entertainment

Despite court order, Minako Komukai goes ahead with plans for strip show

64 Comments

The management agency where ex-talento Minako Komukai, 24, was once contracted, filed a cease and desist order against her this week after learning of her plans to perform in a strip show in Asakusa. Komukai received a suspended sentence in February for illegal stimulant use.

According to the management agency, Komukai's contract was dissolved last September. At that time, the two parties had created a written agreement that Komukai would cease her activities in the entertainment industry, including nude modeling and adult videos.

Komukai is currently scheduled to perform at strip club Asakusa Rockza from Friday. The club commented, "We haven't received any notification, and have no idea what is going on."

There seems to be no plans to cancel the show, however, and as of Wednesday evening, a poster advertising Komukai's upcoming performance remained on the wall near the entrance of the club.

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64 Comments
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How can her former agency tell her what to do? If it's a paid and legal show, why would they have a leg to stand on? The contracts are already over, unless there's something she signed saying 'I refuse to ever get naked', can't she do as she pleases?

I'm suspecting her former agency has a stack of swimsuit magazines they're afraid will stop selling if people start getting a better view of her... Talentos are used for such inane drivel in this country that they can't be claiming she's going to lower the bar!

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Fame is such a fleeting thing. Get dressed (or undressed) in the most revealing of swimsuits for the enjoyment of those nerds who buy such magazines (just to read the articles). Get a criminal record for doing some stimulants, and now it is off to the low lights of Asakusa where I am told tissues are stuck to the walls. What a future!!!

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How does someone who had no talent in the first place become an "ex-talento"? She she lose her non-talent?

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With a profile of T156 B90 W58 H85, she is probably better value to look at then most, more centimetres for the yen. A quick peruse of the web reveals her to be a rather attractive lady... good luck to her in her new venture.

I've fond memories of the Rock-Za going back to the 80s...

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The girl is clearly down and out. The so called "talent agency" ( Who by the way should be up for charges on crimes against humanity for the endless stream of talentless twits they impose upon the world) should leave her alone. After all what harm will it do them?

The entertainment business in Japan is as much a red tape nightmare as just about everything else here. The ancient art of obstruction is practiced with masterful attention by the dull grey minions of agency management.

Thus very little "talent" in Japan manages to hold any water at all outside the country.

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Jebus!

She looks ancient for being a 24 year old Japanese girl.

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whatever she plans to do, first she needs to get a good shot of vitamins! and maybe later some self- respect.

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Just out of interest, do you think she will invite her parents along for the 1st night performance of this great artistic spectacle. If she really wanted to generate a buzz (rather than get one from using certain substances), she could do a press conference announcing a formal invitation to PM Aso to come down and watch the show. Now that would be very interesting!!!!

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Womanforwomen, hey! Don't judge her! lol

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Shame that a quality woman like that has to resort to strip shows. I think I recall that she was arrested with a boyfriend for possessing a small personal amount of ganja. Imagine if all the actors in the States and in Europe got arrested and charged everytime they possessed a small amount of blow ! The management agency dropped her as soon as she was arrested, so that's that. She can do whatever she wants after that and the so-called contract should be declared null and void.

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womanforwomen - a shot of vitamins or protein? Sounds like she's had the latter a few times in her career.

Great to see the talent agencies rule people's lives whether they have a contract with them or not.

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womanforwoman are you as hard on male models? Is this continuing rant just on attractive people? what gives? what does it matter if a girl makes money off her smile or her bum? At least she is doing something and not just sitting on the dole. Everybody cant be a rocket scientist and do you think every company worker has more self respect because they cow tow to the system? I applaud Minako for pulling her self by her thong straps!

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Let this woman do what she wants to, whether it is bikini modeling or stripping. Whose life is it anyway? And to h*ll with that stupid agency. See if they can stop her.

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"Ex-talento" says it all. I would also describe this sad woman as "no-talento" and "sicko."

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Let the girl do what she wants, nobody has a right to judge or accuse.

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As part of my plan to extend my existence, I make judgments all the time.

It's kept me alive pretty good up to now.

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If she violated a contract, she either toes the line or pays the consequences. That's called bein' an adult.

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Does anyone know this club? Is it any good?

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"Ex-talento" says it all. I would also describe this sad woman as "no-talento" and "sicko."

I would describe her as quality.

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why prevent this girl from doing what she wants to do?

come on guys, lets go to asakusa rockza and support minako!

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boitoi - What prevents this girl from doing what she wants to do? Talent contracts and the general power the contracts hold over people in Japan.

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Can't wait for Fridays "pic of the day!"

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Any half-decent lawyer will have that contract ripped-up. She was sacked for her arrest, so after that she becomes free of the ex-employers. Unless they paid her off and she signed a contract stating she would not work in the entertainment business again. Although a strip club is hardly regarded as competition for a tv company and you cannot stop a person from being employed forever.

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If she violated a contract, she either toes the line or pays the consequences. That's called bein' an adult.

Unless it's not valid or binding, such as including illegal provisions. In more than ten years in Japan, I have never seen a legally enforceable contract, including the contract of a friend who worked for the Sapporo City government.

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Nessie, that's good to know: Contracts mean absolutely nothin' in Japan.

Endless possibilities have just opened up for me.

-Good to know. Thanks.

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Oh my word ! I'll be there early for her show on Friday for a front row seat. Take a look at this !

http://images.google.com.hk/imgres?imgurl=http://topicstock.pantip.com/chalermthai/topicstock/2006/11/A4922200/A4922200-0.jpg&imgrefurl=http://topicstock.pantip.com/chalermthai/topicstock/2006/11/A4922200/A4922200.html&usg=__yS1l9XHBGupoAPb32u5j0Rqwlas=&h=759&w=555&sz=58&hl=en&start=35&tbnid=7FhnUqkfZhNFBM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMinako%2BKomukai%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D21

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Thanks for that link, northlondon. All we need to do now is sign up for the Minako an club :-)

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Minako FAN club!!

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i wouldn't want to see her nekkid even if they pay for it. somebody please pull the plug on that rubbish?

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She certainly looks the part. If it wasn't in Asakusa and such an obvious J bloke dive, I'd be up there faster than Speedy Gonzales

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Quality. Check this.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cc_73sW0Sms/Rp2YO8QtLoI/AAAAAAAAA6A/4O89Lo2WbF0/s400/Minako+Komukai+II.jpg

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Anybody know what time the "show" starts?

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North, your link doesn't work.

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Mittsu, here we go.

http://images.google.com.hk/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cc_73sW0Sms/Rp2YO8QtLoI/AAAAAAAAA6A/4O89Lo2WbF0/s400/Minako%2BKomukai%2BII.jpg&imgrefurl=http://allaboutidol.blogspot.com/2007/07/minako-komukai-2.html&usg=__SQGRjVmAMvsLusIKm-7Vf5WRrVk=&h=400&w=291&sz=19&hl=en&start=25&um=1&tbnid=8ExbRrbsHsACJM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkomukai%2Bminako%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D21%26um%3D1

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I am apalled at the cheap taste of some.

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I am apalled at the cheap taste of some.

Because of a good-looking woman in a bikini? Hmm.

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Prohibitions similiar to this often turn up in employment contracts, but can be struck down if they are found to be too braod and restrictive - so, "never work in the entertainment industry again" mmmmm, too broad and restrictive? I think so.

Let the show go on - I`d like to be there cheering her on.

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Is she 24 or 34..? typo error?..:)

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I am apalled at the cheap taste of some.

womanforwomen: Men are men...!

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doesn't the top part of her body weigh more than the legs can hold? gaijin guys like this? ummmm what perspective.

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i wouldn't want to see her nekkid even if they pay for it. somebody please pull the plug on that rubbish?

you have a problem with naked women?

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Any contract that violates your freedom would conflict with the law. Contracts that violate the law are void.

If you dont like pornography......DONT LOOK AT IT.

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Anybody wanna go? Let's get a gaijin posse together!

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womanforwoman - be careful - your taste could also be called VERY cheap. Nobody asked you to click this article and more, nobody asked for your inflamatory comments around here. Agree with CutureChange - If you don't like Pornography - don't look at it... Stop trying to educate people around by some standard YOU consider golden...

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ebisen, how the heck does anyone - includin' minors - avoid pornography in the First World today?

As for your comment to womanforwomen: nobody asked for your inflamatory comments around here...

Are you a new arrival to the JT Olympics?

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I don't care if Minako strips or not... But let's get real:

Most moms and dads don't want their daughters strippin' just because it is tasteless and cheap.

If I enjoy myself at a strip bar while knockin' back Guinness, I still know that I'm also enjoyin' a tasteless, cheap and prurient display.

I don't care how much philosophical perfume you want to put on dung. It's still dung.

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USARonin - Try the Josef Fritzl approach! Guaranteed to work for years - shelter your young ones from the horrors of the modern world/pornography/sunlight etc.

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anything naked is not porn. Even porn should have an element of beauty and taste.

Most ceratinly, the young ones will enjoy the porn, when they become adults and their brains are ready for it. Time and place. Do you know what porn does to a child's brain?

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soldave, you try that guy's approach.

See if you serve less time than him.

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Japanese ex-talento--A female Japanese television personality after recovering from breast cancer?

How does someone who had no talent in the first place become an "ex-talento"? She she lose her non-talent? --herefornow

I believe that you are suffering from a lack of perspective. From the perspective of the link provided by northlondon, she appears to have a great deal of natural talent. Maybe she is really becoming an ex-notalento. It is all in how you look at things.

So the evidence so far: --The Smap guy doesn't get charged and doesn't lose his contract after his nude display in the park under the influence of ???. --Minako Komukai loses her contract and is told to keep her clothes on.

Would this, among other things, demonstrate some proclivity toward male nudeness on the part of the Japanese public? Are male foreigners more interested in female bodies than their Japanese counterparts? Does this explain all the peeping going on in the public restroom?

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womanforwomen- I am offended by your "cheap" judgement call on another person, as a woman. Instead of taking potshots at a defenseless woman who has chosen a sad career path from your chair, why don't you work towards improving the lot of women in this country? If pornography offends you so much, why not work towards getting it removed from your local kombini instead of resorting to calling another woman cheap? Remember the old adage, "Judge not, lest you be judged", it applies to most things, including pornography.

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I got a front row seat for this show. I got connections. Anyone else going?

Moderator: Unfortunately, you won't be seeing anything. The show has been put on hold.

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That's too bad, we were all looking forward to seeing her talents. Well, except for miss spoilsport in the corner.

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there is a type of clause called "non-compete" which prevents you from doing certain things after the termination of a contract. The enforceability of these is usually prescribed in either existing laws or court rulings.

Sometimes these non-compete can be for 1-2 years, however, beyond that, they are usually not enforceable and if this is determined, then the entire clause may be invalid.

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there is a type of clause called "non-compete" which prevents you from doing certain things after the termination of a contract. The enforceability of these is usually prescribed in either existing laws or court rulings.

A non-compete is generally only in effect when you resign, not when you're canned. It's ludicrous to have a legal contract that says "Non only can't you work for us, you can't work for anyone."

I suppose if she were bought out of her contract mutually rather than fired it would be a different situation, but I didn't get that impression at all from the stories at the time she was fired.

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flatearther, you are under the misguided belief that all women are somehow "sisters," which is just as ridiculous as the expectation that some men have about other men understanding their hatred of all women.

As far as I'm concerned, your adage is one of the most ridiculous things ever proposed. It is human nature to judge the behavior of others. It is the basis of all of our laws, and keeps societies running (rather) smoothly. Komukai is no more defenseless than any other member of society, and if she chooses a "sad" career path, that is her choice, and she will be judged by society for this choice. That is reality. That is what it means to be human.

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PepinGalarga:

What you are describing makes perfect sense in a working environment known and expected in Western countries, for example in Europe.

Combined with "non-competition" is usually that the company has to pay some money, in the order of half of the normal salary for the non-competition period. Here in the article, it does not say that she received money.

I expect that she was somehow "hard-pressed" to sign the mentioned agreement - for example, something "unwanted" might happen to family members. Or, in old Al Capone style, she received an offer she could not decline.

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I think they usually also entail working for competing companies, where you could give one company's secrets to their competitor. However, when the company secret is what you look like naked, I think all deals, and clothes, are off.

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The women is boring and not good looking. Has the personality of a cardboard box. Of course she fell off.  Who cares, move on to next story. She is a skinny paper thin girl with fake big boobs.

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Fake? Maybe, but come on, she isn't that bad looking. Would I go out and pay 8,000 yen, hell no!

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Nessie, that's good to know: Contracts mean absolutely nothin' in Japan. Endless possibilities have just opened up for me.

I'm not saying they mean nothing. I'm saying they're usually full of unenforcable provisions posing as enforcable rules. And the legal parts of the contract are still enforcable even if the contract includes unenforcable provisions.

The other part of the non-compete issue is the broadness of the clause: "cease activities in the entertainment industry" is not the same as agreeing not to work for a competitor. Does her ex-agency make porn videos? If not, then the non-compete does not apply.

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sydenham- "Judge not, lest ye be judged" is not my adage (though I wouldn't mind taking credit, it's a few thousand years older than I am. As far as judgement is concerned in this case, leave it to the courts. I made a logical point that if this woman was so concerned with the life of a human being that she doesn't even know, she should work towards improving the environment that caused this woman to be so "cheap" (her words, not mine). BTW, society is created by individuals, so let's all try to work towards a better society, 'kay?

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she needs the money, hence the strip. next up, hooker-time.

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She pulled a reverse-Piaf with a half twist.

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