Terada Mitsuo

Tsunku (つんく, often written as つんく♂), real name Mitsuo Terada (寺田 光男, Terada Mitsuo, born October 29, 1968 in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan), is an extremely prolific Japanese record producer, songwriter, and vocalist.

He is best known for having two major roles in the Japanese music landscape: first as the lead singer of the popular rock group Sharan Q, and now as the producer, primary songwriter, and main studio backing vocalist for idol supergroup Morning Musume, in addition to Aya Matsuura and other associated artists under the Hello! Project banner, for whom he has written and produced a number of chart-topping hits. He has also produced music for other Japanese artists, including Ayumi Hamasaki when she debuted. His musical influences include The Beatles, Queen, and Onyanko Club.

History
In June 2006, Tsunku married Kanako Idemitsu (出光 加奈子), a 25 year-old former model from Fukuoka.

Tsunku later worked with Nintendo and J.P.ROOM to create the music video game, Rhythm Tengoku. It was released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance on August 3, 2006, and later as an arcade on September 20, 2007. He also worked on Rhythm Heaven for the DS.

On October 1, 2006, it was announced that Tsunku had created a new company called TNX consisting of singers such as Ami Tokito and other people including Tatsuya Naka, a magician who appeared on Hello! Morning.

On September 26, 2007, Tsunku released a compilation album with the temporary title of "Sharan Q ~ Morning Musume" ~Tsunku 15 Years in Entertainment Commemoration Album~, containing songs by both Sharan Q and Morning Musume, and another one on December 5, 2007 titled Tsunku Best Work Collection, containing songs sung by Tsunku himself.

On March 24, 2008, Tsunku announced that his wife was expecting their first child in May, after being already eight months pregnant at the time. The next day, Tsunku revealed on his blog that his wife was actually expecting twins.Tsunku then announced on April 30, 2008 that his wife had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl through natural childbirth. An article stated, "The boy is healthy while the girl is expected to spend a few days in the incubator before rejoining the family." Currently, Tsunku's solo career is on hold as he deals with an unspecified throat condition.