Internationally known star Ken Watanabe will be back on the small screen next year, playing the lead in a drama special titled "Keiji Ichidai: Hiratsuka Hachibe no Showa Jikenshi." This will be his first drama appearance in two years.

Watanabe portrays Hachibe Hiratsuka (1913-1979), a real-life detective who was involved in numerous high-profile cases during the postwar era. It is said that many police dramas have been modeled after him.

TV Asahi is producing the drama to help commemorate the network's 50th anniversary. Filming began last month in Ibaraki. The show will air sometime in 2009, though the date is still to be decided.

-Tokyograph