SPEED goddess Takako Uehara kicks Shukan Bunshun's ass
SPEED singer Takako Uehara successfully sued Shukan Bunshun for damages, after magazine alleged mob links:
The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday ruled in favor of actress and singer Takako Uehara, 30, in a lawsuit for libel filed against publisher Bungeishunju, reports Nikkan Sports (July 24).
Uehara, a member of the J-pop group Speed, was awarded damages of 1.1 million yen for an article about the dark relationship between organized crime and the entertainment industry that appeared in the September 15 (2011) issue of weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun.
The entertainer was critical over the publication of her photo in the magazine and in advertisements for the issue. The article claimed that she had visited a special club inside a building in the Nishi Azabu area of Minato Ward that was known for its gangster affiliations.
Uehara was introduced to the club through a television program. “A single visit does not constitute a connection to organized crime,” said Presiding judge Minoru Hatakeyama.
A representative from the editorial department at Shukan Bunshun, which is owned by Bungeishunju, said that the publication is considering an appeal.
The rest of the celebrities who were allegedly revealed to have mob links were: SMAP's Nakai Masahiro, EXILE, Ebizo Ichikawa, Hideaki Ito, Matsushima Nanako, Arisa Mizuki, Noriko Sakai, TOKIO's Shigeru Joshima, Akiko Wada, among others. You can see the rest of the list here.
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Good for you! Go get 'em, gurl!