NEWSWORTHY
Atsuko Maeda, 27, a pop cultural icon and original member of the all-girl group AKB48, has married actor Ryo Katsuji, 31, an official of his management company said on Tuesday. "We will continue to support each other and sincerely engage in each and every project ...
Tokio member Tatsuya Yamaguchi investigated over indecent act with high school girl
A member of the all-male pop group Tokio has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of engaging in an indecent act with a high school-aged girl, investigative sources said Wednesday. Tatsuya Yamaguchi, 46, allegedly kissed the girl against her will at his home in Tokyo's ...
Japanese adults vent dark obsession with young girls at 'little idols' concerts
In a cramped and dark venue in a sleazy Tokyo district, dozens of middle-aged men cheer at a performer on stage: The object of their adoration is a 6-year-old girl. Decked out in makeup with ribbons in her hair, Ai is dressed like an adult ...
Move over AKB48: Japan has a new all-girl idol band — the Virtual Currency Girls — on a mission to educate the public about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Each of the eight girls in the band, known in Japanese as Kasotsuka Shojo, plays a character ...
For African-American ‘idol’ Amina du Jean, difference is a double-edged sword
Amina du Jean been in Japan for only 2½ years, but in that time has become a bona fide idol, joined a J-idol group and even branched off into a bit of gravure (bikini) modeling.
26.9% of aspiring models, idols have been asked to perform sex acts for the camera: survey
Many young women who signed contracts with talent agencies to become fashion models or idols have been asked to perform sex acts on camera, with some giving in to such requests, a government survey showed Wednesday. The online survey conducted last December by the Cabinet ...
Hugely popular boy band SMAP will break up at the end of the year, their management agency has announced.
AKB48 management firm 'reviewing' Shanghai sister group amid 'contractual violations'
AKS, the firm that runs the all-female idol group AKB48, announced Thursday it is "reviewing" operations of its Shanghai-based sister unit, SNH48. According to a statement released by the group's website, the operators of SNH48 were found to be in "contractual violations," "necessitating a review ...
The suspect in the stabbing of a 20-year-old female idol in Tokyo on Saturday repeatedly sent messages to a fellow female performer via her Twitter account after the victim apparently blocked his account. Singing idol Mayu Tomita remained in critical condition after she was stabbed ...
Stabbed idol in critical condition; fan faces charge of attempted murder
A female idol was in critical condition after being viciously stabbed during an event for apparently refusing a gift from a reported fan in Koganei, western Tokyo, police said Sunday. Mayu Tomita, 20, has yet to regain consciousness after being stabbed nearly two dozen times ...
All-girl idol group AKB48 plans to add branches in two more Southeast Asian countries — Thailand and the Philippines, its management agency said. BNK48, to be based in Bangkok, and MNL48, in Manila, will join the AKB48 family as its newest sister groups, while Taiwan's ...
'Prison idols' singing duo helping inmates get back on life's track
A female singing duo, who for years have been performing live concerts at Japanese prisons and encouraging inmates to reform their ways to successfully reenter society, have come quite a way since their days of nervousness onstage. At an event earlier this year, the group ...
