Jang Keun Suk Sends Greetings From Summer Sonic...in English
Source: princejks
so cute. i can't even stand it. jks forgetting the word for "fan" and big brother being like wtf?
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Nico Nico Douga, Japan’s answer to YouTube, is still growing nicely, five years after launch.
Dwango, the Tokyo-based company behind the popular service, released its financial report [PDF] for the last nine months (ending in June 2012).
And according to the report, Nico Nico (the company’s most important asset) reached 28.08 million users in June. In other words, nearly a third of Japan’s online population has an account, which is pretty amazing.
Japanese teen magazine MYOJO has announced Johnny’s talent Koichi Domoto has been featured on their front cover the most times in the magazine’s 60 year history, it was announced on August 22, reports Mainichi Shimbun.
The magazine celebrates its 60th anniversary when it’s October issue goes on sale on August 23. Since 1952 the magazine has published 721 issues.
It has been reported Koichi Domoto has been on the cover 31 times, including times he’s been on with KinKi Kids. The other half of KinKi Kids, Tsuyoshi Domoto, and Arashi’s Jun Matsumoto made the list at second equal with 3o cover appearances. Other Johnny’s talents who made the list include TOKIO’s Tomoya Nagase, Arashi’s Masaki Aiba and Kazunari Ninomiya who tied for fourth place with 29 appearances, and Masahiko Kondo and Arashi’s Satoshi Ohno and Sho Sakurai who tied for ninth place with 26 appearances.
SMAP’s Takuya Kimura has had the most number of pin ups inside the magazine, with his first being published in 1988′s September issue. The SMAP member has even been doing a photo essay column for the magazine since 1995′s June issue.
“My best memory (with Myojo) is when…there are too many for me to be able to say,” Kimura said.
It has been reported Arashi are scheduled to appear on the milestone October issue, which will be 194 pages long and include profiles and messages of congratulations from 60 pop stars.
“Congratulations on your long life,” Ohno said.
“It’s honestly amazing! It made me jump a little (laughs),” Ninomiya said.
“I hope I’ll be in the magazine when you celebrate your 100th birthday in 40 years,” Sakurai said.
Top cover appearance list:
1. Koichi Domoto (KinKi Kids) – 31 times
2. Tsuyoshi Domoto (KinKi Kids), Jun Matsumoto (Arashi) – 30 times
4. Hiromi Go, Toshihiko Tahara, Tomoya Nagase (TOKIO), Masaki Aiba (Arashi), Kazunari Ninomiya (Arashi) – 29 times
9. Masahiko Kondo, Satoshi Ohno (Arashi), Sho Sakurai (Arashi) – 26 times
Johnny’s youngest group Sexy Zone will have a go a flying wire acts in their upcoming show, it was announced on August 22, reports Nikkan Sports.
The press were invited to a first glimpse into the group’s upcoming entertainment show Johnny’s Dome Theatre ~Summary 2012~ in Tokyo, which involves flying wire acts. Flying wire acts could almost be said to be a Johnny’s tradition now.
It has been reported out of the five members, three have never had the chance to try flying wire action before, including So Matsushima who is afraid of heights. However, during yesterday’s event, Matsushima managed to keep a straight face during the act. The other members also said they were confident with their performance.
“I want to fly as better as my senpai,” Kento Nakajima said.
In fact, many of the flying routines were thought up by Sexy Zone. It has been reported Shori Sato suggested making a “marathon flying routine” and Marius Yo a “surfing flying routine”. Other surprises include Nakajima playing the piano live, and Fuma Kikuchi singing a cappella without a microphone.
Johnny’s president Johnny Kitagawa had said he was happy with his youngest group’s enthusiasm.
“I think it’s great that they want to try creating things themselves. They’re evolving so much.”
Source: momoedgewood
The popular cast of characters known as the “Shirato Family” in SoftBank Mobile’s ads are appearing alongside American actor Tommy Lee Jones’ Suntory Boss character in a series of collaborative commercials that have been made to coincide with the drink manufacturer’s 20th anniversary campaign.
Jones, who turns 66 next month, is reportedly a big fan of Japanese culture and a regular visitor to the country. He has starred as a host of deadpan comedy characters in 36 Boss canned coffee commercials since 2006. The Shirato Family, which includes a mother played by Kanako Higuchi, 53, a father played by a single 8-year-old Hokkaido breed dog, a son played by American actor Dante Carver, 35, and a daughter played by Aya Ueto, 26, have made 136 commercials in the last five years. “It feels like we make a new one every week,” says Higuchi.
One of the new ads takes its inspiration from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The commercial sees Jones orbiting a CGI Earth in a spacesuit and enjoying the peace and quiet, to a soundtrack of “Also sprach Zarathustra” by Richard Strauss. His reverie is interrupted by the appearance of a space shuttle from which the Shirato Family’s canine father, also in a spacesuit, emerges to confront him.
In another commercial, Jones plays a family man who wears an apron while busying himself around the house. Higuchi said of Jones, “He really suits that apron. He would make a great househusband. I’d love for him to become a permanent member of the Shirato household.”
japantoday
German customs seized a $1.2 million violin from a Japanese professional musician and are demanding she pay almost $475,000 to get it back, reports said on Wednesday.
Belgium-based Yuzuko Horigome was transiting through Frankfurt Airport last week after performing in Japan, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said.
When she tried to walk through the green gate for travelers arriving in the EU with nothing to declare, customs officers stopped her and said she needed to pay 190,000 euros in duty on her 1741 Guarnerius violin.
On top of this were fines, taking the total cost to an eye-popping 380,000 euros ($475,000), the Tokyo Shimbun said.
Customs confiscated the valuable fiddle because she could not provide the documents for her 1986 purchase, the Yomiuri said.
“The instrument is an implement for my work. For musicians, instruments are like parts of your bodies,” she told the Yomiuri. “I have used Frankfurt Airport many times and never had problems like this before. I don’t know why this happened.”
She has since submitted documents to prove her ownership of the violin, but negotiations have been difficult, the Asahi Shimbun said, quoting the musician.
Horigome, who has worked in Europe for three decades, was also contacting the governments of Japan and Belgium to see if they could help, the Tokyo Shimbun said.
A spokesman for the German authorities has suggested that the violin might be returned if it is regarded as necessary for her job, the Yomiuri said.
Guarnerius violins are considered among the world’s best, ranked alongside those made by Stradivarius and Amati.
Previously, it was reported that 5 members from HKT48 withdrew from the group due to personal reasons. On August 21st, members Sugamoto Yuko, and Taniguchi Airi, and research students, Eto Sayaka, and Nakanishi Ayaka left a message for their fans through the group’s official blog.
Sugamoto expressed her gratitude toward her fans saying, “To the fans who supported Yuko, who is negative and a crybaby, thank you. I was happy. I love you all very very much! I’ll always always love you!” Meanwhile, Taniguchi wrote, “Since it was decided suddenly, there may be fans who are confused. I’m very sorry to have worried you.”
Regarding the reason for their withdrawal, Nakanishi explained, “I became negligent toward my studies, and I disliked myself for not being able to do the things I used to be able to do. For that reason, I thought that I have to do my best to grow.” Aside from this, the members didn’t reveal any precise reasons for their withdrawal.
Additionally, Eto commented, “I don’t regret leaving HKT48. I am positively thinking about the future. I want to return to being an ordinary girl, and do my best with my studies.” She continued, “I still have a dream. I haven’t given up on that dream. My dream is now far, but someday, I will return.”
Komori Yui is the only member who hasn’t left a message on this blog entry.
Source: RBB Today & tokyohive
On August 21st, talento Fujimoto Miki attended a presentation event in Tokyo for Uniqlo’s fall-winter collection, ‘Easy Pants‘.
This marked Fujimoto’s first public appearance after giving birth to a baby boy earlier in March. “During pregnancy, I gained 14 kg (30.8 lbs) and now, I’ve lost 15 kg (33 lbs),” she shared. “Now that our lives are centered around our child, our lifestyles have completely changed compared to before.”
Fujimoto commented on her husband, comedian Shoji Tomoharu, saying, “My husband helps me with all sorts of things such as changing diapers. He also reads him books. We are full of happiness.” When asked about their plans on having a second baby, she replied, “We do want a second, but we haven’t thought about it yet.” She also revealed, “The baby looks 90% like my husband. Even when he cries, it sounds like ‘Mikitty!’.”
‘Easy Pants’ campaign has the concept of “cute, but easy to wear”, and there will be 29 colors and patterns available for women and 15 colors for men. Additionally, Uniqlo requested the Japan Anniversary Association to authorize August 21st as “Easy Pants Day”.
Fujimoto promoted the pants saying, “Because the silhouette is made neatly, it’s very comfortable. I recommend it to busy moms, and I also want girls to increase their girl power by challenging themselves to colors they hardly wear.”
Source & Photos: Mantan Web & tokyohive