Naoki Prize-winning author Kaori Ekuni is having her novel "Sweet Little Lies" adapted to the big screen. The film, directed by Hitoshi Yasaki, will star actress Miki Nakatani and actor Nao Omori.

Nakatani and Omori play a married couple who haven't had sex in three years. However, they are both having affairs, and the little lies they tell each other gradually pile up. Nakatani's older lover is portrayed by former ballet dancer Juichi Kobayashi, while Omori's lover is a younger woman who attended the same university as him, played by Chizuru Ikewaki.

"Sweet Little Lies" is scheduled to open in theaters early next year.

Last week, singer Nana Mizuki released her seventh album, "ULTIMATE DIAMOND." With more than 74,000 in sales, it picked up the #1 ranking for the week, making her the first voice actor to top either the albums or singles chart since Oricon began publishing sales rankings in 1968.

Rock band the pillows had the only other new domestic music release in the top ten albums this week, ranking #7.

On the singles chart, YUI made her return to the top of the rankings with "again," which was chosen as the opening theme of the current "Fullmetal Alchemist" anime series. It sold nearly 111,000 copies in its first week.

This week's top ten singles also included new releases from Berryz Koubou (#4), 9mm Parabellum Bullet (#5), and Fudanjuku (#7).

37-year-old comedian Hosshan recently became a father, it was announced on Tuesday. On the morning of June 2nd, his wife gave birth to a son weighing 3,316 grams.

Hosshan, a regular on TBS's "Hiruobi!," married his wife in November 2007 after a 13-year relationship.

Otakon 2009 has unveiled its third musical guest of honor: singer Naomi Tamura. Tamura made her debut back in 1987 as part of the rock band PEARL. Later on as a solo artist, her 1995 album "N'" reached #1 on the charts. She also sang music for anime series such as "Magic Knight Rayearth" and "Pokemon."

This year's Otakon convention is being held July 17-19 in Baltimore, Maryland. Tamura will perform on the afternoon of Sunday, July 19.

Cellist/vocalist Kanon Wakeshima and American singer-songwriter Becca were previously announced as guests for this year.

Some details are now out about Tsuyoshi Kusanagi's new comedy series, "Ninkyo Helper," which starts filming this week. One major cast addition is Meisa Kuroki, who will take on the heroine role.

"Ninkyo Helper" stars Kusanagi as the boss of a yakuza group. As part of training, his group's parent organization orders all of its subordinate bosses to work as nursing helpers at an elderly institution. This includes Kusanagi, as well as Kuroki, a female yakuza boss who starts out as Kusanagi's rival.

Ken Matsudaira has been cast as the leader of the parent gang, and Yui Natsukawa has been cast as the director of the nursing organization. Kota Yabu (of Hey! Say! JUMP), Shunji Igarashi, and Jutta Yuki will appear as yakuza underlings, while Yusuke Yamamoto and Riisa Naka play helpers at the institution.

The show will air on Fuji TV on Thursdays at 10:00pm, starting in early July.

Kyoko Fukada has been announced as a cast member in NTV's upcoming drama series that stars Tomoya Nagase as a swindler recruited as a government spy. The show was first revealed last month, but it still does not have an official title.

Previous reports said that the show would include a "Bond girl"-type character named Dorothy. It was recently confirmed that fashion model Anne has been cast as the "Bond girl," but it appears that Dorothy is actually a different character that will be played by Fukada.

The character of Dorothy, also a member of Nagase's team, has been established as an elite spy with previous experience as part of the UK's intelligence agency MI6. Like Nagase, Fukada's role will require her to dress up in various disguises, such as a nurse, a bus guide, and a nun.

Nagase and Fukada's last drama series together was "Kanojo ga Shinjatta" in 2004. This new one will start next month on Saturday nights.