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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

People: Prince William draws attention in Japan

Britain’s Prince William is photographed by well-wishers as he arrives at the Tsutaya bookstore at Daikanyama in Tokyo on Saturday. (Associated Press)
From Wire Reports

Britain’s Prince William is spending the latter half of his four-day stay in Japan, starting Saturday, in the country’s tsunami-ravaged northeast, a visit certain to draw global attention to the stories of survival and continuing suffering in the region.

The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which killed nearly 19,000 people, left swaths of the northeastern Japanese coastline destroyed. Four years later, tens of thousands of people are still living in temporary housing.

During his stay in Tokyo, which began Thursday, William visited with the cast of a samurai TV show and performed a good-luck sake-barrel-breaking ceremony at a shopping mall. On Friday, William had tea with Crown Prince Naruhito. Both princes may be equally charming, but it is no contest which one is seen as more approachable.

Members of the Japanese imperial family lead a highly cloistered life, guarded by the moat-surrounded stone walls of the palace. Their media coverage is just as tightly orchestrated and controlled.

But the crowds have appeared for William, waving to him, snapping cellphone photos and eager to shake his hand.

“Compared to Japanese royalty, he is so friendly,” said Naoyuki Tajima, who is overseeing an exhibit about British technology and culture in Tokyo.

Willis’ action-thriller loses funding

Bruce Willis is not saying “Yippie-ki-yay” about the cancellation of his latest film.

A spokesman for Willis said production of “Wake” was suddenly halted last week when financing fell through. Publicist Paul Bloch said the company responsible for financing the film didn’t deliver the promised funds, so production of the action-thriller was indefinitely suspended.

“Wake,” about a man who gets caught up in the siege of a remote island while attending his brother’s wake there, was also to star Ben Kingsley and Ellen Burstyn.

The birthday bunch

Actor Robert Clary is 89. Singer Harry Belafonte is 88. Actor Robert Conrad is 80. Rock singer Mike D’Abo (Manfred Mann) is 71. Rock singer Roger Daltrey is 71. Actor Alan Thicke is 68. Actor-director Ron Howard is 61. Actress Catherine Bach is 61. Actor Javier Bardem is 46. Actress Lupita Nyong’o is 32. Pop singer Justin Bieber is 21.