On Friday, the Osaka District Court delivered a verdict of not guilty in the high-profile trial of actor Kenji Haga. Haga was arrested last year on charges of fraud and attempted extortion, along with his supposed accomplice, former boxing champion Jiro Watanabe. Prosecutors were seeking sentences of 8 years and 4 years for the two men, respectively, but both have been acquitted.

The trial's hearings had concluded in May of this year, but Haga's defense requested that the hearings be reopened. Haga was accused of defrauding a man by selling him stocks worth significantly less than the asking price, but it was argued that the victim was aware of the stocks' actual worth. In delivering the verdict, the judge stated that there were still doubts about the victim's testimony.

Most cases in Japan that are sent to trial end in a guilty verdict, and it is very rare that an innocent verdict is delivered in a case where the prosecution is confident enough to seek a long sentence.

Haga is currently discussing with his agency the possibility of a return to show business.

BOTS, the 30-year-old turntablist of rock band Dragon Ash, recently tied the knot. On Saturday, he and his wife registered their marriage and held their wedding ceremony.

BOTS' wife is a former classmate that he first became friends with 15 years ago during high school. About 10 years ago they started dating.

Around 100 people attended the wedding, where Dragon Ash performed an acoustic version of their new song "Tsunagari SUNSET." The afterparty held in Ginza had roughly 200 attendees, including artists such as RIP SLYME and Sukebo-King.

31-year-old actress Mahiru Konno just got married. On Saturday, she and her husband, an airplane pilot working for JAL, held their wedding at a Tokyo hotel.

The two were classmates in junior high and high school. Years later, after Konno had left the Takarazuka Revue, they met again by chance and struck up a relationship.

Konno said that she plans to continue her acting career.

The presentation ceremony of the 32nd Fumiko Yamaji Awards was held in Tokyo on Friday. The top winner this year was Kyoko Koizumi, who picked up the Actress Award for her performance in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Tokyo Sonata." The New Actress Award went to Haruka Ayase, whose latest works include "Cyborg She" ("Boku no Kanojo wa Cyborg"), "ICHI," and "Happy Flight."

Director Ryosuke Hashiguchi took the Film Award for "Gururi no Koto," while the Culture Award went to director Koji Wakamatsu ("United Red Army").

Early next year, Masaki Aiba of Arashi will be starring in a new stage production titled "Greenfingers," adapted from the 2000 movie of the same name that was directed by Joel Hershman. The original film was based on a true story about a group of British prisoners who take up gardening and go on to compete in a major flower show.

Mikijiro Hira, Aiko Ito, and Jundai Yamada will play supporting roles. "Greenfingers" will be performed in Tokyo at the Aoyama Theatre from February 23 to March 10, and in Osaka at the Umeda Arts Theater from March 20 to March 23.

Next year, the popular group EXILE will be hosting a new show on NTV called "EXILE GENERATION." The program will be a mixture of documentary, music, and variety, and it will last half an hour late on Saturday nights (1:25am). NTV will begin airing the show on January 10.