Kato Shigeru gets to be a playboy.

Kato Shigeaki will be part of the regular cast of an upcoming summer drama series, Hanawake no Yon-shimai. The series focuses on four sisters and their love lives with Shige's character, a playboy photographer, being connected to the four in various ways.

The series will begin in July and air on TBS at 9PM on Sundays.

Tokyograph article. (English)

It looks like Shige is getting pushed as an actor more and more these days. Not that I'll complain as I'm just happy that the agency is giving him things to do despite how NEWS schedule seems to be these days.

KAT-TUN cancels/postpones 2011 concerts

It has been announced that all 2011 concerts that KAT-TUN had planned for 2011 have either been canceled or postponed until 2012. With the changes that had to be made to other events, such as the delay of the baseball season, the venues, like the domes, are no longer free on the dates for the planned concerts. There was also concern about using the Higashi-ougishima Higashi park in Yokohama as it is an emergency evacuation area.

To make up for the concerts there are plans being made for a possible fan meeting event for the group.

Momoedgewood journal. (English)

It doesn't look like this year is a very good year for KAT-TUN. Hopefully the next year will be better for the group.

Nishikido Ryo in upcoming drama

It looks like Ryo isn't going to have much of a break once his current drama wraps up as it has been announced that he will be in an upcoming summer drama. It's titled, Zenkai Girl, and will star actress Aragaki Yui and Ryo will play her romantic interest. It will air on Fuji TV on Mondays at 9PM and will begin airing in July.

Tokyo Graph article. (English)

Goro in upcoming drama, Shigeoka joins variety program

A couple of news bits to report today.

First off Inagaki Goro has been cast in an upcoming drama series. He will play the love interest of one of the stars of the drama, Bull Doctor. The drama will air on NTV beginning in July.

Tokyo Graph article. (English)

Also Shigeoka Daiki will be joining fellow Kansai Juniors, Hamada Takahiro and Muro Tatsuki on the Kansai variety program, Ahoyanen! Sukiyanen!. The three will dress up as ninja for a corner every Friday of the show called, AhoSuki.

Johnny's net. (Japanese)

SMAP to meet with China Premier Wen & try another go at performing in China

It was announced that during his visit to Japan for the East Asian Summit China Premier Wen Jiabao will meet with SMAP.

It was also mentioned that SMAP will be trying again to perform a concert a concert in China. They've tried to do so twice already but had to cancel both times for various reasons. This time the concert will be a part of a anniversary for the normalization of relations between Japan and China 40 years ago next year.

The Straits Times article. (English)

Hopefully the third time will be the charm for SMAP, as this seems like something they really want to do.

Arashi's new tour announced, charity events, text book release

Arashi has announced their upcoming tour dates. They also mentioned that because of the Tohoku quake they have decided what would have been their Tokyo Dome concerts will now be charity events to help raise money for the relief effort.

They also announced that they will be releasing a special version of the text book, Nippon no Arashi, that was only available to students in schools for the public to buy.

Also in the article they had some information for their upcoming album. Matsumoto Jun has said that the album is a reflection of how they feel about how the future will turn out post-earthquake.

Tokyo Graph article. (English)

Endless Shock to expand to Fukuoka

Domoto Koichi's annual butai, Endless Shock will be performed outside of Tokyo for the first time this year. The show will kick off in January in Fukuoka before moving back to it's usual stage in Tokyo.

Koichi plans to make up for the last run of the butai being cut short because of the Tohoko earthquake by making this run go for 4 consecutive months.


Tokyo Graph article. (English)