About 2 million copies of this album were sold only in ONE DAY...This is one of the fastest sales speed ever recorded in Japanese music industry.  On March 31, three globe members -- Tetsuya Komuro, Keiko, and Marc -- appeared at HMV Shinjuku South of Shinjuku Takashimaya, Tokyo. More than 1,500 globe fans rushed into the HMV to see their performances, throwing the music shop into utter confusion. Regarding Komuro, FIFA World Cup official CD album "Alle! Ole! Ola!" will be out on April 22. This album contains TK song "Together Now" sung by D&D vocalist Olivia. TK describes Olivia's vocal as "angel voice", and takes her as his next business partner. According to another news source, Jean Michelle Jarre will visit Tokyo this month to   meet Komuro for their joint music concert.

Nakamori Akina (32), a popular singer in the 80's (she is still singing but not as popular as she was in the 80's or early 90's) and Kondo Masahiko a.k.a "Matchi" (33), another popular singer in the 80's who's career was back with two popular songs in 1996 and 1997 (he's also a member of the Johnny's group that SMAP, TOKIO, V6 belong too) used to be a couple. In 1989, according to Mark Schilling's "The Encyclopedia of Japanese Culture", Nakamori tried to attempt suicide by slitting her wrist in Kondo's Roppongi apartment supposedly because Kondo Masahiko and Matsuda Seiko were messing around in NY as reported by scandal magazines like scandal photo mag, "Friday".   It's been rumored that Nakamori doesn't want to be seen and also doesn't want to be around her ex. After all, it is sort of understandable right? If I recall in the early 80's, didn't an actress romantically linked with Kondo kill herself by jumping off a building. Anyways...

This week: -Well, almost a decade later. The two finally met each other at a popular bar in Japan which gathered a lot of attention of many people. Nakamori initiated the first contact by saying hello and.... you can read the rest in today's ZakZak News at: http://www.zakzak.co.jp/geino/

Finally, Okinawan 2-girl band Kiroro occupied the first rank. They describe the success with only one word "incredible!" Just as this short comment shows, no man expected last December that they would be so widely accepted in this music world.   Kiroro is a band of Chiharu Tamashiro (20) and Ayano Kinjo (20).  Both girls were classmates of the same high school Yomitan Koukou. When the girls graduated from this school, they created beautiful song "Nagai Aida" for keeping good memories in their high school days,  wining the special prize at YAMAHA Teens Music Festival in Okinawa.  In November 1996, Kiroro girls made their debut in Okinawa as an indie label band, selling more than 10,000 copies of "Nagai Aida" only in Okinawa island. In 1998, they finally started the career as a major label pop band.  By the way, their name Kiroro comes from Ainu's word Kiroru meaning "a broad track-way." (The Ainu is an ethnic minority living in Japan's northernmost island Hokkaido)

A book of messages by fans of legendary rock singer Yutaka Ozaki was published Thursday--nearly six years after the star died at the age of 26. Young people still visit the house in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, a where Ozaki was found dying. Many of the visitors write messages in notebooks kept at the house. There are now more than 50 of the notebooks. The book, "Ozaki Yutaka Anata wo Keshite Wasurenai" (We'll Never Forget You, Yutaka Ozaki), was published by Futami Shobo.  Ozaki was found collapsed in front of the house in the early morning hours of April 25, 1992, and he died of an edema of the lungs later that day.  He made his singing debut when he was still in high school, singing about rebellion against school and adults, and his longing for freedom. His songs appealed to the youth of his generation. Tadao Komine, 58, a company employee, opened up a room in his house for the fans who visit from all over the country to mourn the singer's death.   Many fans visit the so-called Ozaki House on weekends, writing down messages or sometimes playing Ozaki songs on the guitar. One of the editors of the book, Shoji Imanishi, 38, learned of the existence of the notebooks and visited Komine last December to see them for himself. Imanishi started reading the notebooks to learn why so many young people  are still attracted to Ozaki so long after the singer's death. Moved by the messages, which shed light on the thoughts of young people, Imanishi decided to publish the book.  Imanishi initially selected about 200 messages for publication in the book, and managed to contact 60 of the writers.  Imanishi spoke with a parent of one of the writers. "I can't understand what my child really thinks, so I want to read your book," the parent said, according to Imanishi.  One woman wrote about her dream of becoming a comedian, and when Imanishi contacted her he learned that she had since realized that dream.  A kick boxer, who wrote that he was going to retire, is again pursuing his goal of becoming a champion.

Data Source: Mainichi Daily News
April 10, 1998-(c) Mainichi Shimbun
written by Randy Roscoe (staff writer of Mainichi Shimbun)
converted into an electronic text by Hiro and Ken chan

The contents of this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor. Furthermore, the MDN (Mainichi Daily News) does not guarantee the accuracy of the original articles.

Tabloid magazine Friday runs an article on Hinano Yoshikawa (18) and Shazna's vocalist Izam (21). According to this article, Hinano's elder brother introduced her to Izam several years ago (when Hinano was a junior-high school girl). Since then, Hinano and Izam have been very friendly, going shopping together.  A staff of Hinano's talent agency comments, "They're friends rather than the couple. Izam-san takes care of Hinano just like his younger sister", denying a rumor that Izam goes steady with Hinano.   [Data Source: Suponichi Geinou News, April 10]

Headlines from Recent Japanese Entertainment Magazines and Newspapers
Data Source: Mainichi Daily News-April 10, 1998-(c) Mainichi Shimbun
written by Randy Roscoe (staff writer of Mainichi Shimbun)
converted into an electronic text by Hiro and Ken chan

Friday says computer hackers are placing composed nude photographs on Internet home pages of such stars as teen commercial queen Ryoko Hirosue, as well as Kanako Enomoto and Chisato Moritaka.  Josei Jishin says retired superstar and reclusive homemaker Momoe Yamaguchi moved to make her son's commute to school much easier.  Friday notes that teen girl band Speed will make their movie debut. Alan Reid warns Seiko Matsuda's new lover in Shukan Post that the  superstar singer will soon stab him in the back. "Do you think I'm the type of woman whose a**hole is so small that she  brings her private life to work?" -- Entertainer Rumiko Koyanagi, 45, in March 12 edition of the Hochi Shimbun, referring to her friendship with estranged 31-year-old husband Ken-ya Osumi. Although the pair are living apart, they continue to perform together nightly on stage. Koyanagi's comments are a literal translation from Japanese that means "narrow-minded." -- Compiled by Randy Roscoe -------------------

The contents of this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor. Furthermore, the MDN (Mainichi Daily News) does not guarantee the accuracy of the original articles.