The nominees for the 81st Annual Academy Awards were announced on Thursday. Two Japanese films made the list: Yojiro Takita's "Okuribito" ("Departures") is in the running for Foreign Language Film, while Kunio Kato's "Tsumiki no Ie" ("La Maison en Petits Cubes") is competing for Animated Short Film.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for February 22.

Takako Zenba (33), a caster on TBS's "NEWS23," got her second divorce a little more than a year ago, it was reported on Thursday. According to Shukan Shincho, she separated from her last husband after only two years of marriage.

In May 2001, Zenba married a salaryman whom she had been dating since college, but they divorced in February 2003. Then in October 2005, she married a Sony employee, and she left NHK a few months later to live with her husband in London, where he worked. However, she returned to Japan alone after she was appointed as a regular on "NEWS23" in September 2006. Her husband later returned to Japan as well, but they ended up divorcing at the end of 2007.

Some details are now available about Yui Aragaki's third single, "piece," which goes on sale February 25.

The title track is written by singer-songwriter Minako Kawae and arranged by Motoki Matsuoka. Matsuoka also handled her previous song "heavenly days," which became a hit after it was used in the movie "Koizora."

The B-sides on the single are "Sparkle," with lyrics written by Aragaki, and "Anata ni," a cover of the famous song by MONGOL800.

The winners of the 63rd Mainichi Film Awards were announced on Wednesday. This year's Grand Prize was taken by Yojiro Takita's "Okuribito," continuing its trophy-winning streak.

The awards will be presented on February 4. The winners are as follows:

• Grand Prize: Okuribito (directed by Yojiro Takita)
• Best Film: Gururi no Koto (directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi)
• Best Foreign Film: The Dark Knight
• Best Actor: Hiroshi Abe (Aoi Tori, Aruitemo Aruitemo)
• Best Actress: Eiko Koike (Seppun)
• Best Supporting Actor: Masato Sakai (After School, Climber's High, Jersey no Futari)
• Best Supporting Actress: Keiko Matsuzaka (Hotaru no Haka)
• Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award: Haruma Miura (Naoko), Riisa Naka (Junkissa Isobe)
• Kinuyo Tanaka Award: Kimiko Yo
• Best Director: Koji Wakamatsu (United Red Army)
• Best Screenplay: Ryosuke Hashiguchi (Gururi no Koto)
• Best Cinematography: Tomohiko Tsuji (United Red Army)
• Best Art Direction: Kyoko Yauchi (Nishi no Majo ga Shinda)
• Best Music: Taro Iwashiro (Yami no Kodomotachi)
• Best Sound: Satoshi Ozaki (Okuribito)
• Technical Award: Towako Kuwajima, Takayuki Masuo, Shinji Tsuchiya, Masahide Yanagawase (visual effects in Pako to Mahou no Ehon)
• Best Animated Film: The Sky Crawlers (directed by Mamoru Oshii)
• Noburo Ofuji Award: Gake no Ue no Ponyo, for Hayao Miyazaki's creative expression
• Best Documentary: Hana wa Doko e Itta (directed by Masako Sakata)
• Fan Award (Domestic Film): Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai
• Fan Award (Foreign Film): Red Cliff: Part I
• Special awards: director Kon Ichikawa, actor Ken Ogata, cinematographer Hiroshi Kusuda

Mangaka Tomoko Ninomiya, best known for the "Nodame Cantabile" series, revealed on her blog that she currently has carpal tunnel syndrome. As a result, Ninomiya is extending the hiatus on "Nodame Cantabile."

Ninomiya has been on break from work since October due to her pregnancy. In November, she said she experienced pain in her shoulder and arm after the child's birth. She continued to have difficulty writing, and later that month, she was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.