Actors Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano Deny Affair Rumors Following Private Message Leak
In this week's news roundup we have the latest on
Shukan Bunshun
's claim that actors Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano are having an affair. Arashi
announced
that its members will be getting back together for a tour next spring. However, the group will be disbanding after that.
A university student is recovering in hospital after being attacked by a knife-wielding man at a Tokyo subway station. A Sri Lankan man is being questioned by the police in connection with a fire that killed a
Brazilian woman
in Chiba. And Naoya Inoue defends his super bantamweight world title in Las Vegas.
List of Contents:
Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano Continue To Deny Affair Rumors
Arashi To Disband After 2026 Spring Tour
Man Held After Knife Attack at Tokyo Subway Station
Horror Blaze Kills Brazilian Traveler in Japan, Sri Lankan Man Arrested
Inoue Recovers From Knockdown To Defeat Cardenas in Las Vegas
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Kei Tanaka and Mei Nagano Continue To Deny Affair Rumors
On Thursday,
Shukan Bunshun
published what it claims were private Line messages exchanged between actors Mei Nagano and Kei Tanaka,
who is
married with two children. The messages, which allegedly span several months, suggest the pair were in a relationship. They've both been heavily criticized as a result. Yet
,
while some believe they should be held accountable for their actions, others feel it was unethical to share their private conversations.
Tanaka and Nagano's agencies
stated
that the exchanges
didn't
take place. They also denied rumors of an affair last month, when the same publication released a picture of the pair holding hands and another of them intimately leaning against each other. The weekly tabloid claimed Nagano was in a relationship with South Korean actor Kim Mu-
jun
, her co-star from the series
Caster
. Tanaka
is
married to former actor, Sakura.
Arashi To Disband After 2026 Spring Tour
There was mixed news for fans of the popular all-male Japanese group Arashi on Tuesday. The good news is that the five members will finally be performing together again next spring after being on hiatus since December 31, 2020. The bad news is that the reunion will be short-lived. In May of next year, the group will officially disband.
According to Arashi's official
X
page, new applications for fan club membership will be temporarily suspended so that priority for tickets can be given to current fan club members. At present, the group is unable to give any specific details about the spring 2026 tour. In January 2019, Arashi surprised fans when its members announced that they planned to temporarily stop performing together.
Man Held After Knife Attack at Tokyo Subway Station
On Wednesday, a university student was hospitalized after being attacked by a knife-wielding man on the platform of Todaimae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line. The incident occurred at approximately 6:55 p.m. According to sources, the victim was standing at the front of the line to board the train. He was then attacked from behind and
reportedly
slashed several times as he boarded the train.
Yoshitaka Toda, whose address and employment status is unknown, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Police believe he had a strong intent to kill. He allegedly remained silent during interrogation. During the incident, he was apprehended by a police officer and a Nepalese man, who injured his finger. The victim suffered cuts to his forehead, the back of his neck and his right hand.
Horror Blaze Kills Brazilian Traveler in Japan, Sri Lankan Man Arrested
Police arrested a 31-year-old Sri Lankan national on Saturday after a Brazilian woman was found dead in an apartment that caught fire in Chiba Prefecture. The suspect, Abailija Patawadige Pathum Udayanga, allegedly left the premises without extinguishing the flames. He reportedly told investigators that he was 'too shocked to put out the fire.' Police are investigating the details of his relationship with the victim.
Amanda Borges da Silva, 30, a researcher with a master's degree in linguistics, departed her home country in March to travel around Asia. A huge motorsports fan, she arrived in Japan at the start of April in time for the F1 Grand Prix. She was due to return home on the day she died. The night before, she spoke to her mother, saying 'I feel safe in Japan.'
Naoya Inoue | Image by the Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Public Relations Office via Wikimedia
Inoue Recovers From Knockdown To Defeat
Cardenas in Las Vegas
Naoya Inoue was knocked down for just the second time in his career on Sunday night but fought back strongly to record his 30th professional win with an eighth-round technical knockout of 100-1 outsider Ramon Cardenas from the US. The man known as the Monster was ahead 68-63 on all three judges' scorecards at the time of stoppage.
'I was
very surprised
[at the knockdown], but I took things calmly and put myself together… From then on, I made sure to not take that punch again,' Inoue
said
after the fight. The four-division world champion was back in Las Vegas for the first time since 2021. His next showdown will take place in Japan in September against
Murodjon
Akhmadaliev
from Uzbekistan.
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3 hours ago
Japan's National Theater at the Crossroads: Stalled Redevelopment Leaves Performers, Fans in Limbo
The National Theater has been the home of traditional Japanese performing arts since its opening in 1966. Now the aging complex has closed its doors, and a controversial redevelopment plan has stalled, raising questions about cultural policy and the future of the performing arts in Japan. The iconic stage at Japan's National Theater, renowned for its Japanese cypress boards and elaborate stage machinery, has fallen dark. Performances at the aging theatrical complex in the heart of Tokyo came to a halt in October 2023, and plans to redevelop the site in collaboration with the private sector have stalled, leaving practitioners and fans of Japan's traditional performing arts in limbo. Origin and Mission of the National Theater The National Theater, located just opposite the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, was established in 1966 for the purpose of 'preserving and promoting Japan's ancient traditional performing arts' by 'presenting performances, training successors, and conducting research.' The proposal for a national theater in Japan has been through various iterations since the early years of the Meiji era (1868–1912), each reflecting the national aspirations of the time. In the Meiji, such a theater was promoted in the context of the government's Westernization drive. After World War II, it was re-imagined as a symbol of Japan's rebirth as a 'cultural state.' But the groundwork for such a program was not laid until 1954, with the revision of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. The revised law instituted a system for the preservation of 'intangible cultural properties,' including traditional crafts and performing arts. This paved the way for the establishment of a central institution tasked with advancing a comprehensive national policy for the performing arts. At the National Theater, established professionals in the traditional Japanese performing arts have had the opportunity to explore and study artworks in depth and produce polished performances that captivate audiences. At the same time, the National Theater has provided broad-based support for the growth of the performing arts at the amateur and semi-professional levels by opening up its theatrical facilities to a wide variety of independent performers. Among the National Theater's core functions is the training of young performers to carry on Japan's performing-arts traditions. Kabuki has traditionally been dominated by established families, in which skills are passed down lineally, from generation to generation. Yet today, graduates of the National Theater's training program account for about 30% of all active kabuki actors and almost 90% of the art's narrators and musicians. In 2019, Takemoto Aoidayū, a product of that training program, was designated a living national treasure. The National Theater's raison d'être lies in its steady support for critical aspects of cultural preservation that cannot be left to the private sector because they cannot be relied on to generate short-term profits: the presentation of authentic classical works in their original form and the cultivation of young practitioners to carry on the traditions of Japan's performing arts. That said, there is no denying the fact that the National Theater's devoted audiences, much like its performers, are showing their age. Hobbled by its 'highbrow' image, the theater has failed to attract younger patrons in significant numbers. With this in mind, government policy makers hammered out a new vision for the National Theater of tomorrow. While built on the same site and reaffirming the institution's core commitment to the traditional performing arts, the new National Theater would be an open, accessible, and lively hub that would also function as an international center of cultural tourism. It was to open by the autumn of 2029. But two successive invitations to tender (ITTs), in 2022 and 2023, failed to yield a qualified bidder. As a result, the aging National Theater closed its doors in October 2023 with no clear prospects for reopening. Hurdles to Private Investment The redevelopment of the National Theater complex has been presented as a major state initiative involving multiple agencies, including the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism. Responding to questioning in the House of Councillors Budget Committee in March this year, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru called the National Theater 'the face of the arts in Japan' and made it clear that he considered the current impasse unacceptable. Yet the project remains stalled. Several factors have contributed to the failure of the government's ITTs. Foremost among these are the labor shortage attending the sudden resumption of construction projects after the COVID-19 epidemic and the rising cost of materials resulting from the weak yen and the war in Ukraine. These problems are not unique to the National Theater project; indeed, the media have been rife with reports of failed ITTs for new hospitals, schools, and construction in disaster-hit communities. But there are additional factors that have soured private developers on the National Theater project. To begin with, the architectural and engineering demands are daunting. Japan's traditional performing arts have unique staging requirements that must be built into the theater. Kabuki stages, for example, typically feature a hanamichi, a raised runway by which characters enter and exit through the audience, and many plays require a revolving stage, elevators, and other complex machinery. The National Theater at the time of its completion with a view of the stage from the audience (top). The 20-meter revolving stage has 16 movable platforms (bottom) allowing for a range of complex effects. Photographs taken in October 1966. (© Jiji) The National Theater was equipped with the largest revolving stage in Japan, with a diameter of 20 meters. The kabuki stage also has 16 platforms that can be raised and lowered individually. The machinery that controls these effects extends roughly five stories below ground level and weighs about 300 tons. There are no engineers or artisans living today who can share the lessons learned from the National Theater's construction six decades ago. It will take considerable time and expertise for designers to work out the best approach, keeping in mind the Metropolitan Expressway that runs beneath the site. Moreover, in earthquake-prone Japan, public buildings must comply with strict safety standards that have grown tougher and tougher over the years. (One reason the decision was made to demolish and rebuild the National Theater, instead of renovating the existing complex, is the extent of structural changes required to bring the buildings up to code.) Limits of the PFI Model Also at issue is the private finance initiative method that the government has chosen to implement this ambitious project. In a PFI, the government enters into a long-term contract with a private company to build and operate a public facility. The terms of the contract are meant to prevent the cost to the government from ballooning by ensuring that considerations of cost-efficiency and profitability are incorporated into the process at each stage, including post-construction maintenance and management. Since the early 2000s, PFIs have accounted for a growing share of public infrastructure projects. It is easy to understand why the Japanese government would embrace this model for the new National Theater. Demographic aging and population decline are causing Japan's social security expenditures to balloon even while the tax base shrinks, putting the government in a fiscal bind. However important the center's role as 'the face of the arts in Japan,' it is hard to justify using taxpayer money to build an expensive facility that critics may say will only benefit a very privileged portion of the population. With this in mind, the government opted for a PFI project aimed at developing a multipurpose complex that included such privately-owned, revenue-generating facilities as hotels, restaurants, and cafes, alongside the theaters themselves. The idea was to create a public space used and loved by a broader cross-section of the population, even while maintaining the National Theater's core functions, and at the same time minimize the impact on public finances. But prospective bidders were deterred by the risks of the scheme, which called on the winner to manage and maintain the facility for 20 years after completion while paying the state for use of the land (with rent initially calculated at ¥965 million annually). If revenues fell even slightly short of projections, the company would be saddled with long-term losses. Last February, policy makers announced plans to make the project more palatable to private developers, including lowering the rent and dropping some of the initial requirements, such as the inclusion of a hotel in the complex. The government has now allocated about ¥102 billion for construction, including supplementary funds to cover rising costs. Yet there is still no word on the timetable for a third ITT. Dwindling Spaces, Endangered Traditions Despite the closure of its performance spaces, the National Theater has not shut down its operations entirely. Some of the teaching and practice facilities within the complex are still usable, and training for young artists continues there and at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Shibuya. But as professionals will tell you, 'one performance is worth a hundred rehearsals.' The loss of opportunities to perform in front of a live audience for a period of five years or more could stunt or even end budding careers. Aware of this danger, the National Theater has made efforts to secure alternative venues. But according to a survey by Geidankyō (Japan Council of Performers Rights & Performing Arts Organizations), the number of kabuki and bunraku performances scheduled by the National Theater in 2024 was down 42% and 5% respectively from 2019. A decline of this magnitude jeopardizes the very survival of kabuki as a living art form. A big part of the problem is the shortage of theaters in Tokyo. Even before the National Theater closed, the closure of theaters for renovations or financial reasons had created fierce competition for the remaining spaces. The public halls run by local governments operate on the principle of equal access for all members of the community, with little or no regard for whether artists rely on public performance to earn a living. But another issue is the relationship of the performers to the National Theater. Most European national theaters have their own resident companies and employ the performers and directors as part of their regular staff. If such a theater were to cut back on performances, leading to lower compensation, it could be subject to union action or administrative lawsuits. For this reason, when a European national theater is scheduled to close for renovation, the managing entity works proactively to secure alternative performance opportunities, as by arranging world tours. Japan's National Theater does not employ performers or directors on an ongoing basis. When opportunities to perform in National Theater productions dwindle, the onus is on the performers to compensate for the loss of income by raising funds and creating their own performance opportunities. For this reason, National Theater performers have banded together to apply for grants, organize fundraising events, plan programs, and arrange independent performance opportunities, including domestic and international tours. But it has been an uphill battle owing to the intense competition for funds and performance space. Clarifying the Mission The plan to redevelop the National Theater has provoked a good deal of debate over such nuts and bolts as the location of the complex and the method of financing. But the key issue is the fundamental question of what the public and the performers expect from Japan's National Theater. National theaters first appeared in Europe, where their emergence coincided with the rise of civic life in modern nation-states. Japan's historical background was quite different, as was the cultural milieu into which this foreign model was transplanted. Japan already had its own system with separate theatrical and dance troupes—each with its own established traditions, methods, and performance styles. Grafting a European-style national theater onto this smoothly functioning system inevitably raised problems. It is all the more important, therefore, that we begin this historic redevelopment project by clarifying the purpose of the National Theater and its place in the lives of the Japanese people. Does anyone really believe that the deliberations and discourse carried out to date have been sufficient to accomplish that? This unanticipated hiatus in the National Theater's operations is an unlooked-for opportunity to formulate a blueprint for the next 100 years, and it would be a shame to waste it. We should also seize the occasion to reassess Japan's cultural policy vis-a-vis the performing arts. This country lacks a stable cultural infrastructure where professional performers can securely train, explore their art, and earn a living. This requires the construction of multiple public theaters tailored to specific uses but available for sharing when one or another facility closes for renovations. The government needs to start looking at the performing arts as an industry, not a hobby, and implement policies that provide a sustainable working environment for the individuals and groups who rely on public performance to make a living. The search for optimal design solutions should proceed with this premise in mind. (Originally published in Japanese on May 15. Banner photo: The National Theater in Tokyo. © Jiji.)
Kyodo News
3 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Nintendo debuts Switch 2 console to strong demand amid reselling woes
KYODO NEWS - 3 hours ago - 20:10 | All, Japan Nintendo Co. on Thursday released the Switch 2, its first new gaming console in over eight years, with strong preorder demand fueling optimism that the device will bolster the company's fortunes, but concerns remain that reselling may distort the set price. The Kyoto-based gaming giant expects to sell 15 million units of the device globally in the current business year through March. Nintendo said in April it attracted larger-than-expected preorder interest, with some 2.2 million people in Japan applying for a lottery in hopes of securing one at release. The successor to the original Switch, released in March 2017, is priced at 49,980 yen ($350) for the Japanese-only version. The multilanguage version of the device is available for 69,980 yen. The new console includes new features such as screen sharing and voice chat via a built-in microphone. It also features a larger screen with roughly twice the pixel count of the original Switch and supports 4K output on televisions. Along with the console, the company released the "Mario Kart World" game, its latest installment of the popular racing series. In Tokyo, dozens of people who won the lottery lined up in the morning before the opening of an electronics store in the Ikebukuro area. "It's great that players can see each other while playing. I can't wait to go home and play," said Koji Takahashi from Saitama Prefecture, who was first in line after arriving before 6 a.m. Satoshi Ayame was unsuccessful in the lottery but went to the store's release event to get hands-on experience with the long-awaited console. "I took a half-day off because I wanted to try this so bad," the 39-year-old said. Online stores and auction platforms have tightened measures against resellers, with some banning the sale of the Switch 2. But by midday Thursday, multiple listings had already appeared on Japanese e-commerce site Mercari, priced well above the official retail level. Many of the units on Mercari were listed for between 70,000 yen and 90,000 yen, with one reaching a staggering 800,000 yen. The unusually high prices have drawn public attention and prompted renewed debate over resale practices in Japan's digital marketplaces. Ken Naganuma, a professor at Doshisha University and an expert in e-commerce, said implementing uniform rules is difficult as reselling is not illegal, but added that it is "rational" for companies to act to protect their brand value as resale becomes a "social issue." Reflecting the solid interest in the Switch 2, Nintendo said in May that it expects the company's sales for fiscal 2025 to jump 63.1 percent from the previous year to 1.9 trillion yen. President Shuntaro Furukawa said it will increase production of the new device in response to the strong demand. The Switch has been one of Nintendo's best-performing consoles, with more than 150 million units moved. However, it has seen declining sales in recent years as the hardware aged after peaking at 28.8 million units in fiscal 2020. Related coverage: Nintendo to release Switch 2 console on June 5 for 49,980 yen Japanese game maker Sega opens 1st permanent shop in Shanghai
SoraNews24
5 hours ago
- SoraNews24
Krispy Kreme Japan giving away free donuts for National Donut Day
No dollars to donuts. Every once in a while, there's a push to get a Western holiday to catch on with the Japanese public. Christmas is locked in and Halloween has made some impressive headway over the years, but efforts to get Easter celebrations going seem to be floundering, probably because it's too hard to know when that holiday is each year. But one Western holiday that I think has potential here is National Donut Day. This is an American holiday, observed on the first Friday of June, that was started by Christian church and charity group The Salvation Army through events where donuts were handed out to those affected by the Great Depression and soldiers fighting overseas. Now, thanks to Krispy Kreme, National Donut Day has arrived in Japan. I suppose this means it should be called International Donut Day, but I guess they don't want to be too presumptuous. In honor of this day, which falls on 6 June this year, Krispy Kreme has a sizable giveaway planned. ▼ This times 10,000 From the time each location opens and while supplies last on National Donut Day, Krispy Kreme will be giving out free Original Glazed donuts with any purchase, excluding sole purchases of those little super-cheap things like birthday candles or message cards. This giveaway will be held at all locations across the country for a total of 10,000 free donuts. Three exceptions are the Krispy Kreme locations at the Tokyo International Forum, Shibuya Cine Tower, and Funabashi LaLaport Tokyo-Bay. These places all have theater kitchens where you can see the donuts being made, and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., freshly baked Original Glazed donuts will be given away for National Donut Day. Although the fact that you have to purchase something to get the free donuts means it's not a giveaway in the truest sense of the word, it is possible to parlay your free donut into a dozen Original Glazed donuts. All you have to do is follow Krispy Kreme on Twitter or Instagram and make a post sharing your impressions of the Original Glazed donut with the hashtag #ドーナツデーはオリグレ (#DonutDayisOriginalGlazed) and there's a chance you'll be one of the lucky 12 winners who get a whole box of them. I'm personally more of the mind that every day is donut day. But, for those who don't share my passion for fried bread and the hypertension that goes along with it, this is the perfect chance to remind a donut how you feel at Krispy Kreme or wherever else you like to get your greasy, sweet fix. Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
