Oda Yuji is a Japanese actor and singer. He was born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He was born to an upper-middle-class family and attended the private academy of Touin Gakuen. Originally he had a promising career in sports, but had to give it up after a knee injury. He decided to enter drama school at the University of Pittsburgh, instead. He dropped out of Pitt later, but continued to pursue an acting career. In the late 1980s, he launched his career with the release of two singles on records, though they didn't sell well. In 1989, he appeared in the television drama Mama Haha Boogie, from which point he started to gain popularity as an actor, which also brought attention to his singing aspirations. In 1991, he appeared in the enormously popular TV drama Tokyo Love Story. His breakout role, he became a star as a result. Oda became a leading man in Japanese film and television, generally playing the role of the "all around good guy" and most sympathetic character. His most famous role is probably that of Aoshima, a police detective in the TV drama and movie series Odoru Daisousasen / Bayside Shakedown & Bayside Shakedown 2: Save the Rainbow Bridge. As an athletic enthusiast, Yuji Oda has been casting the biennual IAAF World Championships in Athletics for Japanese TV since 1997. He also performed the official song of the event 'All My Treasures' at the opening ceremony of 2007 World Championships in Athletics, which was held in Osaka, Japan in August, 2007. Yuji Oda was married on August 16th, 2010, the marriage was kept kept secret and it is unknown who his bride is. (Source: Wikipedia)

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