Hot News in japan

The late Michael Jackson's female lead guitarist has filmed her first appearance on a Japanese music show. The February 6 edition of Fuji TV's "Music Fair" will feature Australian guitarist Orianthi Panagaris (25), who has been in the spotlight since her rehearsals with Jackson for his "This Is It" comeback show. She teamed up with J-pop diva Koda Kumi (27) for a performance of her hit "Ningyohime."

Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo and newscaster Kobayashi Mao held a press conference [at Tokyo's Prince Park Tower] formally announcing their engagement to the press. While the actual wedding date and location have not been decided, Ichikawa stated that it should be around July. As for Kobayashi, she expressed that she will be leaving NEWS ZERO at the end of March.

Boy band TVXQ's new single "BREAK OUT!" has topped Japan's Oricon daily singles chart the day of its release.

The group's 29th single album, released Wednesday, sold close to 170,000 copies to top the prestigious chart, easily beating out No. 2 L'Arc En Ciel who sold 33,000 copies of their single titled "BLESS."

A wake was held Wednesday for Tokiko Goto, 55, mother of former Morning Musume member Maki Goto, 24. Tokiko died on Jan 24 after falling out of the third-floor window of her Edogawa Ward home the previous evening.

Pop star Hikaru Utada (27) has reportedly broken up with her boyfriend. She was dating an artist eight years older than her, but sources say they drifted apart due to a lack of time together.

The latest Shuukan Josei reports that Arashi member Ninomiya Kazunari and Nodame Cantabile actress Mizukawa Asami went out for a meal together at a nabe restaurant in Shibuya. While Ninomiya is rumoured to be dating Nagasawa Masami, many speculate it was done behind her back, or that he was seeing both of them at the same time.

The results for the fall season of the 13th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix were recently announced. In four of the categories, the votes mainly went to the shows "My Girl" and "JIN," but "My Girl" managed to win in three of them.

4,852 votes were submitted between January 6 and January 15 to decide the winners.

Best Drama:

1. My Girl - 2042