Kato Cha Reveals Young Bride

No, that isn't the father of the bride kissing his daughter, that's the groom! Veteran comedian Kato Cha (69) has revealed his bride Ayana for the first time, and no doubt he chose yesterday to do so as it was his 69th birthday, making her exactly one third of his age! The two actually tied the knot last June but waited until yesterday to hold a lavish wedding ceremony and reception for 230 guests at the BelleVie Gaza Hall in Koshigaya, north of Tokyo. Kato wore a pink tuxedo jacket while Ayana (23) wore a wedding dress designed by talento Kanda Uno.

A member of the legendary comedy group The Drifters, Kato is on his second marriage. Fellow members Takagi Boo (79) and Nakamoto Koji (70) were at yesterday's celebration, and Nakamoto hinted that he and his enka singer girlfriend Midai Junka might also get married within the year. Midai's age is not published in the media but she is said to be in her 30s. Shimura Ken (62) was the only surviving member not in attendance as his TV schedule kept him away. He recorded a message of congratulations on video that was shown at the reception.

17 popular models take part in dancing fashion show

CANCAM

Popular models Yuri Ebihara, 32, Moe Oshikiri, 32, and Koharu Kusumi, 19, were among 17 glamour girls who took part in a dancing fashion show over the weekend to mark the 5th anniversary of AneCan magazine and 30th anniversary of CanCam magazine.

According to Oshikiri, incorporating dance into the fashion show was a last-minute idea. “We were all a bit nervous,” she told reporters after Sunday’s event in Roppongi. “However, it was a good opportunity to show what we can do.”

The show helped raise money for victims of the Tohoku disaster. Fifteen apparel brands that have factories in the Tohoku area sold items during the show. Proceeds will be donated to the Japan Red Cross Society.

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Arisa Mizuki to emcee TV talk show

Arisa MizukiFuji TV

TOKYO —

Actress Arisa Mizuki, 35, is going to be an emcee for the first time in her career on the Fuji TV variety program, “Catharine.”

The 30-minute program will air Tuesday nights from 11 p.m., starting in April. It will cover topics of interest to women such as “women’s real intentions,” “the gap between women’s inner and outer appearance,” and “understanding men’s pride.”

Mizuki has been in the world of show business since she was 4. Commenting on her first time as an emcee, she said in a statement to media: “I’m excited and looking forward to finding a new side of myself. I hope guests can talk freely and feel comfortable during the show, just as if they were visiting a friend’s home.”

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AKB48's Haruna Kojima joins TSUBAKI ad campaign

AKB48's Haruna Kojima appears in an ad for Tsubaki.

TOKYO —

 AKB48 singer Haruna Kojima, 23, joins the lineup of beauties in the new ad campaign for Shiseido hair care brand TSUBAKI. Kojima joins popular model Yuri Ebihara, 32, actress Anne, 25, and model Kiko Mizuhara, 21.

The commercial is the second in a new series titled “Glamorous Beauty.” The four women appear in 12 different variations of the ad.

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TV networks drop troubled Tomoko Nakajima

Tomoko Nakajima

TOKYO —

 Things are going from bad to worse for Tomoko Nakajima, 40, one half of the comedy duo Othello (along with Nahomi Matsushima).

Nakajima has been having financial troubles since April last year when she took time off from her regular TBS Saturday morning variety program “Shittoko!” due to “health reasons.”

According to Nikkan Sports, Nakajima is being sued by a real estate company for more than 6.5 million rent in arrears for her Tokyo apartment and office. The tabloid also said that Nakajima’s flatmate is a mystic woman who has gained control over her mind. Nakajima, whose weight is said to have ballooned, has dropped out of sight since late last year.

Nikkan Sports reported that TV stations in Tokyo and Osaka have dropped her from four programs that she used to be on, although guest hosts have been filling in for her since last year.

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NMB48 song tops Oricon chart

NMB48's new single "Junjo U-19"

The newest song by NMB48, a sister group of AKB48, has risen to the No. 1 spot in Oricon’s rankings for Feb 20. “Junjo U-19” is the third single in a row from NMB48 to occupy the No. 1 spot.

The group is based in Namba, Osaka. Members of the group said that it is like a dream.

The No. 1 ranked album is L’Arc~en~Ciel’s “BUTTERFLY.” The group hasn’t held the No. 1 spot since late 2007.

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Aya Ueto gets a 'sister' for Aoki ads

Aya Ueo, right, and Ayame GorikiAOKI

TOKYO — Actress Aya Ueto, 26, is happy to have a “sister” for the new ad campaign for clothing brand Aoki.

Ueo and Ayame Goriki, 19, who belongs to Ueto’s agency, will be appearing in the new TV commercial campaign, wearing suits.

“A lot of people have told me that Ayame looks like me,” Ueto said. “It’s like I’m looking at me a long time ago.” Goriki gushed: “I’m so happy that I look like Ueto. I feel like we are sisters.”

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Reina Triendl joins White Family in Softbank Mobile ads

SOFTBANK MOBILE

TOKYO —

 Model Reina Triendl is making a guest appearance in Softbank Mobile’s Shirato (White) Family ads.

Triendl, 20, plays a “student from Hawaii” who comes to Japan for a homestay with the Shirato family. “I’m Tada. I’m from Hawaii,” she says in the ad. Wearing a school uniform, Triendl is a modern girl who uses “gal” language.

She communicates well with other family members played by Aya Ueto, 26, and Kanako Higuchi, 53, who believe she is from the U.S. state of Hawaii, but in reality, she is from Hawai in Tottori Prefecture.

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Erika Sawajiri tries her hand at designing clothes, handbags

BeeTV

TOKYO — Actress Erica Sawajiri, 25, has designed a line of clothes and handbags as part of a promotion for a new cell phone drama she is appearing in. The new line is a collaborative effort between BeeTV and popular brands Samantha Thavasa and MERCURYDUO for the drama titled “Let M the reason why I love you other story.”
The story is about two women who are opposite in fashion, hairstyle, make-up and personality. Sawajiri plays both characters and designed clothes and bags to match each character in the drama.
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Chinatsu Wakatsuki announces she's 5 months pregnant and married

Chinatsu Wakatsuki

TOKYO —

Model and “tarento” Chinatsu Wakatsuki, 27, is pregnant and married.

Wakatsuki said on her blog this week that she has married an older man, described as a company employee, and that she is five months pregnant.

She said she had submitted marriage registration papers to her ward office in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Wakatsuki said she intends to keep working after she gives birth.

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Erika Sawajiri says there will be nude scene in new movie 'Helter Skelter'

Erika Sawajiri(C) "Helter Skelter" Production Co

TOKYO —

Erika Sawajiri, 25, returns to the big screen on July 14 when she stars as the main character in “Helter Skelter,” directed by Mika Ninagawa. The film is based on Kyoko Okazaki’s manga that includes many sexually graphic scenes and Sawajiri said there will be some nudity in the film.

Sawajiri plays Ririko, a model who has undergone extensive plastic surgery all over her body. When the clinic is investigated for its shady business practices, Ririko’s beauty to starts fade. Her mental condition also starts to deteriorate.

The film marks Sawajiri’s first movie starring role since “Closed Note” in 2007. That was the start of her troubles when she displayed a bad attitude during a stage appearance at the Japan premiere.

Sawajiri told reporters that she enjoyed making “Helter Skelter” and that she is happy to be back in business, Sankei Shimbun reported. She said the choice of Ririko is a good match for her own character. But she wouldn’t say how much skin she’ll reveal in the movie.

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Nozomi Tsuji reportedly living apart from husband

Nozomi TsujiJapan Today

TOKYO —

“Talent” and former Morning Musume singer Nozomi Tsuji, 24, is living separately from her husband Taiyo Sugiura, 30, Josei Seven magazine reports.

According to the article, Tsuji “borrowed” an apartment in the center of Tokyo far from her home earlier this month. The magazine says the cause of the separation is financial troubles concerning Sugiura’s relatives.

However, Tsuji’s agency said the couple aren’t separating and that Tsuji has moved into the apartment to prepare for her return to work.

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Chiaki Kuriyama to advertise new platinum jewelry range

TOKYO —
Actress Chiaki Kuriyama, 26, has been chosen as the face of a new range of platinum jewelry by Ginza Tanaka, part of the Tanaka Kikinzoku Group. Kuriyama attended the product launch in Tokyo this week in a striking purple dress with a shining white platinum necklace and matching earrings. “You feel more confident when you put them on,” she said. “It makes me feel radiant.”

When asked if there were prospects of her putting a bauble on her ring finger, Kuriyama replied, “Not for a good while yet. I’m still a child. I’ve got a lot of growing up to do first.” Kuriyama has reportedly been dating actor Tetsuji Tamayaki, but the actress was tight-lipped on the subject.

TV commercials for the new jewelry range will air from Friday.

If you had a baby with an AKB48 member, what would your child look like?

© 2011 AKB OFFICIAL NET. All rights reserved.

TOKYO —AKB48’s Internet provider service, AKB Official Net, opened on Tuesday. If you register for membership on AKB Official Net, you can use the service AKBaby which synthesizes your photo with the image of your favorite AKB48 member to simulate how a baby would look if the two of you were to have a child.

Yes, you read that right.

The homepage shows Yuko Oshima asking “Would you have a baby with me?

The membership fee is 1,480 yen a month. Once you become a member, you can use an AKB48 email address (for example, @akb48.ne.jp, @atchan.akb48.ne.jp and so on), so you can communicate with other fans too.

Also, you can get advance tickets to the AKB48 theater and can register for the AKB48 Official fan club at the same time for free.

AKB48 Official Net says it will add more services for AKB48 fans.

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Meet the 'dirty girls' of Ayaman Japan

From left: Lu-Kitae, Ayaman Director and Fantasista-Sakurada

TOKYO —Ayaman Japan is a girls’ entertainment group performing mainly at party events around Roppongi and Nishi-Azabu. There are 100 members in Ayaman Japan, all of whom were scouted by the leader who is called “Ayaman Director.” But only three members, including “Ayaman Director,” do media appearances.

Ayaman Japan doesn’t belong to any talent agency. Rather, they are an amateur group that performs through connection with members. They don’t get paid.

Ayaman Japan started to become famous after appearing on the TV variety program “Tonneruzu no minasan no okage deshita” in 2010. They became famous with their first song “Poipoipoipopoipoipopii” (don’t ask us to translate the title).

After their first hit song, Ayaman Japan collaborated with the comedian Tanoshingo to release a new song “Dodosuko-poipoi” on June 15. Ayaman Japan also collaborated with comedian Shingo Fujimori from “Oriental Radio” to release a new song “Natsu age motion” on Aug 10.

Even though they are pretty, the girls tell dirty jokes and behave in a manner that Japanese women generally don’t do in public. Some people think they are fun, while others get offended by their actions.

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Satomi Ishihara to star in NHK medical drama

Satomi Ishihara appears as a doctor in NHK's new medical suspense drama.

TOKYO —Actress Satomi Ishihara will star in the two-part NHK medical drama “Shimei to Tamashi no Limit,” based on the novel by mystery writer Keigo Higashino.

Ishihara, 24, plays a resident intern at a university hospital who aspires to become a cardiac surgeon. However, she harbors suspicions about the death of her father during an operation. Finding the truth becomes her mission in life.

At a press conference to promote the drama, which airs from 9 p.m. on Nov 5 and 12, Ishihara said that her mission in real life is to be nice to her parents and work at something that will be good for people.

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Actress Yuko Takeuchi releases cookbook

TOKYO —Actress Yuko Takeuchi, 31, has released a cookbook titled “Takeuchi Marchais, presenting 102 delicious warm-hearted recipes” (1,350 yen). To mark the launch of her book, Takeuchi will attend a premium women’s only party next month and interview 15 women about their favorite recipes and what they like to cook most of all as a present for someone.

The 15 women will be chosen by lottery and organized by Crea magazine.

Takeuchi said she is looking forward to the talk show event with women who are passionate about cooking.

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Miliyah Kato, Mai Kuraki to perform at 'LOVE in Action Meeting' for Red Cross

Mai Kuraki

TOKYO — The Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) has announced the addition of two big names in Japanese entertainment - Miliyah Kato and Mai Kuraki – to its 2011 “LOVE in Action Meeting” event to be held in June this year at the Budokan in Tokyo.

The upcoming live performance in June is part of JRCS’s initiative “Love in Action Project,” launched first in 2009, to promote blood donation awareness among Japan’s young generation. In recent years, the number of young people donating blood has decreased.

JRCS officials, together with the cooperation of the government, have publicly begun to acknowledge the threat of possible future blood donation shortages. With the launch of “LOVE in Action Meeting,” organizers hope that more young Japanese will become aware of the importance of donating blood.

JRCS has announced that 8,000 people will receive free invitations to the concert, and winners will be selected via a drawing. Those who are interested can apply via JRCS’ website (see below).

Kato and Kuraki will be joined by other popular musicians and idol groups such as Shota Shimizu and all-girl group AKB48.

Application for free tickets can be made until Sunday May 8.

Website: http://ken-love.jp
http://ken-love.jp/m/ (Mobile website)

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Miniskirt Police recruit new members

The new members of the Miniskirt Police
SANKEI

TOKYO —
Popular glamor model group Miniskirt Police have recruited four new members into their ranks. The existing members of the force introduced the new members at a press event in Tokyo.
One of the new recruits, 20-year-old Chika Aikawa, actually spent six months in the Kanagawa police traffic division but is more optimistic about her career prospects in the Miniskirt Police, saying, “I’m hoping to become Chief of Police some day.”
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Katy Perry to perform in Japan next spring

Katy Perry

TOKYO — American pop singer Katy Perry, 26, will be coming to Japan in May for her first Japanese concerts since her marriage. So far, concerts on the May 23 and 24 have been announced at Tokyo’s Studio Coast live event space, with further dates expected in Osaka and Nagoya.

Perry married popular British comedian Russel Brand, 35, in India on Oct 23 this year. The sudden announcement of her forthcoming Japanese performances will delight fans, as the dates will mark her fourth visit to Japan since August of last year. The Japan performances are part of Perry’s second world tour.

Perry, who has been nominated in four categories for this year’s Grammy Awards, said in a statement to media: “It’s been an amazing year. I’m really grateful for all the support I’ve received from my Japanese fans.”

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