Comedian Hiroshi Tamura (Kirin) has just experienced his first media-reported romance. This week's issue of Josei Seven says that the 28-year-old Tamura is seeing 22-year-old talento Etsuko Kanagae, though the comedian insists that they're only friends.

Josei Seven wrote that earlier this month, Tamura and Kanagae went together to a cell phone shop in Umeda, Osaka. Tamura patiently waited for Kanagae to choose a phone, then paid for it at the register. One customer reportedly witnessed the pair holding hands as they left the store.

Kanagae is a reporter on a Kansai-area morning show and serves as an assistant on TBS's "Tokyo Friend Park II." She was also selected as the Kansai representative in the 2005 Miss Japan competition.

Actress Mayumi Sada has a new man in her life, according to the newest issue of FRIDAY magazine. The 30-year-old Sada is said to be dating 35-year-old Kunichi Nomura, a multimedia creator.

FRIDAY reported that Nomura spent a night at the home of Sada's family, and the next morning, they were seen sharing a kiss at the front door. An acquaintance of the couple told the magazine that they had only started going out recently. Sada's agency declined to comment.

Sada was previously in a relationship with EXILE leader HIRO, but it was learned a few months ago that they broke up during the spring of last year.

MAKIDAI, of the popular group EXILE, will be releasing a mix album next month titled "Treasure Mix." He has been active as a DJ for more than 10 years, but this will be his first solo release. The mix includes approximately 30 songs, almost all by Western artists such as Ne-Yo and Black Eyed Peas. The one exception is a collaboration between MAKIDAI and R&B artist DOUBLE, covering Mary J. Blige's "Real Love."

"Treasure Mix" goes on sale August 27.

Nikkan Sports has completed its Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix for the spring season, which counts as the first quarter of the 2008 awards. A total of 8,350 votes were gathered during the first ten days of July.

Fuji TV's Monday night series "CHANGE" took two awards. It edged out "Last Friends" by 129 votes to be named Best Drama, and Takuya Kimura overwhelmed "ROOKIES" star Ryuta Sato by a margin of almost 2,200 votes in the race for Best Actor.

Yuki Amami was voted Best Actress for her role in "Around 40." The next closest choices were Aoi Miyazaki and Yukie Nakama.

"Last Friends" picked up the remaining two categories, Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Ryo Nishikido only collected 1,100 votes, but it was enough to defeat Hiroshi Abe and the rest. Juri Ueno, considered only a supporting cast member to Masami Nagasawa, pulled in more than 2,500 votes, with Eri Fukatsu slightly less than 400 votes away.

Gravure idol site ZAKZAK announced on Wednesday that Yuko Ogura (24) has won the 1st Japan Gravure Idol Award. The result was based on photobook and DVD sales, internet votes, and other factors.

23-year-old Mina Fukui was chosen for the Newcomer Award.