Story Categories: Avex, Hong Kong, Japan, People, talent agencies,

TOKYO -- Koyuki, the Japanese megastar model and thesp of "The Last Samurai" fame, has signed a talent management deal with Avex Entertainment, which plans to launch her in the Asian movie market.

The deal, inked on Monday, is between Avex Entertainment and Koyuki's personal management office, Snow. Aveg Group is a Tokyo based music and talent giant.

Another Avex subsidiary, Avex Asia a Hong Kong-based movie production and finance subsidiary has been active in pan-Asian movie co-productionss including the Genghis Khan epic "The Blue Wolf" and the new John Woo period actioner "Red Cliff."

Avex has also inked a separate deal with Koyuki's talent shop FLaMme to partner in repping the thesp in pics, TV dramas, ads and other media.

The main aim of the unusual three-agency partnership is to promote Koyuki in the Asian market, including major roles in Asian-produced pics.

Since appearing as Tom Cruise's love interest in "The Last Samurai" in 2003, Koyuki has been in huge demand in Japan for ads, TV dramas and movies, including the recently wrapped "Always: Sunset on Third Street 2," the sequel to the smash nostalgic drama "Always: Sunset on Third Street." Her international career, however, has stalled, unlike that of "Samurai" co-stars Ken Watanabe and Hiroyuki Sanada.