Ayublog

Original article from here.

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“No Splitting of Fortune” Covenant? The Failure of Hamasaki Ayumi’s “Divorce Promotion”
23 January 2012.

Singer Hamasaki Ayumi, who married Austrian-born actor Manuel Schwarz on New Year’s Day last year, has expectedly announced a “lightning divorce”. According to ayu, the reason for divorce was that their initial plans to migrate to the US were disrupted by the Eastern Japan Earthquake Disaster in March. Witnessing the destruction, a strong “reluctance to leave Japan” grew within ayu, and she started to drift apart from her husband, who lives in Los Angeles. She explained that “before we knew it, the emotional distance had grown too large”.

In other words, the two were in a “long-distance marriage”, with no semblance of a domestic married life together.

“With a drive-thru wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, she did not even register the marriage in Japan. As such, her marital status is not “divorced” but “single”. It seems that she had always anticipated a divorce, as covenants stating that “the fortune will not be split in case of a divorce” and “no reparation is to be paid” were allegedly signed even before the wedding ceremony.” (Entertainment Authority)

Thinking back to New Year’s Eve last year, one day before the marriage announcement on New Year’s Day, ayu performed on NHK’s “Kouhaku Utagassen” dressed in a pure white wedding gown. This well-preparedness incited rumors within the entertainment circle that this was all just “promotion for the new song”.

As ayu has not had a hit song in years, rumors about the recent divorce being a publicity stunt are also going about. ayu has always been good at self-promotion. In the past, when she was dating TOKIO’s Tomoya Nagase, there was a piece of news about them “returning from a holiday, holding hands”. At that time, the one who tipped off the press about the returning couple was one of ayu’s staff members, another Entertainment Authority claimed.

However, if this divorce is really a publicity stunt, it is truly a failed attempt. Her citing the “disaster” as a reason for divorce invited much accusation. Moreover, with her working in the Middle East now, flames such as “Wasn’t she reluctant to leave Japan?!” and “Is she running away overseas now?!” are many. Even ayu’s “magic” isn’t working this time round……

Quelle: Misa-chan

Original blog entry here.

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New Year’s Greeting and Announcement
6 January 2012.

Happy New Year for 2012, 24th year of Heisei.

How did everyone spend their New Year’s? I returned to my old home after 18 long years, and spent a heartwarming New Year’s with my family.

First, an announcement I’ve already made via Twitter. Hamasaki Ayumi’s 2011 POWER OF MUSIC TOUR was my last time standing on ayu-chan’s stage. I’ve graduated.

I’ve received many warm messages via Twitter and this blog, and I’m really thankful for them.

I am sorry for not announcing this when the tour concluded on 19 October, that I wouldn’t be performing for Countdown Live. I feel really guilty for not talking about CDL and not replying all the messages encouraging me to “work hard at rehearsals”.

When I was 26, I took part in ayu-chan’s first tour. 12 years have since passed in no time, full of wondeful, memorable scenes. But as a 38-year-old now, this life no longer provides me with the urge to renew myself.

I was a victim of the Hanshin Earthquake Disaster, which struck when I graduated from my 3 years in university. Friends lost their lives, and caused a strong feeling of “I must spend my life doing what I really want to do!” to grow within me. Thus, I pursued a dance career.
When I was 23, I came to Tokyo. My days were filled with part-time jobs and dance lessons, and though it was tough, thinking back now makes me realize that they were the best and most fulfilling days I’ve had. I was still full of youthful energy then.
When I was around 25, I became skilled enough to take on jobs as a dancer. At 26, I went for an audition for ayu-chan’s troupe. The audition then was held by Peco-san, and I really thank her for giving me that chance to enter the troupe.
And, from then until now, I have devoted my entire life to dancing in the troupe.

I know that I should be grateful for this opportunity to be able to pursue what I want, but if I continue here for another 12 years, I’ll be 50. This time, I want to have a new vision for the next 12 years, and so I decided to graduate.

ayu-chan, all the staff, all the dancers past and present, band members; I thank you from my heart.

When the Tohoku Earthquake Disaster struck last year, my heart was terribly shaken, just like when the Hanshin Earthquake Disaster occurred. I had a vague wish to “do something” to help. I can choose to stay where I am, or to create my own place. To do things my own way. To take responsibility. To be useful to others. To do good… The earthquake stirred up all these thoughts in me once again.

Not a full year has passed since the earthquake, and I wish to treasure these feelings which have developed during this period.

I won’t quit dance, but maybe it has gone down on my list of priorities??
I still want to learn ballet, and I’ve fallen in love with teaching dance to others. I also wish to perform at club events.

I also finally got my fortune told! I’ll update more on this next time!

And then, actually, I am in the process of opening a store. It’s still a secret now, but it’ll be open by spring.

Same as everyone else, I’ll be going down to support ayu-chan at her tour this year.

I have so much more to say, but I will update Twitter and this blog again.

“As usual”, please support me this year too.

This was taken when I went to Barcelona end of last year.

I’ll update about that next time.

GO-MI

Otsubo Tsuyoshi

Quelle: Misa-chan

Original Article from here.

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ayu Returns Without Comment… Fully Guarded, Concealing her Left Hand
24 January 2012.

Hamasaki Ayumi (33), who announced her lightning divorce from Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz (31) late night on 16 Jan, returned to Japan via Seoul, after a work-related trip to UAE Dubai. This being her first public appearance since the divorce, Hamasaki nonetheless remained silent despite the press’ rapid-fire questions of “Have you talked with Manuel-san?” and “Is the divorce official?” On Twitter, she tweeted a message about having “no regrets” in English, implying that she is ready to move on.

For this first appearance after the divorce announcement, Hamasaki was fully guarded, dressed in a black coat with the hood up, black sunglasses and a mask. With her head bowed, her stance was stiff. About 40 press corps were gathered at the arrival gate, and though they fired many questions at her, she remained silent throughout.

Hamasaki also kept her left hand covered up with her coat sleeve, making it impossible to see if she still wore her wedding ring. Furthermore, she was surrounded by about 10 staff members who guarded her fiercely and fought against the press.

Hamasaki’s only response was to the question “Anything to say to the fans?”, to which she gave a nod. After she left the building, she turned and gave the press a small nod, but she still did not speak.

Late night on the 16th, Hamasaki suddenly announced her decision to divorce. After that, she left for Dubai for work, and came back to Japan after a week overseas. She is preparing for the concert tour, which is planned to start off at Saitama Super Arena on 7/4/2012. On this day, Hamasaki updated her Twitter for the first time since the divorce announcement, with a deep message written in English, “Never regret anything coz at one time it was exactly what u wanted…”

Quelle: Misa-chan

Original Article from here.

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ayu Returns Under Strict Guard, No Comment on Divorce… “No Regrets” on Twitter
24 January 2012. 07:01

Hamasaki Ayumi (33), who announced her divorce from Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz (31) on 16 Jan, returned to Japan on the night of the 23rd. She touched down at Haneda Airport, after a trip to Dubai for work-related purposes.

At the arrivals gate, ayu was under the strict guard of about 10 staff members. Dressed in black sunglasses and a white mask, she kept her head bowed throughout, and maintained silence despite questions from the press. It was only at the arrival lobby exit that she gave a slight nod to acknowledge the press.

ayu left Japan for Dubai on the 16th for PV filming. On the 23rd, she updated her Twitter status for the first time since the divorce, with the message “Never regret anything coz at one time it was exactly what u wanted…” typed in English.

Quelle: Misa-chan

Original Article from here.

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Beneath the Rumors, a Question Mark on ayu’s Divorce. Doomed From the Start…?
19 January 2012. 15:30

On 16 Jan, Hamasaki Ayumi’s sudden divorce announcement shook the world of entertainment.

Her announcement to marry Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz, who acted with her in her own PV, came on New Year’s Day last year. With consideration to his career, her initial plan was to migrate to the US, but her need to prepare for her concert tour, starting in May, required her to stay in Japan, and then the Tohoku Earthquake Disaster struck in March, causing a strong “feeling of reluctance to leave Japan” to grow within Hamasaki. In the end, her wish to stay together with her husband was hindered by “physical distance”, which soon became “emotional distance”, and she explained that she could not “see a future in the US with my husband” anymore.

On 17 Jan, the Nevada public office in the US announced that the divorce was successful. Regarding why she announced her decision before the divorce could even be finalized, Hamasaki explained that she “had to travel overseas for work, and wished to report to the fans as early as possible”. Now, some reports are claiming that she has denied the existence of a new lover.

However, looking at all the divorce reports, it seems like most of the inside sources are calm and composed about the whole incident. One source claimed that “actually, stories about discord and disagreements between the two have already been floating around since middle of last year”.

“There were many who doubted the existence of the marriage itself. That is because she has never registered the marriage in Japan”.

Furthermore, the two met on the PV set for the song “Virgin Road”. When the marriage announcement closely followed the release of this song as a single, there were rumors of the marriage being “a publicity stunt”. The same source claimed that “ayu’s CD sales has been falling over the years, and the marriage was actually to generate publicity for that marriage-themed song. When the sales did not improve, the divorce happened”.

As ayu has never registered her marriage in Japan, she has no record of divorce as well. There is talk of how “ayu actually has someone she loves in Japan, and he is the reason why she did not register this marriage”. There are many rumors as to the identity of this lover, some claiming him to be the rumored favorite, others naming him as an ordinary man who works in another industry altogether.

“In any case, with this story of divorce now, her next song should be dealing with broken hearts and separation,” a journalist commented. Just what will Hamasaki do from now on?

Quelle: Misa-chan