Takanashi Rin to appear in Hulu original drama series "Daishou" as Oguri Shun's girlfriend

Takanashi Rin will be playing Oguri Shun's girlfriend in the new Hulu original drama series "Daishou" as announced on 8 Sep. In this drama featuring controversial themes such as abuse and criminal instigation, Oguri plays the role of Okuyama Keisuke, a lawyer who struggles with his obsessive compulsive disorder and demons from his past when he reunites with Ando Tatsuya who was responsible for his plight. Takanashi's character Shiraishi Makoto is caught between Keisuke and Tatsuya but tries to help her boyfriend by giving him support. Takanashi commented that when she first heard about the drama's proposal, she thought that this is something which you can rarely find in most dramas so she was eager to participate. As for her collaboration with Oguri, she revealed that he's someone who immerses himself fully into the character so this in turn helps her to do the same without any reservations.

"Daishou" is scheduled to be broadcast via Hulu in the US and Japan at the same time this autumn and consists of six episodes.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Takahata Yuta released from custody without an indictment; fired by his agency

Takahata Yuta who was arrested for alleged rape leading to injury, was released from Maebashi Police Station on 9 September without an indictment. Around 2.20pm, Takahata appeared in a white shirt and grey trousers outside the police station where he bowed to the reporters who had gathered and said in a loud voice that he was sorry for the inconvenience caused to everyone as a result of his action. However, he did not answer any questions from the reporters and boarded a car quickly with a woman who was said to be his lawyer.

Later that afternoon, Takahata's lawyer released a statement on the official website of Gekidan Seinenza, the theatre group which Takahata Atsuko belongs to. In the statement, the lawyer stated that Takahata Yuta was not charged and released from custody which would probably lead to speculation that a private settlement was reached between him and the victim. However, owing to the nature of the alleged offence, prosecutors could still proceed with the indictment even if the victim chooses not to do so. As such, this was a case which cannot be dismissed simply with money.

Generally, even if the man and woman are willing parties at the beginning of their sexual encounter, there is still a likelihood of this developing into a rape case if the woman chooses to reject the sexual advances. However, the problem lies in whether the woman conveyed her intention to the man. If this was not done, it would not become a crime. In this instance though, intimidation and violence was used to prevent the woman from resisting and thus it would become a clear rape case.

The lawyers stated that they had listened to Takahata Yuta's testimony repeatedly but were not able to gain access to the testimonies of other related parties so they couldn't find out what the truth behind the case was. However, based on what they know, they believe that Takahata thought that the woman was agreeable to the sexual act. At the very least, the media reports saying that he had tricked the woman into bringing a toothbrush to his room and pulled her into his room were totally untrue. In essence, this meant that the action was not committed with ill intentions. Even if the case is to go to court, it would be a case where they will plead not guilty. In view of these facts, they believe that this was why the case was concluded without an indictment.

After Takahata's release from police custody, he was said to be admitted to a hospital in Saitama Prefecture as he was unwell physically and mentally.

On the other hand, when asked about their decision not to file an indictment, the Maebashi Public Prosecutors Office said that they cannot comment on the details of the case and called upon the public to consider the nature of the criminal act.

When asked about her son's release, Takahata Atsuko apologised to the media for the inconvenience caused by him but declined to comment since the lawyers have already released a statement. In addition, she said that Takahata Yuta is already hospitalised for the time being and asked for the media's understanding during this period as he seeks psychiatric treatment.

Meanwhile, Takahata's agency Ishii Mitsuzo Office announced that they have terminated his management contract with effect from 9 Sep.

Sources: Nikkansports 1 / Nikkansports 2 / Nikkansports 3 / Nikkansports 4 / Sanspo

Hamasaki Ayumi announces her divorce from her second husband

Hamasaki Ayumi announced through her official fan club website's blog that she has divorced her second husband who is a American 10 years younger than her. The couple who had been living in Los Angeles, announced their engagement in December 2013 and registered their marriage in March the following year but details of their married life have been shrouded in mystery to date. Hamasaki's ex-husband was said to be a medical student at UCLA at the time of their marriage so she had been shuttling between the US and Japan in recent years.

In Hamasaki's statement titled "Tsutaetai koto" (Something I want to tell), she revealed that she and her partner for the last three years will be heading their separate ways. Rather than letting the media break the news, she preferred to tell her Team Ayu (TA) fans directly. She pledged to continue working hard on the rehearsals for the TA concert tour and recording for her new song but did not go into details on when the divorce application was submitted.

This is Hamasaki's second divorce to date. She was previously married to Australian actor Manuel Schwartz who was based in the US where they announced their marriage via Twitter on New Year's Day in 2011 after a four-month courtship. However, they parted in January the following year when it was revealed that they had only registered their marriage in the US but not in Japan so Hamasaki was still legally single at that time. As for her second marriage, it was formalised legally in Japan.

When asked about the news of her divorce, Hamasaki's agency said that this is her private matter so they will refrain from commenting on it.

Hamasaki is due to begin her nationwide fan club tour from 30 September and will appear on TV Asahi's "Music Station" on 19 September.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo

SPEED's Shimabukuro Hiroko & Saotome Yuuki announce their engagement

SPEED's Shimabukuro Hiroko and stage actor Saotome Yuuki who is also Saotome Taichi's younger brother are engaged, according to an announcement released by Shimabukuro on her official website today. According to her agency, there are no plans yet on when the couple will register their marriage.

In her statement, Shimabukuro announced the good news and revealed that she and her fiance had met through work and started dating after that. Having worked in showbiz from a young age, Shimabukuro said that she is drawn to his seriousness, passion, frankness and warm attitude towards people and that she's thankful for having met him. She expressed thanks to everyone who had supported her in the last 20 years and pledged to continue working hard in future.

Shimabukuro made her debut in 1996 as a member of SPEED before her solo debut in 1999. The group disbanded in 2000 where she subsequently also took on acting. In 2008, SPEED reunited and she is currently juggling the group activities with her solo career. Saotome made his stage debut at the age of 1 year old and is mainly active in stage plays. He appeared in the Gekidan EXILE stage play "KABUKI" with his elder brother and Shimabukuro in February this year.

Prior to the engagement announcement, there was news of the couple's romantic involvement on 11 September and that they are already living together. Saotome is 12 years younger than Shimabukuro and had only turned 20 in May this year. Shimabukuro was spotted at his birthday event and played a key supporting role backstage. The couple were said to have met through a friend and started dating last summer. Coincidentally, they ended up working together in the "KABUKI" play this year along with Saotome's elder brother who also married young at the age of 21 to Nishiyama Maki who is 6 years older than him.

Sources: Sponichi 1 / Sponichi 2  / Oricon

Nikaidou Fumi to star in NTV drama SP "Gappa Sensei!" as a teacher

Nikaidou Fumi will be taking on her first leading role in a drama when she appears in the NTV drama SP "Gappa Sensei!" which will be shown on 23 September at 9pm. The world "Gappa" is a word in the Ishikawa dialect which means "ganbare" (work hard) as the heroine Muramoto Aiko comes from Ishikawa Prefecture.

The drama which is based an episode in the 2010 book "Minna de tonda" describing how a class of students get together to create a miracle during an inter-class jumping rope competition, features Nikaidou as Muramoto who was raised in the suburbs and becomes a primary school teacher in the city where she has to deal with her students and their parents with her cheerful and hardworking personality. On the first day of school, she accidentally blurts out the word "Gappa" during her self-introduction to her class thus earning her the nickname of "Gappa Sensei". This also happens to be Nikaidou's first attempt at playing a teacher to which she expressed anticipation and joy because she had always wanted to take on a teacher's role. She also hopes that this drama will be one which can be enjoyed by the entire family and looks forward to working hard with her co-stars and staff to put up a good performance.

Co-stars include Sakaguchi Kentaro who plays Saeki Ryuji, Muramoto's childhood friend and is a freeter, Ohno Takuro who plays Muramoto's elder brother Makoto, Abe Sadao who plays Osawa Katsuo, the father of one of her students and Kishimoto Kayoko who plays Muramoto's mother Noriko.

Filming started in early September.

Sources: Mantan Web / Yomiuri Hochi / Oricon

Screening event of new NHK drama "Natsume Souseki no Tsuma"

The screening event of new NHK drama series "Natsume Souseki no Tsuma" (Natsume Souseki's wife) was held on 7 September which was attended by Hasegawa Hiroki, Ono Machiko, Tachi Hiroshi and Kuroshima Yuina. The drama which begins its run from 24 September in the Saturdays 9pm timeslot and comprises of 4 episodes, is based on the memoir "Souseki no Omoide" (Memories of Souseki) by Natsume's wife Kyoko and written by Matsuoka Yuzuru which describes how Souseki and Kyoko grew as a couple. Hasegawa plays the role of Natsume while Ono plays Kyoko in the drama. Tachi plays Kyoko's father while Kuroshima plays Kyoko's cousin.

Hasegawa revealed that he felt a lot of pressure playing Natsume especially since the latter was such a famous and great writer. He also recounted that when he first met the scriptwriter, he was taken aback when the latter commented that Hasegawa is taller than expected and that Natsume had an inferiority complex about his height. As such, Hasegawa was worried that he might be replaced due to this reason despite having read many of Natsume's novels, done a lot of research on him and even visiting Kumamoto secretly to find out about Natsume's teaching stint there at a senior high school. Luckily, the filming began as scheduled without any hitches. Hasegawa also complimented Ono for being such a good actress and able to respond no matter how he acted so he felt very reassured during the filming. In response, Ono commented that it was a joy to act with Hasegawa and this made memorising the lines a lot less painful that it could have been.
　
During the press conference, an earthquake struck which caused the cast and reporters to be flustered briefly. However, Hasegawa extended his hand to Ono and assured that things were fine just as how a husband would comfort his wife.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sponichi / Oricon

Completion screening event of new movie "Yamikin Ushijima-kun Part 3"

The completion screening event of new movie "Yamikin Ushijima-kun Part 3" was held on 7 September which was attended by the director Yamaguchi Masatoshi and cast members Yamada Takayuki, Ayano Go, Hongo Kanata, Nogizaka 46's Shiraishi Mai, Kakei Miwako, Tenpagumi.inc's Mogami Moga, Hamano Kenta, Takahashi Maryjun, Sakimoto Hiromi and Yabe Kyousuke. This movie will be shown in cinemas from 22 September followed by the sequel "Yamikin Ushijima-kun Final" to be shown from 22 October. The idea to have the movies released consecutively within a month was said to be from Yamada who wanted to promote the movies in an elaborate manner and maintain the momentum. However, Ayano said that Yamada probably didn't want a gap between the release dates because it was troublesome to recreate the image of Ushijima-kun to which the latter admitted readily.

Yamada commented that it has been six years since the Ushijima-kun series began as a late-night drama on TV and he thinks that people won't get sick of this since there are many actors appearing in the movies. As such, he called upon the public to support the Part 3 and final movies.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Oricon

Takanashi Rin & Makino Tomoaki reported to be dating

Takanashi Rin and soccer player Makino Tomoaki are reported to be dating as mentioned in a number of sports newspapers. The couple was said to have known each other in May this year during a gathering organised by a mutual friend and started dating in the following month. When contacted to verify the news, Takanashi's agency did not deny the rumour and said that since this is her private matter, they will leave it to her.

Makino was previously romantically linked to another celebrity Mizusawa Arie in January 2014 and the couple went their separate ways in June last year.

Sources: Oricon 1 / Sanspo

Yamada Ryosuke to star in FujiTV Autumn 2016 Gekku drama "Cain to Abel"

Hey! Say! JUMP's Yamada Ryosuke will be starring in his first FujiTV Gekku drama (Mondays 9pm) when he appears in the upcoming Autumn 2016 "Cain to Abel" due to start in October. This will also be his first romance drama to date. The concept of the drama comes from the 4th chapter in the Book of Genesis from the Bible's Old Testament where Adam and Eve's elder son Cain enjoys the love of God which leads his younger brother Abel to feel jealous and desire his father's recognition.

In the drama, Yamada will play a salaryman named Takada Yu who works in a property development company. Since young, Yu's father has been showering love and attention on Yu's elder brother who was good in his studies and is not concerned about his younger son. Due to this, Yu is hungry for his father's love and hopes to gain the latter's approval and recognition while feeling jealous of his elder brother. One day, Yu happens to meet a woman and gradually falls for her. However, the ironic thing is that she happens to his elder brother's girlfriend.

Yamada commented that he is feeling the pressure since the Gekku timeslot is one which the viewers have high expectations of but he hopes to be able to act well and put up a good performance. There are a lot of firsts for him this time i.e. first time in a Gekku, first time being in a leading role for a FujiTV drama, first time wearing a business suit and first time in a romance drama so he can't really imagine how things will turn out. Nonetheless, he hopes to show a new side to himself through this drama.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Yomiuri Hochi / Sponichi / Oricon

Oguri Shun to star in Hulu original drama series "Daishou" showing this autumn in US and Japan

Oguri Shun will be starring in the Hulu original drama series "Daishou" (Compensation) which consists of 6 episodes and will be shown in US and Japan at the same time. This marks Oguri's first entry into the overseas market and first drama to be screened via the Internet to which he commented that he's curious to see how the overseas audience will react to this Japanese production and pledged to work hard with his co-stars and staff to put up a good performance.

This drama series is based on the same-titled novel by Ioka Shun who won the 25th Yokomizo Seishi Mystery Award and TV Tokyo Award in 2005 with his book "Itsuka, niji no mukou e". Oguri plays the role of Okuyama Keisuke, a lawyer who suffers from a serious obsessive-compulsive disorder due to his traumatic experience of abuse and betrayal suffered as a child. At that time, his parents were killed during a fire masterminded by his distant relative cum friend Ando Tatsuya. As a result, that led to him being taken in by Tatsuya's family and the beginning of suffering abuse by them. One day, he reunites with Tatsuya, the very person who had been responsible for his plight of losing his family and happiness, when he comes to engage Keisuke as his lawyer for a robbery and murder case. While wondering about Tatsuya's motive in coming to him, Keisuke is torn between taking revenge and fulfilling his duty as a lawyer and embarks on a risky venture to "bury" Tatsuya and stop him from harming society anymore. Although Oguri has played many types of roles to date, this is the first time that he will be playing an emotionally-weak man who is driven to the edge psychologically.

Oguri revealed that when he read the original, his first thought was that this character Keisuke would be very tough to play and confirmed his hunch when the filming actually started. Even outside the filming time, he tried not to think too much about his character but couldn't help it at times.

As for the actor to play the psychopath and Keisuke's childhood friend Tatsuya, it will be Takahashi Tsutomu who is a close friend of Oguri. With regard to their collaboration, Oguri said that Takahashi's presence helped him to concentrate more on the acting especially since he looked as scary as Tatsuya who manipulated others to commit crimes on his behalf and joked that he found Takahashi repulsive at times during the filming just like how Keisuke views Tatsuya,

Co-stars include Fuchikami Yasushi who plays Morota Hisahito, a journalist who is a friend of Keisuke and knew about Tatsuya since their junior high days, Kataoka Reiko who plays Tatsuya's stepmother, Hirata Mitsuru who plays Yoshida Hajime, the psychologist treating Keisuke and Ishibashi Ryo who plays Keisuke's boss. Other actors include Yanagi Erisa, Yanagi Shuntaro and Horibe Keisuke.

The producer Toishi Noriko commented that Oguri was chosen for his ability to take on any role and that given his height, good looks and low-toned voice, would be popular with overseas drama fans.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Oricon

AI to sing the theme song for FujiTV Autumn 2016 drama "Medical Team Lady Da Vinci no Shindan"

Singer-songwriter AI will be singing the theme song titled "Miracle" for the upcoming FujiTV Autumn 2016 drama "Medical Team Lady Da Vinci no Shindan" which begins its run from 11 October in the Tuesdays 9pm timeslot. This will be her first single since she gave birth to her first daughter in August 2015 and it will be released on 2 November.

The drama features Yoshida Yo as the lead along with six other actresses as doctors in a team. The theme song which is an up-tempo number, describes the feelings of never-give-up by these female doctors who try to face their patients with the utmost sincerity. AI commented that she hopes that the song will be an encouraging one to reinforce the strong and convincing message conveyed by the drama.

Source: Sanspo

Screening event & press conference of new NHK drama SP "Susume! Seikan Renrakusen"

The screening event & press conference of new NHK drama SP "Susume! Seikan Renrakusen" (Move ahead! The ferry of Aomori and Hakodate) was held at the TV station's HQ in Shibuya on 1 September which was attended by cast members Yoshida Eisaku, Tabata Tomoko and Hiraizumi Sei. This drama SP produced by NHK Aomori which will be shown at 10pm on 21 September, focuses on the ferry service between Aomori and Hakodate 28 years ago before the Seikan Tunnel was opened and describes how various people attempted to take the next step following the change.

Yoshida who plays a ramen shop owner attempting to preserve the taste of the signature Kaikyou ramen sold on the ferry, commented that the first half of the drama SP is rather fast-paced while the second part is bound to bring up feelings of nostalgia. In order to prepare for the filming, Yoshida went to a friend's ramen restaurant to learn how to make ramen where it was so bad initially that the noodles were splattered all over the place. During the filming in Aomori where the cast had to stay for two weeks, Yoshida recounted that they had become acquainted with the locals and it was a very fulfilling experience.

Tabata who had stayed in Aomori for an extended period of time when she starred in the 2000 morning drama "Watashi no Aozora", revealed that the locals could still remember her and welcomed her back warmly. As such, she felt very much at ease there and it is as if Aomori is her second hometown.

During the filming, the cast constantly went out for meals together. Yoshida revealed that Tabata didn't look like it but she is very good at holding her liquor. In response, Hiraizumi said that he could only manage two to three glasses but Yoshida and Tabata could finish a 1.8 litre bottle among themselves so he doesn't want to go drinking with them anymore. Tabata tried to deny that she is a good drinker and revealed that it just so happened that she and Yoshida liked the same brand of Japanese wine so they drank quite a bit together.

Source: Eiga.com

Cast announcement for WOWOW drama "Cold Case Shinjitsu no Tobira"

The cast announcement for new WOWOW drama "Cold Case Shinjitsu no Tobira" starring Yoshida Yo was made on 2 September. A total of 45 guest stars including Yoshizawa Ryo, Ohno Ito, Naka Riisa, Yusuke Santa Maria, Murakami Nijiro, Kadowaki Mugi, Nakadai Tatsuya and Enami Kyoko. Yoshizawa plays the role of a young man who is emotionally affected and obsessed with a woman while Naka plays a mother with a six-year-old daughter and has a painful past. As for Yusuke Santa Maria, he did not give details on his character but recounted that it was a weird and magical experience for him during the filming and asked viewers not to hate him too much.

Other guest stars include Taguchi Tomorowo, Fukikoshi Mitsuru, Matobu Sei, Miura Masaki, Kishii Yukino, Ruby Moreno, Komoto Masahiro, Shibukawa Kiyohiko, Tsutsui Michitaka, Nomaguchi Toru, Mizuhashi Kenji, Nakamura Tomoya, Fukuda Mayuko, Takahashi Mitsuomi, Imai Yuki, Kentaro, Horibe Keisuke, Fukushi Seiji, Sakai Miki, MEGUMI, Yamaguchi Karin, Kiuchi Midori, Tanaka Kotaro, Katsube Noriyuki, Nakamura Yuri, Nahana, Tokunaga Eri, Sudo Risa, Nikaidou Satoshi, Mashima Hidekazu, Okina Megumi, Yamaguchi Makiya, Mabuchi Erika, Asaka Mayumi, Fujii Mina, Ota Midori Laurence and Shinohara Yukiko.

The drama consists of 10 episodes and will begin its run from 22 October at 10pm.

Source: Eiga.com

Hata Motohiro to sing the theme song for new movie "Satoshi no Seishun"

Hata Motohiro will be singing the theme song for new movie "Satoshi no Seishun" starring Matsuyama Kenichi as the young genius shogi player Murayama Satoshi who died at the age of 29 in 1998. The song titled "Owari no nai sora" (The endless sky) is written by Hata who was inspired by how Murayama gave his all in shogi despite his worsening health condition. After watching unedited footage from the movie in May, he wrote the lyrics in the midst of his nationwide concert tour while reading the original novel. Hata recounted that there was a line in Murayama's notebook which said that humans are born to be sad and tortured but that destiny is what makes them happy so he incorporated that into the song as well.

"Satoshi no Seishun" will be shown during the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival taking place from 25 October as the closing film. It will be shown in cinemas nationwide from 19 November.

Source: Eiga.com

M!LK's Sano Hayato to play Kanno Miho's son in TBS Autumn 2016 drama "Suna no Tou ~ Shirisugita Rinjin"

5-member dance vocal unit M!LK's member Sano Hayato will be acting as Kanno Miho's son in the upcoming TBS Autumn 2016 drama "Suna no Tou ~ Shirisugita Rinjin" which begins its run from October. This will be Sano's first appearance in a drama.

In the drama, Sano plays the role of Kazuki, a first-year senior high school student who helps his mother at home and takes care of his sister who is many years younger than him. As the story progresses, the dark side of Kazuki will slowly surface. Sano commented that it is a dream come true for him to be able to work together with actors and actresses who he had seen on TV only so far and marveled at how Kanno and Matsushima are so beautiful. He hopes to be able to show both the bright and dark sides of Kazuki in this drama and wishes that the viewers will be supportive of him despite being a newbie.

Source: Eiga.com

Amami Yuki & Yukawa Kazuhiko at the 40th Montreal World Film Festival to promote "Koisaika Miyamoto"

Amami Yuki and Yukawa Kazuhiko attended the 40th Montreal World Film Festival held in Canada on 3 September where they attended the official screening of their movie "Koisaika Miyamoto" which is taking part in the First Films World Competition category. This marks Amami's first participation in an international film festival in 15 years. After the screening, she greeted the 600-strong audience in French and commented that she felt happy that the film was well-received despite the differences in language and culture between Japan and Canada.

The movie which is due to be shown in Japan from 28 January next year, features Abe Hiroshi and Amami as a couple in their 50s who are facing a divorce crisis. When asked about her own marriage plans, Amami stated that she's not keen on getting hitched and has no partner anyway. Besides, she is satisfied with being able to experience married life through her career as an actress so there is no need to get married for real. In response, Yukawa joked that he will keep asking Amami to play housewife roles in future which she said that she will accept willingly.


Sources: Sanspo / Yomiuri Hochi

Nomura Shuhei to star in spin-off drama SP of "Suki na hito ga iru koto" shot in Taiwan

Nomura Shuhei will be starring in the spin-off drama SP of FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "Suki na hito ga iru koto" which is shot entirely on location in Taiwan. The SP which is titled "Suki na hito ga iru koto in Taiwan", features Taiwanese actress Wen Yufei who plays the heroine Fei who is secretly in love with the owner-chef Tony (David Chiu Hao Chi) of the restaurant where she works at. While spending a happy summer with her colleague Tetsu (Teddy from SpeXial) and best friend Lulu, Fei happens to meet Touma (Nomura) who suddenly confesses his love to her.

Nomura who is fluent in Mandarin, commented that he will work hard to deliver a good performance for the fans in Taiwan. The drama SP is the opening commemorative production for broadcast platform WAKUWAKU JAPAN which makes its debut in Taiwan from 1 September. It will be shown first in Japan via FujiTV on demand from mid November.

Sources: Oricon / Sanspo

"Otokomeshi" to be released on Blu-ray & DVD with scenes of Takahata Yuta cut

The Blu-ray & DVD box sets of TV Tokyo Summer 2016 drama "Otokomeshi" starring Namase Katsuhisa will be released on 14 December which consists of 5 discs and 2-hours worth of special footage. In addition, the drama will be re-edited to cut out the footage where Takahata Yuta appeared after he was caught last month for rape and assault. For the special footage, it will contain an unreleased episode which features new dishes such as whole squid grilled in foil, roasted maguro with yuzu and pepper and finely chopped horse mackerel in chazuke. The behind-the-scenes footage was taken during a 44-day filming period. Last but not least, cast members such as Emoto Tokio will introduce their signature Otokomeshi dishes and there will be interviews of the cast and director. Recipes of all the dishes featured will also be put into a booklet included in the Blu-ray and DVD boxes.

Source: Oricon

Takeuchi Yuko to be narrator for nature segment in NTV variety show "Tokoro-san no me ga dekai"

Takeuchi Yuko will be the new narrator for the long-term nature segment "Kagaku no sato" in the NTV variety show "Tokoro-san no me ga dekai" which is shown at 7pm on Sundays. The segment describes how a piece of wasteland measuring 2,000 tsubo was reclaimed and cultivated using natural energy and the knowledge of scientific experts since January 2015 to become a place fit for people to be self-sufficient in the countryside. Takeuchi will appear from the 4th October episode.

Nitori Toshiyuki, the producer of the programme, explained that they approached Takeuchi to be the narrator due to her steady and beautiful voice which will help the segment to reinforce their concepts to the viewers. The host, Tokoro George expressed surprise that Takeuchi took up the offer and joked that viewers will probably pay more attention to their programme's narration now that they can hear her voice. Meanwhile, Takeuchi commented that she enjoys the narration work since it feels as if she had been at the venue personally to experience what was done. Although she grows simple plants such as tomatoes and herbs at home, she said that it is still far from being self-sufficient so she hopes to get ideas on what she can do in future.

Source: Oricon

First-day-screening event of new movie "Dias Police - DIRTY YELLOW BOYS -"

The first-day-screening event of new movie "Dias Police - DIRTY YELLOW BOYS -" was held on 3 September at Shinjuku Wald 9 which was attended by the director Kumakiri Kazuyoshi and the cast Matsuda Shota and Hamano Kenta. The Dias Police series based on the manga by Sugimura Shinichi and Richard Woo, began with a TBS drama shown in spring this year and features Matsuda and Hamano as buddies. Although this is the first time which the two actors worked together, they revealed that they had become good friends during the filming. Hamano admitted that he was worried about working with Matsuda at first since there is a significant height difference between them and the latter might find fault with him. In response, Matsuda said that he didn't realise that Hamano felt that way and praised his co-star for his natural acting and being an interesting guy to work with. To show that they are indeed on good terms, Matsuda made a surprise suggestion that they should go on a trip to Okinawa together before the summer ends.

This movie is scheduled to be the opening film for the Kaohsiung Movie Festival taking place in Taiwan from 21 October.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Oricon

Amami Yuki & Ishida Yuriko to be hosts in FujiTV variety show "Amami Yuki Ishida Yuriko no Snack Akebono Hashi"

Amami Yuki and Ishida Yuriko will be variety show hosts for the first time in the FujiTV variety show "Amami Yuki Ishida Yuriko no Snack Akebono Hashi" which will be shown on 29 September at 10pm. The setting of the show is in a fictitious snack bar where the two buddies play the proprietors and host a number of guests there. They will engage in a free talk with their guests on various topics such as what marriage means to single women in their 40s and retirement plans. In addition, Amami will be making drinks and cocktails for the guests while Ishida will be cooking on TV for the first time. Last but not least, they will also be singing karaoke and dancing. Guests include Sasaki Kuranosuke who was romantically linked to Amami before, Tamaki Hiroshi, Matsuko Deluxe, Hayami Mokomichi and JUJU who will perform a song during the show.

Sources: Sanspo / Sponichi

Suda Masaki to appear in NTV Autumn 2016 drama "Jimi ni sugoi! Kouetsu Girl Kouno Etsuko"

Suda Masaki will be appearing in the upcoming NTV Autumn 2016 drama "Jimi ni sugoi! Kouetsu Girl Kouno Etsuko" which will begin its run from October in the Wednesdays 10pm timeslot. He plays the role of Orihara Yukito, a mysterious university student who the heroine Kouno Etsuko played by Ishihara Satomi falls in love with at first sight. In actual fact, Yukito is a writer whose novel is being proofread by Etsuko and he's been scouted as a model because of his looks. When asked to describe his character, Suda said that Yukito is someone who has nothing to be unhappy or happy about in his life and may come across as being not serious about anything.

Ishihara and Suda first worked together in the stage play "Romeo & Juliet" when he was still a teenager so they were somewhat like siblings at that time. Suda praised his co-star for being a very cheerful and charming person who attracts people around her. Last time, he depended a lot on her so this time round, he hopes to be able to support her as much as possible as a potential love interest in the drama. With regard to the theme of proofreading being a plain but impressive work to do, Suda revealed that he likes to make things quietly too and said that acting is also a somewhat lonely task since their work is a build-up of many things as well. Nonetheless, he thinks that regardless the kind of job one does, there is an element of plain hard work which allows the occupation to shine in the end. As this kind of theme is rarely featured in dramas, he thinks that this drama will be a very interesting one to viewers.

Sources: Modelpress / Oricon

Yonekura Ryoko to return in TV Asahi Autumn 2016 drama "Doctor X 4 ~ Gekai Daimon Michiko ~"

Yonekura Ryoko will be back to reprise her role as Daimon Michiko in the TV Asahi Autumn 2016 drama "Doctor X 4 ~ Gekai Daimon Michiko ~" which will be shown from October in the Thursdays 9pm timeslot. This is the 4th installment in the Doctor X series.

This time, the drama will be set at Totei University Hospital where her biggest enemy will be Hiruma Shigekatsu who is played by Nishida Toshiyuki. Co-stars include Namase Katsuhisa who plays Kikawada Takayuki, Yoshida Kotaro who plays Saionji Takeshi, Takito Kenichi who plays Kitano Toru and Kusakari Tamiyo who is appearing in the series for the first time and plays Minami Ikuko. Last but not least, familiar faces from the previous series will participate in this latest sequel such as Uchida Yuki, Kishibe Ittoku and Katsumura Masanobu.

Yonekura commented that there are many strong actors with unique styles this time so during the script-reading session, she thought that even if she is not around, they would be able to make the drama a success anyway. In addition, she thinks that the story will be interesting due to the tactical battles among the characters and is looking forward to the start of the filming.

Source: Oricon

Ooyama Masashi to replace Takahata Yuta in NHK Taiga drama "Sanadamaru"

Ooyama Masashi will be replacing Takahata Yuta in the ongoing NHK Taiga drama "Sanadamaru" showing at 8pm on Sundays. Takahata was initially scheduled to play Sanada Nobumasa, the son of Sanada Nobuyuki (Ooizumi Yo). If he had been able to act in this role, this would have marked his first collaboration with his mother Takahata Atsuko who plays Kaoru, the mother of Nobuyuki.

According to insiders, NHK's top criteria when selecting Takahata's replacement was acting skills rather than the actor's popularity or how well-known he is to the public. Ooyama made his debut in the 2009 musical "Tennis no Oujisama" and secured his first leading role in the stage play "Sorao no Sekai". Since his debut 7 years ago, he has acted in more than 100 stage plays to date and is known for being good at singing and dancing and being able to play a variety of roles.

Ooyama is scheduled to appear from the 16 October episode of "Sanadamaru".

Source: Nikkansports

Ashina Sei to appear in FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "ON Ijou Hanzai Sousakan Toudou Hinako"

Ashina Sei will be appearing in FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "ON Ijou Hanzai Sousakan Toudou Hinako" as the lead Toudou Hinako's (Haru) destined enemy Makabe Towa. In the 8th episode, Hinako had rushed to a hotel to find the murderer Sato Tsuya (Sasaki Nozomi) who had escaped and found Makabe waiting for her there after the latter had cut Kataoka's (Takahashi Tsutomu) neck. It is later revealed that Makabe turns out to be the person who had instigated Hinako to kill like she did when they were in senior high school by handing her a knife. In order to save her senior who is caught by Makabe, Hinako must decide whether to be a murderer or not as the drama approaches its finale.

Source: Oricon

Former KAT-TUN member Taguchi Junnosuke to release first solo single in November

Former KAT-TUN member Taguchi Junnosuke who left Johnny's Jimusho at the end of March this year, announced the establishment of his official website on 1 September and that he will be releasing his first solo single "Hero" in November. In the statement posted on his website, Taguchi introduced himself and apologised for keeping his fans waiting during the last few months until his website was up and running. He also announced that his official fanclub has been set up and the first event for the fanclub will be held soon. Taguchi commented that he hopes that he will be able to use his own power in a frank way to entertain the people who he views as important and create music which will make everyone happy. He vowed to sing, dance and be himself in future so that everyone can enjoy his performances with a smile and ended the statement with a call out to fans for their continuous support.

Source: Oricon

Amuse to hold thanksgiving event "HANDSOME FESTIVAL 2016" for fans in December

Amuse will be holding a thanksgiving event titled "HANDSOME FESTIVAL 2016" which will consists of 4 performances at TOKYO DOME CITY HALL on 17th and 18th December. For 17th December, the performances are at 2pm and 7pm while the following day will have two sessions at 1pm and 6pm. This is an annual event organised since 2005 (with the exception of 2015) and features Amuse's young male artistes who perform songs, dance, musicals and comical skits during the event. In previous editions, participants included Koide Keisuke, Hiraoka Yuta, Sato Takeru and Miura Haruma.

In this year's edition, the 25 participating artistes include Kamiki Ryuunosuke, Yoshizawa Ryo, Aoyagi Ryuto, Ishiga Kazuki, Ito Naoto, Ishihara Souma, Uehara Takuya, Oota Masaki, Kai Shouma, Kaneko Daichi, Kyohou, Koseki Yuta, Sakurada Dori, SANGMIN, SEYOUNG, Totani Kimito, Tomita Kentaro, Hirama Soichi, Masaki Kaoru, Matsuoka Koudai, Matsushima Shota, Mizuta Kouki, Mizoguchi Takuya, Yoshimura Takuya and Watanabe Shu.

Source: Oricon

Fujigaya Taisuke & Yamamoto Mizuki star in FujiTV drama SP "Basuke mo koi mo, shiteitai"

Kis-My-Ft2's Fujigaya Taisuke and Yamamoto Mizuki will be starring in the FujiTV drama SP "Basuke mo koi mo, shiteitai" (Want to play basketball and be in love) which will be shown over three nights at 11pm from 19 September. The drama SP describes the 7-year love story between Fujigaya who plays the role of the captain of a senior high school basketball team but is so bad at the sport that he's always a reserve player and Yamamoto who plays the heroine who always supports him. Part 1 set in 2010 talks about the last summer tournament in their senior high school days while Part 2 describes what happens during their university days two years later. The last part set in the autumn of 2016 will feature both characters 4 years from Part 2 when they are already working adults.

In contrast to his character, Fujigaya is actually a skillful basketball player who used to belong to his junior high school team. Although he can't display his basketball skills this time in his first leading role for a FujiTV drama, he pledged to work hard and even cut his hair and dyed it black for the first time in several years.

On the other hand, Yamamoto who used to be from a all-girls school, said that it was lucky that she could experience how it was like being in a co-ed school through this drama. As for her impression of her co-star who she is working with for the first time, she praised him for being mature and expressed joy at being able to work with someone about her age. However, she felt embarrassed about having to play a senior high school girl at her current age of 25 and wondered if she still could look convincing in a school uniform. In response, Fujigaya praised her for looking good in the school uniform.

Sources: Sanspo 1 / Sanspo 2 / Oricon

Cast announcement of TV Tokyo drama SP "Kyoaku wa nemurasenai Tokusou Kenji no gyakushuu"

The cast lineup for TV Tokyo drama SP "Kyoaku wa nemurasenai Tokusou Kenji no gyakushuu" starring Tamaki Hiroshi was announced. Aibu Saki plays the role of Hattanda Haruka, who is a researcher at JAXA and had always dreamed of being one since she was a child. While trying to pursue her dream of developing a rocket made in Japan, she is faced with the hurdle of reality and has to press on despite the challenges. Aibu commented that she was initially worried whether she could portray the innocent side of Haruka in the drama SP but gradually came to understand Haruka's character and feel her appeal. Okuda Eiji plays the role of Hase Kiichi who selects Tamaki's character to work in the special investigation department and work together to fight against a big-name politician Tachibana Yohei.

Co-stars also include Kusabue Mitsuko, Katsumura Masanobu, Suzuki Kosuke, Hagiwara Masato, Hada Michiko, Nishimura Masahiko, Tamura Ryo, Azuma Mikihisa and Tanaka Ken.

Source: Eiga.com

Press conference of NHK drama "Sniffer Kyuukaku Sousakan"

The press conference of NHK drama "Sniffer Kyuukaku Sousakan" was held on 31 August which was attended by the leads Abe Hiroshi and Kagawa Teruyuki. The drama will begin its run from 22 October in the Saturdays 10pm timeslot and is the first Japanese remake of a Ukrainian drama series. Abe plays the role of Hanaoka Shinichiro who is a consultant tasked with solving cases using his strong sense of smell while Kagawa plays his buddy Komukai Tatsuro.

Kagawa praised Abe for his great acting skills and said that since the latter looks a lot like the actor who played the lead in the Ukrainian original, this will make the Japanese remake more interesting to watch. He even joked that there is no other actor in Japan who can play the hero since Abe's height of "4.5m" is as tall as the Ukrainian actor. Abe and Kagawa had worked together in dramas such as the NHK production "Saka no ue no Kumo" so Abe said that it was stimulating for them to be working together again now especially since they are about the same age and hope that this will be a signature work for both of them. In response, Kagawa called Abe as a representative actor of Japan who can take on both serious and comical roles at the same time. Although their career paths have been quite different to date, they both have the same goals and the time they spent together during the filming was a very satisfying experience for them.


Source: Oricon

Hasegawa Hiroki to star in FujiTV drama SP "Yuukai Mystery Chou Kessaku Norizuki Rintarou Ichi no Higeki"

Hasegawa Hiroki will be starring in the new FujiTV drama SP "Yuukai Mystery Chou Kessaku Norizuki Rintarou Ichi no Higeki" (Kidnap Mystery Super Masterpiece Norizuki Rintarou The Tragedy of One) which will be shown at 9pm on 23 September. The drama SP which is based on the 1991 novel by popular mystery writer Norizuki Rintarou, features Hasegawa as Norizuki who is a struggling mystery writer. Being well-versed in criminology and armed with his sharp deduction powers, Rintarou is often asked to help his father who is a detective at the Metropolitan Police Department's 1st Division, to solve difficult cases. Although Rintarou is usually gentlemanly, sociable and optimistic, he changes into a demanding and strict person when it comes to solving cases. Just then, he gets embroiled into a case where the suspect actually makes use of him to become an alibi. Although the time setting of the novel was 25 years ago, the drama SP will be set in the modern era.

Okuda Eiji plays Norizuki Sadao, the father of Rintarou while Watanabe Eri plays Ogasawara Hanayo, the housekeeper of the Norizuki household for the past 22 years. Ihara Tsuyoshi plays Yamakura Shiro who is a director of a real estate company whose son was supposedly to be kidnapped but someone else was taken instead so he is tasked to transport the ransom to the kidnappers. Other co-stars include Tomita Yasuko, Yada Akiko and Moro Morooka.

Source: Oricon

Preview of Singapore Japanese Film Festival 2016

For those who are in Singapore this month, you may wish to check out the Singapore Japanese Film Festival 2016 taking place at the National Museum's Gallery Theatre. As per previous years, there is a mix of old and new films which are known as the retrospective and currents categories respectively. 

Usually, the films in the retrospective category can be viewed free-of-charge but the catch is that you have to queue up for tickets before the screening. If it happens to be a very popular film, you may not be able to watch it if all the tickets are taken up. On the other hand, the movies in the currents category usually need paid tickets so there's a higher chance of you getting to watch the movie you want but of course, that's still limited to the theatre's capacity and popularity of the movie. This year, there are some films in this category which don't need paid tickets such as オオカミ少女と黒王子 Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji starring Nikaidou Fumi and Yamazaki Kento.

I have been attending this film festival almost every year but the number of films I watch each year is largely dependent on the selection. The films in the retrospective category tend not to interest me as much so I usually go for those in the currents category where there are some very new offerings. Last year, I watched "Watashi no Otoko" and the two parts of "Little Forest" where the latter were the first sold-out sessions I had attended. This year, I bought tickets to the following films:

- 海よりもまだ深く (Umi yori mo mada fukaku) - After The Storm

Directed by Koreeda Hirokazu / Starring Abe Hiroshi, Maki Youko and Kiki Kirin

- グッドストライプス Good Stripes

Directed by Sode Yukiko / Starring Kikuchi Akiko and Nakajima Ayumu

- にがくてあまい (Nigakute Amai) - Bittersweet

Directed by Kusano Shogo / Starring Kawaguchi Haruna and Hayashi Kento

Of these, the first film was shown in the first half of 2016 while the third will be shown in Japan from 10 September and I'll get to see it just a week later. The second film was shown last year. As such, this festival is one of the best chances to catch some new films instead of waiting for their commercial release in Singapore which might never happen.

If you are watching three or more films or you are going with friends, note that there is a 10 percent discount for three or more tickets bought.

If you are a regular attendee at this film festival, please share your thoughts about this and the films which you watched in the past and what you've watched this year. Looking forward to seeing your responses!

Endo Kumiko announces her marriage & pregnancy

Endo Kumiko announced her marriage and pregnancy through a fax statement released by her agency on 31 August. Her husband is visual producer and movie director Yokoo Hatsuki. In her statement, Endo said that she registered her marriage to Yokoo in July and their first baby is due to be born next spring. With regard to how they met, the couple worked together on a movie in Shiga several years ago and only reunited last December where they exchanged contact details. Even though they had only dated for a short while, they enjoy each other's company and had plans for the future since they started dating. They also revealed that their parents were very happy to hear about Endo's pregnancy and asked for everyone's warm support going forward.

Endo who goes by the nickname Enkumi, used to be very popular and active in variety shows but focuses more on her acting career these days. As for Yokoo, he has directed films such as "PLAN B" shown in 2016 and "Yurari" due to be shown in 2017.

Sources: Sponichi Annex / Sanspo

EXILE's vocalist ATSUSHI announces plan to go for overseas studies until 2018

EXILE's vocalist ATSUSHI announced on 31 August that he will be heading to the US for studies and be based there until 2018. In his statement, ATSUSHI revealed that as EXILE headed into its 15th anniversary, he was wondering what he could do in order to evolve into a better artiste so he had been thinking about this for the past few years and discussed his plan with the staff, HIRO and his fellow EXILE members. In view of the fact that EXILE's music is primarily based on R & B from the US, he hopes to study English and music in order to make his music more acceptable to the Japanese market and work with excellent musicians from around the world during his stay there. He also stressed that his stay overseas will be for a limited time only so he promised that he will return as an improved EXILE performer. ATSUSHI called for the support and understanding of his selfish decision and asked for the time off until 2018 so that he can pursue his dream. However, it was not mentioned when exactly he would move overseas.

Sources: Sponichi Annex / Nikkansports

Matsushita Nao to star in new TBS drama SP "Oufukushokan ~ Juugonen go no Hoshuu"

Matsushita Nao will be starring in the new TBS drama SP "Oufukushokan ~ Juugonen go no Hoshuu" (Correspondence ~ The supplementary tuition after 15 years) which will be shown on 30 September at 8.57pm. The drama SP is adapted from one of the stories "Juugonen go no Hoshuu" in Minato Kanae's short novels compilation "Oufukushokan". Matsushita plays the role of the heroine Okano Mariko who got embroiled into an incident involving her classmate when she was in junior high. As a result, she lost her memory due to the shock. Suddenly, through her mail correspondence with her boyfriend Nagata Junichi (Ichihara Hayato) who was her junior high school classmate and is on assignment as an international volunteer at a frontier town, she starts to remember fragments of her past. At the same time, a new murder case happens which leads Mariko to find out the truth behind the case which happened 15 years ago. Kaga Takeshi plays the role of Kameyama Ryuzo who is in-charge of the cases 15 years ago and now.

Matsushita revealed that she has been a fan of Minato's books and is always excited about the unexpected developments in her stories. In the original novel, the correspondence between Mariko and Junichi offers a blend of suspense and romance elements so she hopes to be able to convey the emotions of her character through this drama SP.

Sources: Yomiuri Hochi / Oricon

Filming wraps up for the real-life adaptation movie of "Hagane no Renkin Jutsushi"

The filming for the real-life adaptation movie of "Hagane no Renkin Jutsushi" was wrapped up on 26 August. The movie which is based on the original manga by Arakawa Hiromu that hald sold more than 70 million copies to date, was directed by Sori Fumihiko. Filming started at Italy in June and lasted for about a month before the crew and cast moved to various locations within Japan. During the filming, Arakawa visited the shooting location where she interacted with the crew and staff and expressed interest in the costumes and set made for the movie. She also drew an illustration on a display board at the shooting venue which was meant as a surprise gift to the crew and cast.

Source: Oricon

Karasawa Toshiaki & Kubota Masataka to be back in NTV Autumn 2016 drama "THE LAST COP / Last Cop"

Karasawa Toshiaki and Kubota Masataka will be back in the NTV Autumn 2016 drama "THE LAST COP / Last Cop" which will begin its run from 8 October in the Saturdays 9pm timeslot. Before the start of the drama, "episode 0" will be shown at 9pm on 3rd, 10th and 17th September. The series began as a drama SP in June last year and was the first private network series to be shown on Hulu for six consecutive weeks.

During the open filming recently, Karasawa held a surprise birthday celebration by bringing a birthday cake and present for Kubota who turns 28 on 6 September. When asked what present he had got for Kubota, Karasawa grinned and said that it was a secret while Kubota commented that he will be looking forward to opening the present later. Karasawa added jokingly that it is a present which only men will know the meaning. Kubota expressed his appreciation for the celebration and will work hard in return for the kind gesture.

The drama describes how Karasawa's character Kyogoku Kosuke, a police detective during the Showa era who wakes up from his 30-year coma, teams up with his Heisei era colleague Mochizuki Ryota to solve cases. As it's been a long time since they met up, Kubota commented that it was not difficult to get back into the groove of things since the cast and crew are about the same as one year ago.

"episode 0" is a recap of how Kyogoku and Mochizuki became buddies and what had happened so far in addition to new revelations and a surprise announcement. Kubota commented that compared to when the drama was shown on Hulu, they will have to spend more time and energy on the filming this time so they will try their best to eat nutritious food and put up a good performance. Although the drama is heavy on the comedy aspect, the story's serious aspect is also highly valued so it is important to strike a balance between the two. In response to Kubota's comments, Karasawa praised him for being so good with words despite his young age and joked that he can't remember when he was first able to speak in such a comprehensive manner since he only thought about how to do his work.

Source: Oricon

Emoto Tasuku to star in new NHK drama SP "Scrap and Build"

Emoto Tasuku will be starring in the new NHK drama SP "Scrap and Build" which will be shown at 9pm on 17 December. The drama which is based on the same-titled Akutagawa Award-winning novel by Hada Keisuke, features Emoto as the leading character Kento who is a 28-year-old unemployed young man who sees no hope in his future. He used to work in a company but quit because he didn't like the work and is studying hard now to pass the administrative scrivener exam while trying to find another job. However, he has no luck in securing a new job. Meanwhile, Kento lives with his mother and his 87-year-old grandfather who needs to be taken care of. Despite not suffering from any illness and is relatively healthy for his age, Kento's grandfather has mobility problems and keeps saying that he's better off dead. Although Kento is fed up with his grandfather's lamenting, he suddenly comes to realise that he has never paid attention to his grandfather's feelings and that actually stems from his own unwillingness and selfishness to treat other people sincerely.

While grappling with this newfound realisation, Kento confides in his friend Daisuke who works in the welfare industry where the latter suggests that the welfare workers should not go beyond their means to care for those who need help as it can make the patients to lose the will to move and cause the deterioration of their mind and body. Kento resolves to help his grandfather by knowing when to stop so that he will be able to face impending death in a peaceful manner. During the tug-of-war between them, Kento finds out about a huge secret which leads the situation to head for an unexpected ending.

Filming began at the end of August and will wrap up in Osaka by November. Co-stars include Yamashita Rio, Asaka Kodai, Akimoto Sayaka, Asaji Yoko and Yamaya Hatsuo.

Sources: Sponichi / Oricon

Iwata Takanori to appear in TBS Autumn 2016 drama "Suna no Tou ~ Shirisugita Rinjin"

Iwata Takanori who is a member of both EXILE and Sandaime J Soul Brothers, will be making his first appearance in a TBS drama through the upcoming Autumn 2016 drama "Suna no Tou ~ Shirisugita Rinjin" which will begin its run from October in the Fridays 10pm timeslot. The suspense drama which features Kanno Miho as the heroine Takano Aki, describes how she tries to protect her family from her strange neighbour Sasaki Yumiko (Matsushima Nanako) as she struggles with class differences and harassment after moving into a new high-rise condominium complex. Iwata plays the role of a gymnastics coach Ubukata Kohei who is a childhood friend of Aki and happens to teach her daughter Sora at the children's class so the two are reunited after a long time. In actual fact, Aki and Kohei both came from the same town and she was his first love. While seeing how tired and stressed Aki has become after moving house, he tries to provide support to her but has a hidden side which is unknown to her.

Iwata commented that it will be a very stimulating experience to be able to work with his seniors in acting like Kanno and Matsushima so he is eager to learn from them and feels honoured about being allowed to take part in this drama. As for his character Kohei, Iwata described him as a cheerful young man but has a traumatic experience due to a setback suffered in the past so he hopes to be able to show the delicate and hidden side of Kohei in this drama.

Source: Oricon

Nakamura Aoi to star in TV Tokyo Autumn 2016 drama "Sennyuu Sousa Idol Deka Dance"

Nakamura Aoi will be starring in the TV Tokyo Autumn 2016 drama "Sennyuu Sousa Idol Deka Dance" (Undercover investigation idol Police Detective Dance) which will begin its run from 8 October in the Saturdays 12.20am timeslot. This will be Nakamura's first leading role in a TV Tokyo drama since 2014's "Nazo no Tenkousei".

The comedy features an idol group named Deka Dance which consists of undercover police detectives who hide their identities to become idols and solve cases which happen in showbiz. Nakamura plays the role of a newbie police detective named Tatsuya Sumire who is assigned to join the group and tries his best to be an idol star while wearing flashy costumes and being part of a group with a funny name. Nakamura commented that he is looking forward to sparks between him and his co-stars during the filming and will aim to be a national idol during the drama's broadcast period.

Sources: Yomiuri Hochi / Oricon

Morikawa Aoi to star in new NHK BS Premium drama "Princess Maison"

Morikawa Aoi will be starring in the new NHK BS Premium drama "Princess Maison" which will be shown in the Tuesdays 11.15pm timeslot from 25 October. The drama which consists of 8 episodes, features Morikawa as a 26-year-old woman who earns JPY 2.5 million annually and aims to buy a high-rise apartment of her own. This will be Morikawa's first leading role in a NHK drama.

"Princess Maison" is based on the same-titled manga by Ikebe Aoi which is published on Shogakukan's free manga site "Yawaraka Spirits" and features Morikawa as the heroine Numagoe Sachi who aspires to live in a high-rise apartment in Tokyo and will go to visit the gallery of new high-rise apartments on her off-days. While surrounded by couples and families at the galleries, Sachi is serious about the viewings and asks in-depth questions to the staff who finds her mysterious. The drama will reveal why Sachi wants to buy her own apartment and is bent on getting a high-rise one in Tokyo.

In this era where the rate of single Japanese women in their 20s is more than 60 percent and the average marriage age for women is 29.2 years old, the percentage of single women in their twenties is a mere 12.7% as most women tend to do so at an average age of 36.8 years old. While working in an izakaya and with no plans to get married, Sachi wants to get her own home which is reflective of the current trend.

Morikawa commented that when she was asked what is the biggest thing she must face up to, she cited a house since she is living alone and that's the most important thing which will support her. In addition, as buying a house is usually the biggest purchase in a person's life, she hopes to be able to learn how to live with other people around her and form meaningful connections with them rather than just pick up knowledge on how to buy a house through the filming of this drama.

Sources: Sponichi / My Navi / Oricon

Completion screening event of new movie "Nanimono"

The completion screening event of new movie "Nanimono" was held at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi on 30 August which was attended by the director Miura Daisuke and cast members Sato Takeru, Arimura Kasumi, Nikaidou Fumi, Suda Masaki, Okada Masaki and Yamada Takayuki. Initially, the plan was for the red carpet event to be held at Roppongi Hills Arena but it was cancelled at the last minute due to the effect of Typhoon No.10. Instead, a red carpet and stage was set up at the staircase area outside the cinema's theatres.

The movie which will be screened in cinemas from 15 October, is based on the same-titled novel by Asai Ryou that won the Naoki Award and features five university students who are in the midst of finding jobs and exchange for information among themselves during the process. While trying to secure employment, they also try to search for what kind of person they would like to become.

During the event, the six actors were all dressed in black-based outfits with some slight colour variations. Sato who was wearing a red scarf, revealed that during the filming, the five of them except Yamada were always together so it felt as if they were the five Power Rangers. Since their characters are quite different in terms of personality, they discussed among themselves and decided to wear black outfits with items that differed in colour. Arimura commented that that was why she wore pink shoes to match her outfit while Nikaidou said that she was the Orange Ranger.

In the movie, the characters of Sato, Arimura and Suda are involved in a love triangle. Suda commented that his character is supposed to be more popular with women which he felt quite excited about. During the script reading session, Suda revealed that he had asked Arimura what she likes about him and she cited his frankness. In response, Sato poked fun at them for behaving as if they were speaking fondly of each other like lovers which led Suda to clarify that they were just talking about acting.

Okada plays a loner in the movie and commented that he didn't get to talk much to his co-stars since he was on the set for a few days. However, Sato revealed that he remembered that Okada spent a fair bit of time having fun with them and "lamented" that the latter had forgotten all about the time they spent together which led the other actors to "scold" him. In response, Okada revealed that Suda and Nikaidou were very energetic on the set and got everyone's spirits up during the filming.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Sponichi

Murakawa Eri to appear as guest in the 7th episode of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru"

Murakawa Eri will be appearing in the 7th episode of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru" shown on 30 August as a guest star. This marks her first collaboration with the leads Takei Emi and Takizawa Hideaki.

The drama which is based on the same-titled manga by Kitagawa Miyuki, features Takei as the heroine Kurihara Mia who works in the PR department of Tiffany Japan and gets involved in a forbidden relationship with her married superior and the vice president of the company Miyoshi Kairi (Takizawa). With the transfer of Kairi, this marks the beginning of the Osaka arc. Murakawa plays the role of Fujieda Shiho, the former girlfriend of Miyazawa (Nakamura Aoi) who is the acting PR director of Jimmy Choo and gets into a love triangle with Mia and Kairi. When Mia and Miyazawa visit a wedding hall, Shiho appears suddenly and gives Mia a dressing down.

As Murakawa is from Osaka, she commented that her character is somewhat like a troublemaker who appears in the second half of the drama. In addition, she felt  it was fun to be able to use Kansai-ben in her slightly overboard lines. Murakawa hopes that viewers will still be able to see the sad side of her character despite her strong appearance.

Source: Sponichi