). Because of her illness, Ogata moved in with her to care for her, and this ultimately led to their decision to finally tie the knot.
This is the third marriage for the 56-year-old actress. According to a close source, Nami and Ogata first met around 30 years ago, but they didn't start dating until a few years after her second divorce, which happened in 1980.
During their long relationship, they broke up and got together again multiple times. In 2004, Nami temporarily left show business due to health problems (palmoplantar pustulosis and arthritis). Because of her illness, Ogata moved in with her to care for her, and this ultimately led to their decision to finally tie the knot.
Mon, September 17, 2007 (5:25am EDT)
Monday is Respect for the Aged Day in Japan, prompting Oricon to conduct a new survey: "Which celebrity would be a wonderful grandfather/grandmother?"
In a repeat of last year's similar survey, Ken Utsui and Mitsuko Mori came out on top.
The rest of the men's top ten were: Shunji Fujimura, Rentaro Mikuni, Hideji Otaki, Ken Ogata, Yuzo Kayama, Hisaya Morishige and Junji Takada (tied for #7), Kinichi Hagimoto, and Tetsuya Watari tied for tenth with Shigeru Izumiya and Tamori.
Excluding Mori, the women's list consisted of: Kaoru Yachigusa, Yoko Nogiwa, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Kirin Kiki, Kin Sugai, Tamao Nakamura, Mitsuko Kusabue, and Tetsuko Kuroyanagi tied for ninth with Pinko Izumi.
In a repeat of last year's similar survey, Ken Utsui and Mitsuko Mori came out on top.
The rest of the men's top ten were: Shunji Fujimura, Rentaro Mikuni, Hideji Otaki, Ken Ogata, Yuzo Kayama, Hisaya Morishige and Junji Takada (tied for #7), Kinichi Hagimoto, and Tetsuya Watari tied for tenth with Shigeru Izumiya and Tamori.
Excluding Mori, the women's list consisted of: Kaoru Yachigusa, Yoko Nogiwa, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Kirin Kiki, Kin Sugai, Tamao Nakamura, Mitsuko Kusabue, and Tetsuko Kuroyanagi tied for ninth with Pinko Izumi.
Mon, September 17, 2007 (4:59am EDT)
The 40th Sitges Film Festival, which takes place on October 4-14, has announced its complete lineup.
The Japanese titles being screened are:
In addition, Japan has four entries in the short animation program: Koji Yamamura's "Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor"; Mirai Mizue's "Lost Utopia"; Shoji Goto's video for the song "UMO" by Japanese band OOIOO; and "Wolfie the Pianist" by Toshiki Iwahori and Yasuyuki Shimizu.
The full list can be found on the official Sitges website.
The Japanese titles being screened are:
- "Dainipponjin" - Hitoshi Matsumoto
- "Mushishi" - Katsuhiro Otomo
- "Sukiyaki Western Django" - Takashi Miike
- "Kantoku Banzai!" - Takeshi Kitano
- "Brave Story" - Koichi Chigira
- "Tales from Earthsea" - Goro Miyazaki
- "Tekkon Kinkreet" - Michael Arias
- "Vexille 2077 Nihon Sakoku" - Fumihiko Sori
- "Dororo" - Akihiko Shiota
- "Kuchisake-Onna" - Koji Shiraishi
In addition, Japan has four entries in the short animation program: Koji Yamamura's "Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor"; Mirai Mizue's "Lost Utopia"; Shoji Goto's video for the song "UMO" by Japanese band OOIOO; and "Wolfie the Pianist" by Toshiki Iwahori and Yasuyuki Shimizu.
The full list can be found on the official Sitges website.
Mon, September 17, 2007 (4:33am EDT)
The 2007 World Judo Championships ended on Sunday with a seventh world title for Ryoko Tani. Tani defeated Yanet Bermoy of Cuba to win her seventh world title in the 48kg class.
Tani has won the gold medal for her class in the last two Olympic Games, and in every World Championship since 1993 except for the last one in 2005. She missed the event that year due to pregnancy, and Bermoy took the title in her absence.
Japan picked up two other gold medals at this year's Championships: Maki Tsukada defeated Slovenia's Lucija Polavder in the women's open class, and Yasuyuki Muneta bested Yury Rybak of Belarus in the men's open class.
In the end, Japan tied with Brazil for the most gold medals. Two silver medals were won by Sae Nakazawa (losing to Cuba's Yurisel Laborde in the 78kg class) and Tsukada (losing to China's Tong Wen in the over-78kg class), while four other Japanese competitors earned bronze medals: Yusuke Kanamaru, Yuka Nishida, Aiko Sato, and Ayumi Tanimoto.
Tani has won the gold medal for her class in the last two Olympic Games, and in every World Championship since 1993 except for the last one in 2005. She missed the event that year due to pregnancy, and Bermoy took the title in her absence.
Japan picked up two other gold medals at this year's Championships: Maki Tsukada defeated Slovenia's Lucija Polavder in the women's open class, and Yasuyuki Muneta bested Yury Rybak of Belarus in the men's open class.
In the end, Japan tied with Brazil for the most gold medals. Two silver medals were won by Sae Nakazawa (losing to Cuba's Yurisel Laborde in the 78kg class) and Tsukada (losing to China's Tong Wen in the over-78kg class), while four other Japanese competitors earned bronze medals: Yusuke Kanamaru, Yuka Nishida, Aiko Sato, and Ayumi Tanimoto.
