Hey, I got married!

(this message is originally written in Italian, English and Japanese. please check her official site)

A message to my fans in Italy, and members of the Italian press (and other curious people)

(this message is originally written in Italian, English and Japanese. please check her official site)

Dear my fans and media people

I will be getting married sometime soon.

I was thinking of making this public after we finished wedding ceremony and such quietly, but changed my mind and decided to tell it to you at this time since I'm already getting inquiries and it seems like the word is getting out.

I wouldn't have guessed this myself and it gives me a little giggle, but as a matter of fact my partner is an Italian man.  He could hardly be a more "general person" and I sincerely hope that you would refrain from reporting under his own name which infringes on the right to privacy, for the safety of him and his family.

I thank you for your warm support.  I am sorry for making you worry often.  My partner is a good man who has a honest heart, loved by a lot of friends.  His family is a happy, cheerful big family, just like the one coming out of manga.  I'm not so young anymore and appreciate it very much if you would keep us in a calm state.

February 3rd, 2014

Utada Hikaru

Also … I was worrying about if I should postpone my wedding or not because I'm in mourning, but eventually decided to proceed believing my mother would be cheering for me, because she was delighted pretty much enough to make me think "It's been years since my mother's voice's sounded so cheerful like this " when I told her about him in the last conversations with her.

Dear all who gave your support to Keiko Fuji for many years

Dear all who gave your support to Keiko Fuji for many years

Please accept my sincere gratitude to you on my late mother's behalf.  Thank you for all your support and help for a long time.

I would like to tell the following to all who still kindly care about my mother.

My mother's real name was wrongly reported in the latest articles. It is not Junko Abe, but Junko Utada. My mother wished to keep Utada's surname, not her maiden name Abe even after she divorced my father, so she kept herself in my father's family registry.  They were deeply bonded no matter if they were married or not.  My mother had been keeping in touch, not only with me, her daughter but also my father until just before her death. My father is one of the few that my mother would turn to till the last.

I suppose the people of Shinjuku police station decided that my father should identify and receive my mother's body, by taking such facts into account. My father played this role with intolerable pain, on behalf of me who was in no state to go to Shinjuku police station that day.

Some people wished to see my mother's body, but I was obliged to decline such requests respectfully. I would like to take this oportunity to apologize to you for the inconvenience.  It was my decision as the chief mourner, by considering my mother's feelings.

I guess there might be some people worrying about my mother, or having a doubt in mind by hearing the report that no funeral service is going to be conducted but cremation only, in the whirlpool of various information(which most likely contains inaccurate ones too). It is reported that there were no notes left, but there exists a will written early this year.  The will is very my mother, written in a very frank manner, leaving no room for different interpretations. Based on the content of the will, we are trying to send her off in a style that follows my mother's wishes as close as possible.

My mother had this policy of not attending the funerals of relatives and acquaintances, but praying for them instead in her own fashion, in her private time. I hope that, if you know my mother well, or think of what's best for her, then you would understand she was not the type of person who would show a preference for those events like funeral ceremonies or memorial services.

I myself have also been a fan of Keiko Fuji.  I am still a fan of her, and I will always be.

September 5th, (Heisei) 25

Utada Hikaru

On the morning of August 22nd

On the morning of August 22nd, my mother ended her own life.

Let me talk about her a little bit here, since there seems to be a lot of speculation going around.

She had suffered from mental illness for a very long time.  It was very difficult to get medical treatment of her own will due to the nature of the illness, and I had always been trying to figure out what to do as a family, what would be the best for her.

I have watched my mother's illness progress since I was little.  The worse her symptoms became, the more distrust she had for people around including family.  The border between reality and delusion got fuzzy for her, and she had gradually lost control of her emotions and actions.  I couldn't do anything for her, just being tossed up and down.

I hope my mother is relieved of long suffering, then again her last act was so sad that a sense of remorse cannot stop welling up inside of me.

She often got misunderstood, but … very easy to scare yet hard-nosed, highly-conscientious, loving to laugh, quick-witted, impulsive and erratic like a kid, hasty - she was someone you just couldn't turn your back on, the cutest person ever.  What comes to my mind is my mother's laughing when I think of her, pushing past all kinds of sad memories.

I am proud of being my mother's daughter.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude that I have met her in my life.

I have a new appreciation for a lot of kind words and the fact that I am backed up by a lot of people.  Thank you very much.

August 26th, (Heisei) 25

Utada Hikaru

A Message

(this message is originally written in English. please check her official site)

A Message

I wish to express my condolences for the loss of countless people due to the massive earthquake and tsunami.

And my heard bleeds for the people who have lost their loved ones, the place to return, spending their days worrying.

Among the areas heavily damaged this time, Iwate is my mother's birthplace and Miyagi is where my grand mother rests in peace. I thought what I could do now and made a blood contribution as well as donation to the suffered area through Japanese Red Cross Society.

I think there are many people who are making donations as well as other types of contributions feeling the same as I do, not only across Japan but also from abroad. We will overcome the difficulties together, remembering the spirit of mutual aid and love, even after the coverage of the disaster eventually fades away on TV.

I feel there is something every single of us should learn and notice from this situation.

It is the fact that our convenient life which we take for granted, is built on a very fragile system; that we are greatly dependent on electric power especially on nuclear electric power, and a certain local areas bear the large part of the burden and risk of it.

We could reduce waste together, if we realize that food and supplies, energy and resouces, our lives, all these are not something we "take for granted" but we are "gratefully given," as well as change our mindset from "use as available" to "use as needed," being aware of what is wasteful. The world with less waste, might be the world with less sorrow.

I hope the hurt of all the afflicted people's mind and body will be eased and smiles return back on their face as soon as possible.


From Utada Hikaru

Hi from Japan!

(this message is originally written in English. please check her official site)

Live is just around the corner

Well well time flies this fast and December is already here, Bonjour “(`(エ)´)ﾉ彡☆!!

My 2-days concert WILD LIFE at Yokohama arena is just two days away.

Sorry to all you guys living outside Tokyo as the shows are held only in Tokyo this time !!

Instead it has become possible to hold live-viewings at the theaters across Japan thanks to good lucks!

The live broadcast is to start from 7PM on 8th, at the same time as the show starts.

For more details please check here↓

http://www.amuse.co.jp/liveviewing/

It would look different from what you see live in Yokohama Arena, but we will broadcast the show with the images exclusive for the theaters as well as a high quality sound.


On top of that! we're gonna stream the show on the net too though the sound quality is not good as that for the theaters! A big treat !!
The images are basically same as the ones shown on the screen at the live venue. That's so-called Ustream.

Details are here↓

http://www.emimusic.jp/hikki/news/news_j.php

It also starts from 7PM on 8th. Everyone can see it as long as the internet access is available.


That's the newest information on WILD LIFE just before it starts~

Video viewing manual "Kuma's pot"

Bonjour “(`(エ)´)ﾉ彡☆!!

Almost all the movies at my YouTube official channel ( www.youtube.hikki ) were taken down "due to a copyright claim" and whatnot, but they've come back this morning!

Well I said almost all, because,

There was this movie called "Kuma Chang's office visit," the hero who only remained intact and survived this disaster while all the other videos at my channel were temporarily gone - and who doubled its total number of views taking this opportunity. Here I would like to tell you a couple of points which will let you enjoy watching it more!


So let's start it here!

~the movie "Kuma Chang's office visit" viewing manual~

☆Number One

The staff staying around Kuma Chang keeping some distance from him wearing an anxious expression, as well as the sense of tension all around
(It's Chie-chan of our u3music who is staying closest to him and saying something from time to time)

☆Number Two

The patheticness of being edited and fast-forwarded in spots due to his ultra-slowness of walking in spite of his dead run, which is caused by the lack in the mobility since it's design-centric

☆Number Three

The patheticness of not being noticed quickly by the people at from 0:56 through 0:60

☆Number Four

Me who's deadly sweating in the suit, having thin oxygen with almost no sight, feeling the crisis of life, contrary to the relaxed atmosphere - seriously (FYI, I can't get out of this suit by myself, which means I'll be dead for real if left alone . . . )

☆Number Five

The secretary lady in front of the president room in the end . . . she's watching him with an amazed look isn't she?

☆Number Six

You have no idea what Kuma Chang's intention is throughout the entire video


That's the end! of the movie viewing manual "Kuma Chang's pot."
I hope you will enjoy watching "Kuma Chang's office visit" . . .

Here is the direct address to the movie by the way:
http://www.youtube.com/hikki#p/u/1/pxmNqLFSWps

Alright see you next week! (j/k)