Masaharu Fukuyama registers marriage to Kazue Fukiishi

Japanese singer and actor Masaharu Fukuyama announced yesterday that he has registered his marriage to actress Kazue Fukiishi in Tokyo, Japanese media reports.

Masaharu said, “We started out as friends, dated for years, and then gradually realised we were vital in each other’s life.” But the artiste did not elaborate on plans for a wedding celebration or whether the union was a shotgun arrangement.

Kazue also made a statement: “I hope to mature under everyone’s guidance, and to build a home full of warmth and laughter.”

The couple have been rumoured to be dating since December 2011, when Kazue was seen visiting Masaharu’s home. Though they denied the rumours through their respective management agencies, the celebrities were later spotted wearing identical baseball caps while attending various events.

Masaharu, 46, made his acting debut in 1988 in the movie Hon no 5g, and quickly became a household name, commanding 5 million yen (approximately S$60,000) per episode for acting in Japanese drama series.

With his acting roles in film and television, concert tours and other investments, Masaharu’s annual income is estimated to be about 700 million yen (approximately S$8.33 million).

In comparison, Kazue, who is 13 years younger, appeared in the 2007 Japanese drama Karei-naru Ichizoku as Takuya Kimura’s little sister, but was criticised for not being famous enough a prospective partner for Masaharu.

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