Fuji TV announcer Nakano Minako (30, photo left) had a tearful wedding ceremony and reception yesterday at the Shangri-La hotel in central Tokyo. She and her groom, a 34-year-old doctor she met in the autumn of 2008, held a relatively simple and "at home" reception attended by about 180 people. In addition to her own father's speech, Nakano was reduced to tears by the words of other father figures. The couple were toasted by Ogura Tomoaki (62), Nakano's current co-anchor on the "Tokudane" morning wide show, and Otsuka Norikazu (61), with whom she...

It has now been confirmed that the classic boxing manga "Ashita no Joe" will be turned into a live-action film, starring NEWS member Tomohisa Yamashita (24) as the protagonist Joe Yabuki. The movie is being directed by Fumihiko Sori (" Ping Pong ," "ICHI") and is scheduled for release in early 2011. The original manga, written by Asao Takamori and illustrated by Tetsuya Chiba, was published between 1968 and 1973. The manga's volumes have sold more than 20 million copies combined, and the story has been turned into two animated television series (1970-1971, 1980-1981), two animated films (1980, 1981), and a live-action film (1970) starring Shoji Ishibashi. Yamashita was offered the role about a year ago. He has been a boxing fan for a long time, and has even trained on his own at a boxing gym in the past. He will soon begin serious training to prepare for the role, as filming is set to start in early April. Actor Teruyuki Kagawa (44) has been cast as Danpei Tange, the former boxer who becomes Joe's mentor.

Keiko Kitagawa (23) is starring in a new film directed by Itsumichi Isomura , titled "Matataki." The movie is based on the first full-length novel by screenwriter Len Kawahara, who wrote the screenplay for the 2009 movie "Yomei." In this heartrending love story, Kitagawa plays a young woman named Izumi, whose boyfriend Junichi (played by 20-year-old Masaki Okada ) dies in a motorcycle accident. As a result, the shocked Izumi suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and loses her memory from the time of the incident. With the help of a lawyer ( Nene Otsuka ), she is eventually able to remember Junichi's final moments. The rest of the supporting cast includes Misa Shimizu , Tomorowo Taguchi , and Kin Sugai . The theme song will be a new tune by singer K, titled "Aitai Kara." Isomura (" Ganbatte Ikimasshoi ," "Gege") directed and wrote the adapted script. The movie was shot in the spring of 2009 and has already completed post-production. Theatrical release is planned for this June.

Rising actress Keiko Kitagawa (23) will star in a drama special on TBS titled "Hitsudan Hostess." The story is based on the bestselling autobiography of 25-year-old Rie Saito, who became a number-one hostess in Ginza despite being deaf. "Hitsudan Hostess" was published by Kobunsha this past May, and so far it has sold roughly 115,000 copies. The book depicts the life of Saito, who was born in Aomori and became deaf at the age of 1 due to an illness. She rebelled against her strict parents, and she ran away from home several times as a youth. At a local club, she began taking an interest in "hitsudan" (communicating through writing), which she later made use of when she moved to Tokyo and became a popular hostess at a Ginza club. Kitagawa will play the part of Saito in the drama, with Yoshiko Tanaka (53) playing her mother. Kitagawa's role will be difficult as it has almost no lines, requiring her to express herself in a different way. Incidentally, the actress already has a strong interest in writing, as she learned calligraphy at a young age. The show, scheduled to air in January, will include an introduction by Saito herself.

Multiple rumors of celebrity relationships have surfaced in recent weeks, which have all been denied by the celebrities' agencies: Two weeks ago, FRIDAY reported that actress Aya Hirayama (25) and Hey! Say! JUMP member Yuya Takaki (19) are dating. The two were seen last month having dinner in Shinjuku, then riding in a taxi together. Actress Yukie Nakama (30) and actor Tetsushi Tanaka (43) are also said to be dating. They have worked together in three television dramas, including the currently airing "Untouchable." The latest issue of FRIDAY says that KAT-TUN 's Koki Tanaka (24) is involved with gravure idol Erina Takamatsu (23). The magazine published photos of the two at Narita Airport right before they left for Hawaii. Tanaka's management explained that they were just part of a group of friends traveling to Hawaii for another friend's wedding. This week's issue of Josei Seven ran pictures of NEWS member Tomohisa Yamashita (24) and actress Keiko Kitagawa (23) together outside a restaurant. Rumors about the two have been around since their student days at Meiji University, and the rumors had resurfaced when they were chosen as co-stars in Fuji TV's "Buzzer Beat" last season.