Norika Fujiwara says secret of beauty is love

TOKYO — Actress Norika Fujiwara, 41, has some advice for the participants in Fox Japan’s new reality show “Japan’s Next Beauty.” The secret of maintaining one’s beauty, she says, is “falling in love.”

Fujiwara will host the show which brings together 15 young Japanese women aged 18-20, who live together and compete with each other by going through various obstacles to get to the top.

“It’s really hard to judge people,” said Fujiwara who is herself a veteran of many contests. “I remember all the stress I went through during the audition process. I was once kicked out of the room because I was not ‘family size.’ Another time I passed the audition for a TV commercial but it was only for my legs,” she said.

“Japan’s Next Beauty” debuts at 9 p.m. on Sunday June 23 on the Fox Japan channel.

Japan Today

www.japantoday.com

Kumi Koda sizzles on cover of new CD

TOKYO — “Koda-mama goes wild on her first CD in two years.” That’s how the Japanese entertainment media are describing the hot look of Kumi Koda, 30, on the cover of her first single in two years.

On the cover of “Summer Trip,” Koda—who had a baby less than a year ago—appears in a seductive bikini, with blond hair and a shapely bronzed body. The photo shoot was done at Malibu in California.

Koda told reporters the themes for the photos on the CD are “heat,” “freedom” and “energy.”

“I chose my fashion and the ocean view because I wanted to express the idea of summer directly,” Koda said, adding that she also accelerated her diet so as to emphasize her curves.

“Summer Trip” will be released on July 31.

Japan Today

www.japantoday.com

Has Japan’s K-pop bubble burst? Weakening yen hits major Korean record label hard

TOKYO — It wasn’t so long ago that everywhere you looked in Japan, there were ads for Korean pop groups, cosmetics and health drinks. More people than ever were snapping up Korean language textbooks and, despite territorial squabbles and a few extreme-right noise makers, Japan was positively leaping on anything prefixed by the letter ‘K’.

Recent reports, however, suggest that all is not well in the K-pop music camp in Japan, with major Korean record label and talent agency S.M. Entertainment reporting losses of more than 70% compared to the same period last year. Has the K-pop bubble finally burst in Japan?

Despite boasting sales amounting to some $44 million in the first quarter of 2012, Japan’s Livedoor News reported last week that S.M. Entertainment’s profits fell by more than 70% during the same period this year, prompting industry analysts to wonder whether it’s finally game over for Korean pop idols in Japan.

The K-pop train may not be running at quite the speed it once did, but the real cause of S.M. Entertainment’s sudden dip in financial fortunes may not be Japanese fans’ indifference to their neighbors’ music so much as the fact that their money is worth less than it used to be abroad.

“No matter how you look at it, the cheap yen is very likely the major factor here,” said the editor of a Japan-based Korean entertainment magazine. “According to Korean financial analysts, some 70% of S.M.’s profits come from overseas, with Japan making up close to 50% of that. It’s only natural that, having relied on the [previously] strong yen so much, the company should take a hit now.”

Thanks in part to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent ‘Abenomics‘ financial footwork, the cost of the yen has fallen significantly for the first time in years, making life a little easier for Japanese companies trading outside of their homeland, but neighboring countries are feeling the strain as a result.

An S.M. Entertainment spokesperson responded to fears that the Japanese K-pop industry was in trouble, saying that the company had indeed posted much lower profits than in previous years, but stressed that the second financial quarter is set to be far more lucrative, with big names like Girls’ Generation and boy-band SHINee both going on tour and performing at a number of venues in Japan during the summer. Even so, with the yen far cheaper than it was last year, you can be sure that S.M., and many other Korean companies that rely on their Japanese fan base, will be left fondly remembering the days when their Japanese customers’ yen was worth much more back home.

Source: Livedoor News

www.japantoday.com

Gouriki wins 'E-Line' award for most beautiful profile

TOKYO — Actress Ayame Gouriki, 20, is the recipient of this year’s “E-Line Beautiful” award from the Japan Association of Adult Orthodontics.

The award is given to the female celebrity with the most beautiful profile due to perfect alignment of the teeth. The association also judges a candidate from the bridge of her nose to her chin.

”I try to chew evenly with my back teeth,” Gouriki said in response to winning the award on Sunday. “I hope I can keep my natural profile.”

Japan Today

www.japantoday.com

Christel Takigawa appointed 'Cool Tokyo' Ambassador for Olympic bid

TOKYO — The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bid committee on Monday announced the appointment of international television personality Christel Takigawa as “Cool Tokyo” Ambassador.

Takigawa will take a lead role in “promoting the dynamic and vibrant culture in the heart of one of the world’s most exciting cities,” the committee said in a statement. She will play a key role at the 2020 Candidate Cities Briefing for IOC Members in Lausanne, Switzerland, on July 3.

Takigawa said: “I am extremely honored to be appointed as Tokyo 2020’s ‘Cool Tokyo’ Ambassador. Japan has increasingly attracted attention from the world as a cool destination in recent years, and with the bid race entering into its final and crucial three-month span, I believe right now is the time to show everyone how cool Tokyo really is. I look forward to making a passionate presentation on Tokyo’s attractions to IOC members at the upcoming 2020 candidate cities briefing.”

Tsunekazu Takeda, IOC member and president of the bid committee and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), said: “A key reason we enjoy a strong bid is that we have drawn on the wisdom of many people from a wide range of diverse backgrounds, which is why we are particularly thrilled Christel Takigawa is part of our team. Christel perfectly symbolises the global character of Tokyo.”

Takigawa, who is fluent in Japanese and French and also speaks English, has many years of experience as a presenter on Japanese television. A huge sport enthusiast, her involvement with Tokyo’s drive to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games began with an appearance in a promotional video for the Tokyo 2016 campaign.

She is also a recipient of France’s prestigious “L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” for her introduction of French culture to Japan.

Japan Today

www.japantoday.com

Satomi Ishihara 'looking forward' to getting married one day

TOKYO — Actress Satomi Ishihara, 26, says she is looking forward to the day she gets married but admitted there is no one special in her life yet.

Ishihara made the comments this week at an event called “with’s Wedding Academy” held by fashion magazine “with.” The event was held to give single women romantic tips on everything ranging from how to pick the right guy to what kind of wedding dress suits a woman’s personality.

Asked what sort of a wedding reception she would like to have, Ishihara said, “I don’t want it to be too luxurious. I just want to invite my family and friends and have a small ‘homemade’ wedding,” TV Asahi reported.

She added that after she gets married, she would like to keep working, so she hopes to have an understanding partner.

Japan Today

www.japantoday.com

TLC and Namie Amuro’s new version of 'Waterfalls' irks Lopes family

TOKYO — When it comes to R&B of the ‘90s in America, TLC were undoubtedly at the top of the heap, winning four Grammy Awards and selling mountains of singles and albums, back when artists used to sell albums.

Meanwhile in Japan, after breaking away from the group she belonged to, Namie Amuro went on to see massive success as a solo artist. A pioneer of ‘90s fashion trends, she was the darling of Japanese TV.

However, on both sides of the Pacific, these musicians would face tragedy. Amuro’s mother was murdered in 1999, and TLC lost member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in a car accident in 2002. Now, TLC are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their hit song “Waterfalls” by rerecording it with Namie Amuro filling in for Left Eye. The only problem was they forgot to tell the Lopes family.

According to TMZ, Left Eye Lopes’ sister Reigndrop Lopes expressed her and her mother’s discontent with the move saying that they would have appreciated being told ahead of time.

However, Reigndrop added that if the song was only sold in Japan, she’d be okay with it. It seems as though that’s the plan so far with the single being available only on Amazon Japan and iTunes Japan for 250 yen.

After giving the reworking of “Waterfall” a listen, the addition of Amuro is great in doses but should have been arranged differently. Her singing is very nice and all but the rap parts come across kind of stiff compared to Left Eye’s own. It seems like it would have been better to just use Lopes’ original recorded contribution and added an extra/original verse from Amuro.

Sources: Naver Matome, MSN Topics

Read more stories from RocketNews24.
—Japanese band with American singer wants to turn music industry on its ear with free downloads
—Japanese women share their complaints about karaoke with men
—Number of Members in Japanese Music Groups Proportional to Level of Sucking

RocketNews24

www.japantoday.com

Eriko Sato appears in sexy photo book for first time in 10 years

TOKYO — Actress Eriko Sato, 31, is showing off her curves in a photo book for the first time in 10 years.

“Satoeri,” as she is popularly known by the tabloids, appears in a bikini in the photo book titled “es Eriko Sato Collection.”

“I’ve heard my bikini shots are very popular among middle-aged men,” Sato said at an event to launch the book in Shinjuku on Sunday. “Perhaps, it’s because I hit the age where they could imagine me as their mistress.”

www.japantoday.com