Books Feb 22, 2020
‘33⅓ Japan’ has nerdy but accessible tales of albums and artists
by Jordan Allen
With the "33⅓ Japan" series, music aficionados bring classic Japanese albums and artists to life in nerdy, but accessible, prose.
Stage Feb 13, 2020
Japanese students take idol worship to a whole new level
by Marco Christian
Take a look at the world of Unidol, in which teams of Japanese university students emulate the moves of pop groups in a battle to be the greatest idol copy dance club.
National / Media Sep 22, 2019
How virtual streamers like Kizuna Ai became Japan's biggest YouTube attraction
by Pavel Alpeyev and Yuki Furukawa
Kizuna Ai, the most popular streamer in Japan, is an anatomically exaggerated, perpetually adolescent girl in frilly thigh-high socks and a pink hair ribbon. She's also an entirely virtual character, given life by the actions and voice of an invisible actress. In the home of ...
National / Crime & Legal Jun 7, 2019
Junnosuke Taguchi, a former member of Japanese all-male idol group Kat-tun, was released on bail Friday after he was charged with possessing marijuana. Taguchi, 33, and his partner Rena Komine, 38, who faces the same charge, each posted bail of ¥3 million the same day ...
National / Crime & Legal May 21, 2019
Man arrested for allegedly threatening to kill member of AKB48 spin-off group
A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill a member of a sister group of the popular AKB48 girl band, police said. Kazuki Domoto was arrested Monday for threatening Yuka Ogino, a member of NGT48 based in the city of Niigata, by ...
Entertainment News May 2, 2019
Ex-AKB48 idol Minami Takahashi gets married on Day One of Japan's Reiwa Era
Singer and TV personality Minami Takahashi, a former member of Japanese all-girl pop group AKB48, ushered in the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito and the Reiwa Era by getting married on Wednesday, her agency said. "I decided to move forward with a new family at the ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Mar 23, 2019
Idols and agencies in Japan navigate a brand new landscape
by Philip Brasor
Television personality Masahiro Nakai made an appearance as a "surprise guest" on the March 10 installment of Nippon TV's law-related variety show, "Gyoretsu no Dekiru Horitsu Sodanjo" (“Line-up Law Office”). Earlier, guest Koji Kato had related an anecdote featuring Shingo Katori, Nakai's former associate ...
Books / Reviews | ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES Mar 23, 2019
William Gibson's 'Idoru': Tokyo sci-fi becomes full-blown reality
by Stephen Mansfield
Satirical yet eerily plausible, William Gibson's "Idoru" is a complex sci-fi novel set in post-quake Tokyo that addresses the often negative impacts technology has on our lives.
Entertainment News Mar 4, 2019
Atsuko Maeda, an original member of all-girl pop group AKB48, has given birth to a baby boy, her first child, her husband said Monday. "I'd like to report that a baby boy was safely born the other day," 32-year-old actor Ryo Katsuji, Maeda's husband, posted ...
Entertainment News Feb 20, 2019
High-profile talent agency Johnny & Associates creates first virtual idols
Major entertainment agency Johnny & Associates Inc. announced Tuesday that it is creating its first virtual idols in collaboration with video streaming service Showroom. The virtual idols — all-singing, all-dancing digital performers — will be able to interact with fans during videos that started to ...
Entertainment News Jan 27, 2019
Popular boy band Arashi's decision to take a break at end of 2020 shocks fans in Japan and overseas
In a move that shocked fans, popular Japanese boy band Arashi said Sunday that it will go on hiatus at the end of 2020. "Around the middle of June 2017, I told other members that I wanted to end the activities as Arashi for now ...
National Jan 15, 2019
NGT48 agency removes manager from post over handling of assault on idol group member Maho Yamaguchi
The operator of popular all-girl band AKB48 and its sister groups said Monday it has removed one of its officials from a key post amid criticism of its handling of an assault against a member of idol group NGT48. The company, AKS, announced the change ...