New Year's Eve Entertainment News: Highlights from the Rose Bowl, Celebrity Divorce Announcements, and Drama Specials

Highlights from the 2025 NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen

The 2025 NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen is airing live today, December 31st, starting in the afternoon. The full lineup, schedule, and artist links are available on NHK News.

Hiroshi Go, performing for the 16th consecutive year and making his 38th appearance, passionately sang "2.4 Billion Eyes - Exotic Japan," tearing up as he expressed his gratitude.

Gen Hoshino took part in a special Kohaku segment, performing at the Nintendo Museum and striking a playful "Direct!" pose.

• M!LK appeared but experienced sound issues with frequent noise disruptions, sparking comments like "The mic is terrible."
• aespa faced controversy over the "Mushroom Cloud" incident but didn't interact with Hiroyuki Ariyoshi or others on stage.

Celebrity Divorce Announcements Flood the End of the Year

IZAM announced his divorce from Miho Yoshioka, sharing, "We’re starting separate paths toward the future."

Voice actress Yoko Hikasa also revealed her divorce, stating, "We’re each moving forward on our own journeys."

These announcements came one after another on New Year’s Eve, drawing a lot of attention from fans.

Nagano Mei’s Apology Message to Fans

Nagano Mei posted a heartfelt apology on her blog, saying, "Sorry for causing concern. I have so much I want to share."

While she hasn't gone into details, fans are buzzing with speculation and support.

RADWIMPS Former Guitarist Akira Kuwahara Refuses Band Rejoining

Former RADWIMPS guitarist Akira Kuwahara has declined to rejoin the band, telling Yōjirō Noda, "I won’t apologize or come back."

This rekindling of past conflicts is sparking discussions among music fans.

New Year’s Eve Special Drama: "Solitary Gourmet 2025 New Year’s Eve Special"

Catch the show tonight at 9:55 PM on TV Tokyo. The theme is "Goro’s Self-Serve Refill!"

After airing, it will be available on Lemino and U-NEXT, with a free catch-up on TVer.

Other Entertainment Highlights

GACKT shared stories about his sister’s impressive sake-drinking skills, saying she can easily finish a liter of sake in one go.

Kento Kaku chose "Body" as his kanji for the year, reflecting on a major personal transformation at age 36.

Yuchun Park expressed his excitement about working in Japan, saying, "I’m really happy here."

• The movie "National Treasure" is running in an unprecedented extended screening at the Kabuki-za Theatre.
• Kenichi Kobayashi is retiring from acting after a successful career.

Okinawa’s New Year’s Eve Countdown Celebrations

Okinawa hosts lively New Year’s Eve events featuring fireworks and dazzling light displays. The Okinawa Children’s Museum will host dinosaur shows and live performances.

Luxury resorts like Kanucha and Manza are hosting spectacular countdown parties, with some events offering breathtaking, aurora-like light shows for a magical experience.