National Feb 11, 2021
Actor Ken Watanabe vows to continue supporting areas hit by 3/11
The global star continues to operate a cafe that serves as a meeting place for people in Kesennuma, in Miyagi Prefecture, which was badly affected by the tsunami.
Stage Mar 13, 2020
Conquering history and conquering the stage with Ken Watanabe
by Nobuko Tanaka
Japanese actor Ken Watanabe returns to 'Pizarro' 35 years after his last performance in the play, this time in the lead role as the titular Spanish conquistador.
Books Mar 7, 2020
What ‘Fukushima 50’ can teach us about crises
by Mark Schilling
Author and journalist Ryusho Kadota on how the nation's handling of the 3/11 triple disaster bodes for its ongoing response to COVID-19.
Film Mar 6, 2020
Paying cinematic tribute to the 'Fukushima 50'
by Matthew Hernon
Actor Koichi Sato discusses his role in "Fukushima 50," a film which looks at the events that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake
Film / Reviews Mar 5, 2020
'Fukushima 50': A disaster film with real-life roots
by Mark Schilling
Ken Watanabe and Koichi Sato star in the first film dramatization of the meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant.
Film Jun 12, 2019
Dai Watanabe: Forging his own path, away from the familiar
by Kaori Shoji
Though he rarely acknowledges the fact in public, Dai Watanabe is the son of Ken Watanabe: arguably Japan's most internationally known actor since Toshiro Mifune. Among Japanese media, the fact is common knowledge, though in interviews with Watanabe junior, the subject is often off-limits. Dai ...
Entertainment News Mar 6, 2019
Actor Ken Watanabe was nominated Tuesday for the 2019 Laurence Olivier Awards in the category for best actor in a musical for his role in "The King and I." The other actors in the running are Marc Antolin of "Little Shop of Horrors," Kobna Holdbrook-Smith ...
More Sports / Swimming Feb 13, 2019
Words of support pour in for swimmer Rikako Ikee after leukemia diagnosis
Words of encouragement poured in for swimming star Rikako Ikee on Tuesday after she revealed she had been diagnosed with leukemia. Ikee, an 18-year-old Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal hopeful who became the first female athlete to be named MVP at the 2018 Asian Games, ...
Stage Jan 22, 2019
The 'King' returns and theaters look to Russia for 2019
by Nobuko Tanaka
Whether it's regular theater that gets you going these days — or you're skipping along more to musicals — as 2019's curtains rise, variety will be the spice of live stages this coming year. In the realm of musicals, American composer Dave Malloy's 2012 "electropop ...
Stage Jun 16, 2018
Ken Watanabe: Japan's flag-bearer in the world of entertainment
by Shaun Curran
Ahead of the opening of 'The King and I' in London on June 21, the award-winning actor calls on young Japanese to step outside their comfort zone.
Entertainment News May 18, 2018
Japanese actor Ken Watanabe has split with actress wife: agency
Japanese actor Ken Watanabe, who has appeared in a number of American films including the 2003 period drama "The Last Samurai," has split with his actress wife Kaho Minami, their agencies said Thursday. The couple's divorce came about a year after a magazine reported that ...
National / Media | MEDIA MIX Sep 16, 2017
There's no business like a star's personal business
by Philip Brasor
If you've got a Twitter account in Japan, you've probably seen the promoted tweets for Netflix featuring comedian Sanma Akashiya. In these video spots, Sanma compares working for a streaming service to working for a commercial broadcaster, but doesn't mention the context for his ...