WORLD NEWS TODAY

Givenchy has named Nanao as its new Japan ambassador, marking the first time the French fashion house has appointed a Japanese actress as a face of the brand, it said. A model, actress and TV personality, Nanao has starred in a variety of series and movies since embarking on her career in 2009, including action comedy “Hell’s Garden” and TV show “Ninja ni Kekkon wa Muzukashii,” the story of two ninjas from rival clans who get married without knowing each other’s true identities. Givenchy creative director Matthew M. Williams praised her attitude. “I really admire Nanao for her professional versatility as well as her personal energy and style. She will make an ideal Japan ambassador, and I look forward to working together,” he said in a statement. To mark the announcement, Nanao posed for a series of images shot by her close friend Leslie Kee, a Singaporean photographer based in Japan. “Givenchy is a timeless brand that elevates me as a woman and an actress. I am very much looking forwa...

My Family brings to life the family of Haruto Narusawa, the CEO of a game company. On the surface, Narusawa looks like he has the perfect family, with a loving wife and a sensible daughter. But behind closed doors, he does not care about his family and neglects them for work. One day, he receives a phone call claiming that his daughter has been kidnapped. The kidnapper demanded a ransom of 500 million yen (about S$5.2 million). What should have been a relatively easy sum to fork out for a CEO turns out challenging as Haruto’s company faces a crisis. Getting pushed to their wits’ end, Haruto must work with his estranged wife to decide the best course to take to save their only daughter. The first two of 10 episodes are now on Disney+. Here’s why you should catch this thrilling Japanese drama. 1. It sees Arashi’s Kazunari Ninomiya and Mikako Tabe working together again Kazunari Ninomiya plays Haruto Narusawa, while Mikako Tabe portrays his wife, Michiru Narusawa. It has been 15 years sin...

While many believe it's uncommon for shojo series to tackle mature issues with well-developed realistic characters, Ai Yazawa’s NANA toes the line between shojo and josei, standing out as one of the few series that manage to present its readers and viewers with a serious and mature topic. Since it won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2002, NANA has lost nothing from its popularity -- in fact, over a decade later, it still holds up.The allure of NANA lies in its realistic yet enchanting characters, making its audience feel as if they are falling in love for the first time. The show features a wide range of characters with powerful backstories. NANA follows the story of two young women with the same name who decide to move to Tokyo for different reasons. Nana Osaki wants to become a professional musician and make it big, while Nana Komatsu wants to be close to her boyfriend without financially depending on him. The two Nanas find themselves sitting next to each other on the train to Tok...

Fukada Kyoko, 38, a Japanese actor with a long list of major film and TV credits, has been diagnosed with adjustment disorder, her agency, Hori Production, announced Thursday. She is withdrawing from all work commitments while she recovers. It is rare for a Japanese talent of her stature to publicly announce that they are suffering from mental health problems. One comparable case is that of Empress Masako, who received a similar adjustment disorder diagnosis in 2003. According to the announcement Fukada has been ailing since the spring of last year. This month she was diagnosed with adjustment disorder by her physician and is now devoting herself to her recovery. She was scheduled to star in an upcoming Fuji TV serial drama, which will now have to be recast. Also, the release of her latest film, “Lupin’s Daughter,” is set for this October, but Fukuda’s participation in promotional activities is in doubt. Fukada is perhaps best known abroad for her breakout role in the 2004 Nakashima Te...

Shot seemingly in mid-March, before the authorities got serious about stay-at-home directives, the May 12 installment of the Nippon TV variety show “Kayo Surprise” featured three male celebrities — Yoshizumi Ishihara, Kazushige Nagashima and Daigo — frolicking in the seaside environs of Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, where Ishihara grew up. The thread connecting these three men is that they’re all from illustrious families, which in itself is not a novelty. These days, it’s probably harder to find a TV personality that doesn’t have a famous forebear. Ishihara’s father is novelist-cum-politician Shintaro Ishihara, while Nagashima’s father is Shigeo Nagashima, one of the most beloved baseball players in Japanese history. Yoshizumi Ishihara and Kazushige Nagashima are both in their 50s and have cultivated media images distinct from their families. So has Daigo, who is always described as a musician and TV personality and only goes by his given name (his surname is Naito). His maternal grandf...

Award-winning Japanese actress Yuko Takeuchi has been found dead at her Tokyo home at the age of 40. She was reportedly found by her actor husband Taiki Nakabayashi at their home in Shibuya Ward. Her death was confirmed at hospital. Police launched an investigation, suspecting that the actress took her own life, Japanese media reported. Ms Takeuchi was popular in Japan, known for the 1998 horror film Ringu which was adapted by Hollywood as The Ring. In a statement, her talent agency Stardust Promotion said it was "stunned and saddened by the news". The actress also played a female Sherlock Holmes in the 2018 HBO series Miss Sherlock, which was broadcast in several countries including the US. For three years in a row, between 2004 and 2007, Ms Takeuchi won best actress in a leading role at the Japanese Academy Awards. Along with her long list of acting credits, Ms Takeuchi's warm, smiling, woman-of-the-people image made her popular with advertisers, Variety Magazine report...

TOKYO (TR) – Popular actress Erika Sawajiri has been accused of possessing the illegal drug Ecstasy, investigative sources with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police have revealed, reports NHK (Nov. 16). According to the sources, Sawajiri, 33, allegedly possessed an unspecified amount of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, somewhere in the capital on Saturday. Sawajiri has been accused of violating the Narcotics Control Law. Police plan to reveal more information about the case at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. Since making her debut in 2004, Sawajiri has appeared in a number of films, including “Shinjuku Swan” and “Helter Skelter,” the latter of which garnered her a nomination for Best Leading Actress for 36th Japan Academy Prize. In 2007, Sawajiri was the focus of controversy after she gave gruff responses — including simply saying “betsuni” (nothing special) — to the questions of reporters at a press conference for the film “Closed Note.” JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN JA...