After months of speculation, Avex released a statement today announcing Namie Amuro’s separation from her management company of 22 years, Rising Productions (formerly known as Vision Factory). Avex’s statement said:
As of 1/14/15, we would like to announce that Namie Amuro has terminated her contract with Rising Productions and will begin a new exclusive contract with us on 1/15/15. She will also remain with new sub-label Dimension Point, which was created two years ago.
As a result of this, music production, promotion, live activities, management, and other activities will all be centralized and we will strive to improve all further musical activity.
We humbly thank you for your encouragement and guidance.
Everything in regards to Namie’s career will now be handled by Avex, much like that of other Avex stars Ayumi Hamasaki, Koda Kumi, Ai Otsuka, and AAA.
Translation
Held every year, Johnny’s Countdown is a New Year’s Eve spectacular that showcases a variety of Johnny’s talents in one big concert broadcast on Fuji TV. However, fans and attendees of the last Johnny’s Countdown have expressed a lot of displeasure in last year’s concert, going so far as to demand their money back. This is because the Johnny’s Countdown unexpectedly turned into “Matchy’s 35th Anniversary Concert.”
According to YTN News of Korea, professors at Seoul University announced the ranking of “World’s Worst Husbands” and Japan came in number one, with Korea at second. The Korean media has expressed that in Japan and Korea there is the strongly rooted idea that “housework is the woman’s job,” but Korean netizens have left comments such as “Korean men are better,” and “they’re just creating problems between husbands and wives [with this announcement].”
Who said J-urban is dying? One of the newest boy bands to hit the scene is MAGiC BOYZ. The group is apart of EBiDAN (Ebisu Gakuen Boys Club), a collective of male artists associated with Stardust Promotion (Momoiro Clover Z, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku).
The group boasts as being the very first Hip-hop influenced idol group to be infused with magical powers. Their debut indie single MAGIC SPELL ~かけちゃうぞ!ピッピッピ~ was released in November and they’re currently in the studio working on a follow up. The boys also have plans for a special film project backed by crowdfunding site Makuake. They’re nearly at the halfway mark of their goal, obtaining 444,000 yen out of the desired 1,000,000 yen.
Profile images as well as the “WorldstarHipHop“ inspired PV for MAGIC SPELL ~かけちゃうぞ!ピッピッピ~ can be seen below!
On February 18, MISIA is set to release her 31st single, “Shiroi Kisetsu / Sakura Hitohira.” The second A-side, “Sakura Hitohira”, will serve as the theme song for TV Tokyo’s 50th anniversary drama “Eien no 0.” The drama is based off the 2013 movie of the same name, which was based off the 2006 book of the same name by Naoki Hyakuta. Both the film and book were big hits. The story of “Eien no 0” is that of a pair of siblings (played by Kenta Kiritani and Ryoko Hirosue) who go looking for information on their grandfather (played by Osamu Mukai), a fighter pilot who died during World War II. The drama will air over 3 nights: February 11, 14, and 15. Check out the single’s cover and tracklist after the jump!
80s icon Akina Nakamori has 2 releases coming in the month of January: a cover album and a single. The cover album is titled “Utahime 4 -My Eggs Benedict-” and is set for release on January 28. It is her first album in the “Utahime” cover album series since 2003’s “Utahime 3 ~Shuumaku.” The album will see her covering hits by the likes of Koda Kumi, Mika Nakashima, EXILE, and DREAMS COME TRUE. A week earlier, on January 21, Akina will release her first single since 2009’s “DIVA.” The single is titled “Rojo -Tierra-.” She performed it on Kohaku Uta Gassen this past New Year’s Eve and released it digitally a few days later. Check out the covers and tracklists for both releases as well as that aforementioned Kohaku performance after the jump!
On March 11, androp will release their new single “Ghost.” “Ghost” is the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Ghost Writer”, which premieres on January 13. “Ghost Writer” stars Miki Nakatani as a successful 30-something writer who fears her talents have been exhausted. Asami Mizukawa co-stars as an aspiring 20-something writer who becomes Miki’s character’s assistant/ghost writer.
The cover for this single was designed by the award-winning Norio Tanaka, who has worked on the band’s album art in the past. The water drops on the cover are meant to represent the tears of the song’s lyrics. The single will come in limited and regular editions, with the limited edition coming with a multi-strap. Check out the cover and tracklist after the jump!
In Japan, the second Monday of January is dedicated to Coming of Age Day. This special day marks teenagers turning 20 and thus reaching adulthood. Those who are 20 are able to drink, smoke and vote in the country of Japan. Therefore this day holds significant importance in every individual’s life. According to the government, more than 1.2 million men and women born between April 2nd, 1994 and April 1st, 1995, marked the coming of age this year.
Many celebrities in Japan celebrated their step into adulthood as well, including posting pictures of themselves in their Coming of Age outfits. Check out the list of celebrities and their outfits below!
