AKIKO WADA (和田 アキ子) (Korean name: Kim Bok-Ja 김 복자) Ame No Saturday / Mousukoshi Naite Itai 7 INCH VINYL 45 WL (Japan) RCA RVS-1023 Stereo (1976 release. A side is mid-70s funk rock.)
I’ve listed this Akiko Wada single as one record representative of her extensive Japanese vinyl releases on 7 inch and 12 inch, the earliest release I know of being from 1969. Of all the Zainichi Koreans within the entertainment industry in Japan, she is possibly the most interesting and one of the most respected. Famed for her roles in early 70s Japanese subversive/violence movies such as “Onna Banchou Noraneko Rock” (Stray Cat Rock Delinquent Girl Boss) which were precursors to the many movies made later in the same style such as Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series.
In the past, many individuals from within the Zainichi Korean population in Japan gravitated towards work in the entertainment industries that were often controlled (to some extent at least) by the Japanese Yakuza. Links between the Zainichi and the Yakuza are/were said to transcend these entertainment industry connections.
Many past and present Japanese stars are ethnic Korean … Eikichi Yazawa (from Hiroshima), Momoe Yamaguchi, Hibari Misora (Enka Queen), Hideki Matsui (Baseball Yankees. His mother is Zainichi) etc etc. This link is in Japanese but I understand it has some further info on the subject … http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2134196108905923601
Apparently even Akina Nakamori is from is from a Zainichi background !
(thanks to my friend Yoshi for providing info on this subject)
Link to my more detailed submission on the 45cat discography page for this record (pending)
Collectors notes: This one is one of her mid career singles.
Mic’s collection status: I have this record
Korean vinyl records - 한국 레코드판 
It is absolutely not true. Hibari Misora and Eikichi Yazawa are Japanese
Hibari Misora is Zainichi, but stay in denial, Zutto! Heard same for Akina Nakamori but I don’t know that it’s been confirmed. Doesn’t matter to me, I’m still a fan of hers. I heard Anri is as well. There are a LOT of Japanese singers, actors and athletes who are zainichi. Half the Japanese populace likely has roots from the Yayoi people. Know about them?
They came to Japan via the Korean peninsula. The fallacy that Japanese are homogeneous is just that, a fallacy.