# Noriko Katō

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.

## Biography

Born in Suzuka, Mie, Japan, Noriko Katō graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Yoyogi High School.
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.
In 2000, Katō moved to France to study the French language. She resumed her entertainment career when she returned to Japan two years later.
In January 2023, Katō switched her talent agency from J.P. Room to Up-Front Create.

## Personal life

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).

## Filmography
### TV drama

* 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
### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Date | Peak chart positions | Sales (JPN) | RIAJ certification | Album |
| Title | Date | Oricon Singles Charts | Sales (JPN) | RIAJ certification | Album |
| "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 | De Beaux |
| "Kono Michi wo Aruiteku" | January 25, 1994 | 95 | | N/A | De Beaux |
| "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 | Flower Diamond |
| "Tsumetaku Shite Kudasai" | May 10, 1996 | 42 | | N/A | Flower Diamond |
| "Chiisana Shiawase" | October 10, 1996 | 35 | | N/A | Souvenir |
| "Invitation" | June 25, 1997 | 59 | | N/A | Souvenir |
| "Fuyu ga Kita" | January 15, 1998 | 59 | | N/A | Souvenir |
| "Hanareba Nare ni?" | January 13, 1999 | 77 | | N/A | La Fraise |
| "Ichigo" | May 12, 1999 | — | | N/A | La Fraise |
| "Itsuka Ōjisama ga" | February 19, 2000 | — | | N/A | Non-album single |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. ||||||

### Studio albums

| Year | Information | Oricon weekly peak position |
| 1994 | De Beaux Released: March 10, 1994 Label: Warner Music Japan Formats: CD, cassette | — |
| 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

| Year | Information | Oricon weekly peak position | Sales | RIAJ certification |
| 2005 | Les Oiseaux Bleu Released: May 11, 2005 Label: zetima Formats: CD | — | | |

### Video albums

| Year | Information | Oricon weekly peak position | Sales | RIAJ certification |
| 1992 | Kondo Watashi Doko ka Tsurete itte Kudasai yo Released: September 25, 1992 Label: Warner Music Japan Formats: VHS | — | | |
| 1996 | Chiisana Shiawase Released: November 11, 1996 Label: One Up Music Formats: VHS | — | | |