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50 Years Since Koza Unrest
Sunday marks 50 years since unrest which occurred after a car driven by US military personnel hit a local resident near a US base in Okinawa. The unrest took place on December 20, 1970, two years before reversion of the southern prefecture from the United States to Japan. Residents of the area expressed anger by…
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Catching up on news from Tokyograph
I’m catching up on articles from the awesome website Tokyograph of mostly film and TV news. Click on the links to read the full articles on Tokyograph’s website. The original show starred Ueto as rookie detective Sakuragi Izumi, who worked on difficult unsolved cases as part of a Special Investigations Office (based on an actual…
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Okinawa’s Tokusatsu Hero: Ryujin Mabuyer
“Ryujin Mabuyer (琉神マブヤー)” is a Tokusatsu TV series made in Okinawa. The 13-episode series aired in 2008 from October 4th to December 27th. The series will be made into a movie titled, Ryuujin Mabuyaa THE MOVIE Nanatsu no Mabui (琉神マブヤー ＴＨＥ ＭＯＶＩＥ 七つのマブイ),” and star Shintaro Yamada as Ryujin Mabuyer and ISSA (from DA PUMP)…
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Aya Ueto to star in “Thermae Romae”
Cameras are already rolling for the live-action movie adaptation of Yamazaki Mari’s “Thermae Romae” manga, but the main cast has just been revealed. Abe Hiroshi (46) will star, while Ueto Aya (25) will play the female lead. The manga, which won the Manga Taisho and a Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize last year, is a comedy…
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Yukie Nakama to star in the upcoming NHK period drama “Tempest”
Pictured is the cast for the stage play of “Tempest” starring Yukie Nakama in the main role of Mazuru/Neion Son (真鶴・孫寧温). The play, based on the novel by Naha-born author Eiichi Ikegami, will become a 10-episode BS period drama (BS時代劇) on NHK that is projected to start airing in July 2011. Synopsis of the stage…
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Spring 2011 J-dramas to watch
I haven’t done one of these in a long time so here we go! There are two (maybe more) J-dramas beginning this month for the Spring 2011 season that star actresses from Okinawa. The first one starts on the 18th is titled “Shiawase ni Narou yo (幸せになろうよ)” and stars Meisa Kuroki in the role of…
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Harry Seisho Nakasone
Harry Seisho Nakasone, a Honolulu resident who studied in Japan and became a master of classical Okinawan music, died March 19 in Honolulu. He was 99. Nakasone was a grand master of classical uta-sanshin, in which the artist sings and plays the three-string instrument that is Okinawa’s version of the shamisen. […] “He is well-respected…
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Tokyograph: Third child for Kiroro’s Kinjo Ayano
Kiroro keyboardist Kinjo Ayano (33) gave birth to her third child last week. Her agency has just announced that her new baby, a boy weighing 2,850 grams, was born on March 29. (Via Tokyograph.) Congratulations!
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Ryukyu Golden Kings will be seeking donations for victims of the earthquake and tsunami
Ryukyu Golden Kings and Ryukyu Jusco Co., Ltd. will be seeking donations to help earthquake and tsunami victims in the north east Japan. Monetary donations will be accepted in donation boxes located in all AEON and Max Valu stores in Okinawa from March 13 to March 31. Members of the Kings family to include Players…
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Tokyograph: GACKT launches earthquake relief fund
Singer GACKT is using his influence to help earthquake relief efforts, establishing a new emergency donation fund called ‘SHOW YOUR HEART.’ The fund was organized with cooperation from popular online gaming portal Hangame, and a special webpage has been launched for the fund. […] The donations, which are being accepted through a Sumitomo Mitsui bank…
Karakui 