Dreams Come True started their 20 year anniversary tour on March 21, 2009 from Osaka Jo Hall. They made a record of singing 40 song in this concert and got a great applause from more than 10 thousands people.
Dreams Come True vocalist, Yoshida Miwa (43) was crying from the opening. She said that they are very happy that they can celebrate 20 year anniversary, a special year for Japanese people.
Dreams Come True made a debut 20 years ago, singing in front of 300 people on some event in a club in Osaka. In the same year, Yoshida was recruited as announcer in regular radio show in Osaka. According to Dreams Come True’s official, “DORIKAMU” abbreviations was also born in Osaka.
Dreams Come True leader, Nakamura Masato (50) said “Please enjoy DORIKAMU from 1989, Time Machine ni notte”. In this concert, they performed medley of their hits like 1990’s “Eyes to me” and 1992’s “Kessen wa Kinyoubi”. They also performed songs from their last album “DO YOU DREAMS COME TRUE?” which sold more than 800 thousands copies.
More than 300 thousands people will come to their 33 concerts in 13 places. At the end of this concert, Yoshida once again cried and promised that “They will do their best and it was the best starting this tour from Osaka, their hometown”.
March 19, 2009, Yamaha announced a business restructuring by closing piano factory plant in UK and Taiwan. They have been produced large number of piano for the world. As an effect of global crisis, piano production in UK and Taiwan dropped significantly and they choose to close it’s plant in UK and Taiwan. They will focus it’s production based on it’s plant in Indonesia and China. They also announced withdrawal from unprofitable business, such as magnesium molding components for digital SLR camera.
In March 2009, Yamaha got a special loss of 23.6 billion yen from fixed asset impairment losses and restructuring costs. That’s made overall loss expected to be around 23 billion yen. Yearly dividend is expected to reduced by 7.5 yen to 42.5 yen. All executives will give back their compensation and managers will get a 5% salary reduction start from April 2009.
Manufacturing subsidiaries in Taiwan will stop production in July 2009 and plans to liquidate the company in March 2010. Declining demand in Taiwan made piano production is only 3600 piano a year, less than half of the peak in 1980s that forced them to end their role in Taiwan.
March 9, 2009, Arashi’s new single, “Kumori nochi, Kaisei” got to the top of Oricon chart on it’s debut. Initial lauch week’s sales recorded 502 thousands copies sold. As a single, this record is the first time since KAT-TUN’s debut song “Real Face” which is recorded 754 thousands copies sold 3 years before. For Arashi, this record is the first time since Arashi’s debut song “A RA SHI” which is recorded 557 thousands copies sold 9 years 4 months before.
With only two days after released, this single surpassed Akimoto Yoriko’s single “Ai no mama de…” (351 thousands copies sold in 2009) and became top of Oricon chart.
March 9, 2009, Tokyo Stock Exchange was still in strong uncertainty over the economy, Nikkei average closed at 7086.03 yen, 87.07 yen lower than last week’s closing point. This closing point was lower than post-bubble’s low at 7162.90 yen marked on October 27, 2008, and broke 26 years 5 months lowest point since October 1982.
It becomes clear that the deterioration of economic of the global economy and fall in US and Europe stock markets is expected to made further deterioration of Japanese companies performance. Also the political uncertainty made selling spread across the stock market started by financial stocks.
The TOPIX index of all Tokyo Stock Exchange shows the price of the stock part (TOPIX) also fell 10.86 points at 710.53, a new low record and broke about 25 years lowest point since December 1983. Financial institutions have faced the risk of impairment due to falling stock prices on fiscal year closing on March 2009.
March 9, 2009, Ministry of Finance announced that Japan had a 172.8 billion yen deficit on transactions of goods and services abroad on January 2009. The current deficit is the first time and biggest since 25.6 billion yen deficit occured on January 1996.
Large decline in exports in the rapidly deteriorating global economy, made trade balance deficit in last 3 months. Also, due to lower interest rates, the amount of interest income from foreign bonds is decreased as an effect of lower income surplus. The sharp decline in investment income made deficit even worst. However, January 1 is New Year’s holiday in Japan, there was a decline in exports every year, but trade balance in February 2009 could be improved.
The second World Baseball Classic (WBC) played second match in Group A on March 7, 2009. Japanese batting blast leads by Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners). Japan won over South Korea 14-2 with just seven-inning played, and decided to enter second round which will be held in US on March 16, 2009. Japanese team were able to hit South Korea’s left arm pitcher, Kim Gwan Hyon, that was made Japan having a bad match in last Beijing Olympics. Leads by Ichiro Suzuki that was able to bring back his best performance, Japanese team is moving ahead to pretend their championship.
In first inning, following Ichiro this season’s first hit, Japan made a 3 point lead with Aoki (Yakult) and Uchikawa (Yokohama) timely hit. South Korean starter pitcher, Kim Gwan Hyon was changed with only second inning after gave Japan base on balls and 3 point homerun by 4th batter Murata (Yokohama). In the middle innings, Japan also added points by South Korea’s bad defence, Nakajima timely hit and Jojima (Mariners) 2 point homerun.
Japanese team has been learnt from last year’s Beijing Olympics bad match against South Korean pitcher Kim Gwan Hyon. In this match, Japan changed their lineups with right handed batter dominated lineups, such as Murata as 4th batter and Uchikawa as 6th batter. These changes makes Japan’s batting better and won against South Korea 14-2. Japanese starting pitcher Matsuzaka lost 2 points in his first inning, but after two innings continued by Watanabe (Lotte), Sugiuchi (Softbank) and Iwata (Hanshin Tigers) did not lost any point.
Next match, Japan will played against China-South Korea match winner to fight for first place in Group A of 2009 World Baseball Classic on March 9, 2009.
Popular group, Arashi’s latest single “Believe / Kumori nochi, Kaisei” tops daily single Oricon chart on March 3, 2009. With 2.15 million copies sold in first day of release, following Akimoto Yoriko’s single “Ai no mama de…” (3.36 million copies sold on January 2008 release), KAT-TUN’s single “ONE DROP” (3.15 million copies sold on February 2009 release) and Shuchishin’s single “Yowamushi Santa” (2.31 million copies sold on December 2008), climbed to fourth on 2009 Oricon yearly single chart.
Arashi / Yano Kenta starring Satoshi Ono “Believe / Kumori nochi, Kaisei” is a theme song for the movie starring Arashi’s member Sakurai Sho, “Yattaman” (will be release on March 7, 2009) and TV Asahi drama starring Arashi’s leader Satoshi Ono. Currently, the difference with 2009 single sales leader, Akimoto Yoriko’s “Ai no mama de…” is 1.21 million copies. Depending on the next sales, there is a chance to tops 2009 single sales on it’s first week of release.
In daily album rangking, Chatmonchy’s third album “Kokuhaku”, sold 250 thousands copies on it’s first release and tops 2009 album chart and with this phase, they will top 2009 weekly album chart.
World’s first UV care brand, Coppertone, announced their “nice white skin celebrity” and “nice healthy skin celebrity” survey result on March 2, 2009.
For “nice white skin celebrity”, first place goes to Koyuki, Ayase Haruka in second place and Matsuyuki Yasuko in third place. They are selected because of these sorts of criteria, such as “not only white skin, but it also have a sense of transparency”, “very white skin, but it does not look unhealthy”, “smooth skin with no wrinkles blemishes”, and others.
For “nice healthy skin celebrity”, first place goes to Murakami Rikako, Amuro Namie in second place, Asao Miwa and Fujiwara Norika in third place. They are selected because of these sorts of criteria, such as “always healthy and have a unique personality”, “not only tan skin, but it also have a sense of transparency”, and others.
In either way, regardless of skin color, it seems that have a tendency to focus on eternal themes of woman such as stain and wrinkles.
