Fri, September 26, 2008 (3:23am EDT)
An unpublished song by legendary singer Hibari Misora has reportedly been discovered, and it will be released to the public later this month. Titled "Au wa Wakare no," the song is said to resemble her 1966 hit "Kanashii Sake." It was composed by Yoshiyuki Kozu, with lyrics written by his wife, actress Meiko Nakamura. During her lifetime, Misora was good friends with the couple and she created 11 songs with them, though this was the only one to never be publicly released.
The song was apparently found just this month. In April, the Hibari Misora museum was reopened, and as a related project, all of her songs were cataloged to create a "customized CD" system, which let fans create their own album composed of their 20 favorites songs from her 559 singles. Earlier this month, 120 songs taken from her albums were added to that list, and in the process, Columbia Records found the recording of "Au wa Wakare no."
The song will be heard by the public for the first time on Saturday during an evening special on TV Asahi. It will then be made available only through the "customized CD" system, starting on October 1.
The song was apparently found just this month. In April, the Hibari Misora museum was reopened, and as a related project, all of her songs were cataloged to create a "customized CD" system, which let fans create their own album composed of their 20 favorites songs from her 559 singles. Earlier this month, 120 songs taken from her albums were added to that list, and in the process, Columbia Records found the recording of "Au wa Wakare no."
The song will be heard by the public for the first time on Saturday during an evening special on TV Asahi. It will then be made available only through the "customized CD" system, starting on October 1.
Fri, September 26, 2008 (2:59am EDT)
The recently-debuted duo Kimaguren will be handling the theme song of the Fuji TV drama series "ROOM OF KING," which starts next month. After releasing the hit song "LIFE" in May and the chart-topping album "ZUSHI" in July, expectations are high for this new tune, a Latin-influenced number called "Ai NEED."
Moreover, Kimaguren will be doing not just the theme song, but also the insert song and the entire drama soundtrack. The experiment is being compared to the drama "Fuzoroi no Ringotachi" in the early '80s, which Southern All Stars did the music for.
"ROOM OF KING," which stars Hiro Mizushima and Anne Suzuki, premieres on October 4. "Ai NEED" goes on sale November 19.
Moreover, Kimaguren will be doing not just the theme song, but also the insert song and the entire drama soundtrack. The experiment is being compared to the drama "Fuzoroi no Ringotachi" in the early '80s, which Southern All Stars did the music for.
"ROOM OF KING," which stars Hiro Mizushima and Anne Suzuki, premieres on October 4. "Ai NEED" goes on sale November 19.
Fri, September 26, 2008 (2:29am EDT)
Kumi Koda's 41st single, "TABOO," is being used as the theme song of NTV's broadcast of the 2008 FILA Wrestling World Championships. This year's championships include only the female freestyle event, which will see performances by repeat medalists Saori Yoshida and Kyoko Hamaguchi, among others.
The championships are taking place in the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on October 11-13. "TABOO" goes on sale October 8.
The championships are taking place in the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on October 11-13. "TABOO" goes on sale October 8.
Fri, September 26, 2008 (1:56am EDT)
34-year-old NHK announcer Yumie Yoshiba has tied the knot, it was learned on Thursday. Her husband is a 26-year-old employee of KDN Sports Japan, a baseball management agency run by Dan Nomura, the son of Rakuten Eagles manager Katsuya Nomura.
As a host of NHK's "Sunday Sports," Yoshiba met the man through work in 2006, and their relationship developed from there. By the start of this year, they were already living together and had announced to their friends that they were engaged. They finally registered their marriage last Friday.
This is Yoshiba's second marriage. The former Miss Keio wedded a young entrepreneur in 2001, but they later divorced.
As a host of NHK's "Sunday Sports," Yoshiba met the man through work in 2006, and their relationship developed from there. By the start of this year, they were already living together and had announced to their friends that they were engaged. They finally registered their marriage last Friday.
This is Yoshiba's second marriage. The former Miss Keio wedded a young entrepreneur in 2001, but they later divorced.
Fri, September 26, 2008 (1:01am EDT)
Korean-born actress Yoon Son Ha became a mother on Thursday, giving birth to a baby boy at a Seoul hospital.
Yoon, who had been building a career in Japan, married a Korean businessman in September 2006 and permanently moved to Seoul, returning to her fanbase in Korea. She plans to get back to work by the start of next year.
Yoon, who had been building a career in Japan, married a Korean businessman in September 2006 and permanently moved to Seoul, returning to her fanbase in Korea. She plans to get back to work by the start of next year.
