Noriko Katō (加藤 紀子, Katō Noriko) (born January 30, 1973) is a Japanese actress and singer-songwriter. She is affiliated with Up-Front Create, a subsidiary of the Up-Front Group.[1][2]

Noriko Katō
加藤 紀子
Born
Noriko Katō

(1973-01-30) January 30, 1973 (age 51)
Suzuka, Mie, Japan
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer-songwriter
AgentUp-Front Create
Height164 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Spouses
Yoshio Wakatsuki
(m. 2005; div. 2010)
Hiroshi Kawabe
(m. 2013)
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Years active1991–present
Labels
Japanese name
Kanji加藤 紀子
Hiraganaかとう のりこ
Katakanaカトウ ノリコ
Transcriptions
RomanizationKatō Noriko
Websitewww.up-front-create.com/noriko_katou/

Biography

edit

Born in Suzuka, Mie, Japan, Noriko Katō graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Yoyogi High School.[1]

Katō's career began in 1991 as a member of Sakurakko Club, together with Anza Oyama, Miki Nakatani, Miho Kanno, and Hiroko Kurumizawa. On July 25, 1992, she released her first single, a cover of Chisato Moritaka's "Kondo Watashi Doko ka Tsurete itte Kudasai yo". The single peaked at No. 69 on Oricon's singles chart and earned her a New Artist Award nomination at the 34th Japan Record Awards.[1][2]

In 2000, Katō moved to France to study the French language. She resumed her entertainment career when she returned to Japan two years later.[1]

In January 2023, Katō switched her talent agency from J.P. Room to Up-Front Create.

Personal life

edit

Katō married creative director Yoshio Wakatsuki (若槻 善雄, Wakatsuki Yoshio) on December 27, 2005. They divorced on April 15, 2010. On March 3, 2013, Katō married Tokyo No. 1 Soul Set member Hiroshi Kawabe (川辺 ヒロシ, Kawabe Hiroshi).[1][3]

Filmography

edit

TV drama

edit
  • Shampoo Time (シャンプータイム, Shanpū Taimu) (NTV, 1993)
  • Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari (東京大学物語, Tokyo University Story) (TV Asahi, 1994)
  • Saikō no Koibito (最高の恋人, The Best Lover) (TV Asahi, 1995)
  • Glass no Kutsu (ガラスの靴, Garasu no Kutsu, The Glass Slipper) (NTV, 1997)
  • Seizetsu! Yome Shūto Sensō Rasetsu no Ie (凄絶!嫁姑戦争 羅刹の家, Awesome! Wife-in-Law War) (TV Asahi, 1998)
  • Dokushin Seikatsu (独身生活, Single Life) (TBS, 1999)
  • Virtual Girl (バーチャルガール, Bācharu Gāru) (NTV, 2000)
  • Shōnan Kawara Yane Monogatari (湘南瓦屋根物語, Shōnan Tile Roof Story) (TV Tokyo, 2002)
  • Little Hospital (リトルホスピタル, Ritoru Hosupitaru) (TV Tokyo, 2003)
  • Kētai Keiji Zenigata Yui (ケータイ刑事 銭形結, Mobile Phone Criminal) (TBS, 2010)
  • 461-Ko no Arigatō. 〜 Aijō Bentō ga Hagukunda Chantoko no Kizuna 〜 (461個のありがとう。 〜愛情弁当が育んだ父と子の絆〜, Thank you 461. ~ The Bond Between Father and Child That Love Bento Brought Up ~) (NHK, 2015)

Discography

edit

Singles

edit
List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Date Peak chart positions Sales (JPN) RIAJ
certification[4]
Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[2]
"Kondo Watashi Doko ka Tsurete itte Kudasai yo" July 25, 1992 69 N/A De Beaux
"Omoikiri Naite ii" August 25, 1993 96 N/A
"Kono Michi wo Aruiteku" January 25, 1994 95 N/A
"Densha no Hito" April 1, 1994 N/A Non-album single
"Truth" October 10, 1995 33 N/A Flower Diamond
"Genki de Iru yo" February 26, 1996 40 N/A
"Tsumetaku Shite Kudasai" May 10, 1996 42 N/A
"Chiisana Shiawase" October 10, 1996 35 N/A Souvenir
"Invitation" June 25, 1997 59 N/A
"Fuyu ga Kita" January 15, 1998 59 N/A
"Hanareba Nare ni?" January 13, 1999 77 N/A La Fraise
"Ichigo" May 12, 1999 N/A
"Itsuka Ōjisama ga" February 19, 2000 N/A Non-album single
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Studio albums

edit
Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[2]
Sales
RIAJ certification[4]
1994 De Beaux
1996 Flower Diamond
  • Released: May 25, 1996
  • Label: One Up Music
  • Formats: CD, cassette
42
1998 Souvenir
  • Released: February 5, 1998
  • Label: One Up Music
  • Formats: CD
40
1999 La Fraise
  • Released: May 21, 1999
  • Label: zetima
  • Formats: CD

Cover albums

edit
Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[2]
Sales
RIAJ certification[4]
2005 Les Oiseaux Bleu
  • Released: May 11, 2005
  • Label: zetima
  • Formats: CD

Video albums

edit
Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[2]
Sales
RIAJ certification[4]
1992 Kondo Watashi Doko ka Tsurete itte Kudasai yo
1996 Chiisana Shiawase
  • Released: November 11, 1996
  • Label: One Up Music
  • Formats: VHS

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e "加藤紀子". Idol.ne.jp. August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "加藤紀子". Oricon. December 29, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  3. ^ "川辺ヒロシと加藤紀子が入籍、保証人は明石家さんま&卓球". Natalie.mu. March 4, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "ゴールドディスク認定" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
edit