'Single' Akina Minami wins Wedding Best Dresser Award

Akina Minami
SANKEI

TOKYO — Akina Minami, 21, was named one of three winners of the inaugural Wedding Best Dresser Awards this week, despite being single and unattached. Minami won in the category of TV personality. In the model category, the award was scooped up by Marie, 23, while 19-year-old
Tomomi Itano from AKB48 took the gong in the idol category—both of whom are also single.

At the awards ceremony, Minami appeared in a wedding dress and told attendees, “All girls long for a white wedding, so I’m pleased to have been chosen for this award.” When asked about her own wedding prospects, Minami replied, “I’d like to get married at around 24 or 25, but I don’t have a boyfriend right now and my friends tell me it’s not going to happen anytime soon. But when the day comes, my ideal ceremony would be at Disneyland with all my friends.”

In response to the news that comedian Toshifumi Fujimoto, 39, of comedy group Fujiwara, and 23-year-old TV personality Yukina Kinoshita recently tied the knot in a hotel affiliated with the Tokyo Disneyland resort, Minami responded, “I’ve been beaten to it, so it’s going to look like I’m copying them. I think I’ll scratch that idea.”

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Satomi Ishihara, other Horipro stars raise emergency relief funds

Satomi Ishihara, right, and Sei Ashina ask for earthquake relief donations in front of the Parco store in Shibuya.
SANKEI

TOKYO — Actress Satomi Ishihara, 24, and 80 other “talents” from Horipro Entertainment, gathered in front of Parco department store in Shibuya over the weekend for the “You are the one who rings the bell” emergency relief donation event, the name of which is borrowed from Akiko Wada’s 1972 famous top single.

“I wanted to contribute in some way myself,” said Ishihara, who added that she was happy to chat with everyone who donated and share their concerns about the ongoing crisis.

Fukushima-born actress and ex-model Sei Ashina, 27, and comedian duo Tanpopo’s Kumiko Shiratori, 29, also participated in the event. “I am very grateful for everyone’s help,” said Ashina, whose parents and siblings currently live in emergency shelters in Sendai.

The total amount of collected donations reached 1,643,500 yen. Some of the Horipro team also went to Shinjuku on Sunday.

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Yukina Kinoshita dispenses marriage advice

TOKYO — TV celebrity and underwear model Yukina Kinoshita, 22, was the guest of honor at the 10th Sanai Swimwear Image Girl event in Tokyo this week as one of the company’s former “image girls.”

Kinoshita, who makes up one third of idol group Pabo alongside celebrities Suzanne, 24, and Mai Satoda, 26, was asked how she felt about the recent announcement that Satoda was in a relationship with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. She replied with a smile, “I already knew they were dating. I think they look great together.” On the subject of marriage she said, “I think we’ll leave that to them, right?”

Having recently got married to comedian Toshifumi Fujimoto, 39, Kinoshita was asked what the secret to a happy marriage was. She replied, “When you fight, the man should apologize.”

Meanwhile, Tokiko Kitagawa, 23, was chosen as this year’s 10th Sanai Swimwear Image Girl.

Ryoko versus Ryoko in battle of TV tax inspectors

TOKYO —
This seems to be the season for TV dramas about tax investigators with Ryoko Shinohara and Ryoko Yonekura competing in prime time. Shinohara stars in the new Nihon TV drama series, “Ogon no Buta,” which premieres Oct 20 at 10 p.m., while Yonekura is appearing in “Nasake no Onna” on Thursdays at 9 p.m. on TV Asahi.

In “Ogon no Buta,” Shinohara plays a former con artist who is now a tax inspector investigating various tax evasion schemes and other scams. In her drama, Yonekura plays a similar character—a government investigator tracking down tax cheats.

Asked if her role would spark a rivalry with Yonekura, Shinohara said: “I had no idea about her series. I haven’t seen it. I’ve been so absorbed in ‘Ogon no Buta.’ I better have a look and see what she’s doing.”

This is Shinohara’s first appearance in a TV series since giving birth in 2008. Her father also passed away recently.

Kazuya Kamenashi and Kumi Koda win 'Best Jeanist' awards

TOKYO —
The winners of the “Best Jeanist 2010” awards were announced this week by the Japan Jeans Association. The annual awards are given to celebrities who look cool in jeans. This year’s popular vote winners were Kazuya Kamenashi, 24, of pop band KAT-TUN and singer Kumi Koda, 27, who both won awards last year, too.
Kamenashi said: “I feel like I just got 200 hits,” referring to Ichiro’s recent record-breaking achievement of 10 straight 200-hit seasons. Koda echoed his sentiments, saying, “This is a very special prize to me. I’m really happy.”
The Best Jeanist Association votes went to actor Kenta Kiritani, 30, AKB48’s Tomomi Itano, 19, and all-round celebrity Ai Haruna, 38. The International Best Jeanist award went to 24-year-old Japanese soccer star Keisuke Honda.

Aya Ueto finds new love in EXILE

TOKYO —
Actress and singer Aya Ueto, 25, and EXILE frontman Hiro, 41, have been dating, according to media reports. The couple first met while Ueto was taking dance lessons around the time she broke into the mainstream in 1997.
They have been dating under the press radar since before Hiro was designated EXILE’s new lead, and apparently became seriously involved this summer, according to the tabloids.
Ueto, who ended her eight-year relationship with “boy band” V6 member Go Morita, 31, in August, told the media recently that her preferred type was, “a muscular, strong-willed guy,”—a description believed to be a veiled hint at her involvement with Hiro.

Kaori Manabe, Higashios turn out for Audi

TOKYO —
TV celebrity Kaori Manabe, who is embroiled in a lengthy legal battle with her talent management agency, said this week that it was going smoothly. “We’re making slow but steady progress,” Manabe said at a commemorative event in Yoyogi marking the anniversary of the launch of the iconic Audi R8 Spyder. She was joined by baseball commentator Osamu Higashio and his pro golfer daughter Riko Higashio.
As Manabe stood in front of the legendary luxury sports car, somebody asked her about relationships. “I think they should be intensely passionate,” said Manabe. When asked if there was currently a special someone in her life, she replied mysteriously, “I wonder. Even I’m not entirely sure.”
As the Higashios stood in front of the 20 million yen car, a reporter asked if they were thinking of buying one themselves. “Convertibles don’t really suit dad,” Riko said. When asked if she and husband Junichi Ishida were considering parenthood, Riko replied, “For now I’d like to concentrate on golf.”