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Hikaru Utada to marry Italian on May 23

55 Comments

Singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada, 31, revealed on her blog Monday that she plans to marry her 23-year-old Italian fiance on May 23.

In a message to her fans and the media, Utada, whose 1999 multi-million-selling debut record, "First Love," is one of Japan's biggest-ever hits, said they are planning to have their wedding ceremony in a church by the sea near Fasano in south Italy.

She said: "I'm getting married soon... This is unexpected even for me and makes me chuckle a bit but my partner is an Italian man. My partner is a sincere, nice man loved by many friends."

Sports Nippon reported that Utada's fiance is a bartender working in a hotel in London and the two got to know each other when Utada was staying there. Last summer, he introduced her to his family who live in Fasano.

A local magazine in Fasano, reporting the news, said it was like a fairytale that a Japanese superstar and a normal boy will marry, and predicted that the town will become internationally famous, according to Sports Nippon.

Utada said she decided to go ahead with the wedding despite her mother Keiko Fuji's death last year in a fall from her 13th-floor Tokyo apartment.

"When I talked about my fiance in my last conversation with my mother, she was so glad, that I thought 'I've not seen my mother this cheerful in many years,'" Utada said.

It will be Utada’s second marriage. She was previously married to photographer Kazuaki Kiriya, 45, in 2002. They divorced in 2007, with the couple citing differences in future vision and communication problems.

© Japan Today/AFP

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55 Comments
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Hmmmmm. Happiness i guess but he sounds like a trophy husband. doesn't he have a name?

9 ( +10 / -2 )

Utada Hikaru's "Can You Keep A Secret" was the first song I heard when I got to Japan in 2001 for study abroad. Congrats to her! I hope she's very happy!

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Hmm so maybe it is better to marry a guy who is 9 years younger than one who is 20 years older, but I doubt other Japanese idols will learn that lesson.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Che bellooo. Best of luck to them both.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

23 and 31? Wow, good luck with that..

-5 ( +7 / -10 )

23? Just live with the guy for a few years and see how it goes.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Is marrying ippanjin foreigners a new trend for j-celebrities? First Hamasaki Ayumi married an American med student from UCLA (my alma mater) Now, Utada Hikaru marries an Italian bar tender. Somebody please pass my info along to Kitagawa Keiko!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Sounds a bit too young. Hope it works out for them but something tells me its going to be over quite soon. Hope he is a guy with God in his heart and family. And hopefully she can go that route with him. And together they can do goodness for this world and japanese society.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Congrats to one of the ACTUAL talents in Japan! I worry a bit, though, regarding the age difference. 23's a bit young.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Happy for her! She deserves to be happy. Now, I want to see his face!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Well, her previous husband was 45, so she probably wanted someone with motorhips. Welcome to the club of singers with very young husbands.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

He;s 23 and they are marrying on May 23. How romantic. hope I'm wrong, but bet this one doesn't last that long either.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Hikaru Utada to marry Italian on May 23

I think the headline would have been just fine if it had said: "Hikaru Utada to marry on May 23"

In fact, I think it would have been lots better.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Crepi il lupo, or good luck!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If she cited "communication problems" as a reason for her first divorce then she has got a lot of work cut out for her in an international marriage. I assume they will be communicating in a second language for both of them. Hope it works out for both of them.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Good work.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I wish them well, but she may have traded one Mother-complex for an even bigger one.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Just noticed that her hairstyle in the photo is pretty rank. young bloke should bring a bit of Italian barman class and style to her coiffure.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Oshiawase ni !

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Good luck to her, hope it all goes swimmingly.

On the subject of her divorce:

They divorced in 2007, with the couple citing differences in future vision and communication problems.

What on earth does that mean? I suppose it makes a change from citing the usual 'irreconcilable differences' you normally read about.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Another j celebirty that cant resist the gaijin charm! Cant blame her!

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

I for one wish them every happiness.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Congradulations, Miss Utada

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

A Japanese female co-worker said she is envious of Hikki.

I can't help noting that when Hikki was 20, her fiance was just 12.

Good luck to them!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I wish her all happiness, she deserves it.

I can't help noting that when Hikki was 20, her fiance was just 12.

So what? You wouldn't even think of saying that if the man were older. What outdated standards you have.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

I'm Happy for her, I do wish the marriage would last, but it seems as another poster said "a trophy husband", so it would depend of both of them to make it work

1 ( +3 / -2 )

They divorced in 2007, with the couple citing differences in future vision and communication problems.

Japabese old husband wants traditional Maid Wife. She wants sing with freedom, Italian giys are cuter than Old bossy Japanese guys anyway,

Congratulation,

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Lucky guy. Id let her write me a song anyday.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

gaijin playaFEB. 04, 2014 - 10:07PM JST Lucky guy. Id let her write me a song anyday.

A song entitled "Second Love" is a title for that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Buona fortuna e auguri! :D (good luck and congratulations!) Utada was the first Japanese singer I got to know about :3

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Congratulations. A Japanese & a Italian? Sounds like a good match to me.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

She is a beautiful being and hope that it does wind up being a fairytale for both!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ordianary person in entertainment news circuit in USA. They did not say normal. Futsu-no hito in Japanese?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I think they are so lucky to find each other, all the best to them. I'm sure he is a great cook and she a lady.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Wow! Congrats to Hikki ;D! I wish her and her husband a great years ahead and hope their relationship sticks till the end. Congrats again Hikki! xD

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This seems like a pretty crazy idea, but of course she's not really in a good state these days. A 23 year-old Italian bartender is suddenly marriage material? He must be a very good listener...

I wish her all the best, she's one of Japan's most talented entertainers.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Best wishes!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Is Utada Hikaru Japanese or American???

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Is Utada Hikaru Japanese or American???

She has never officially announced whether she gave up her American citizenship. I think she probably has both but chooses not to mention it so as not to be required to give up her American citizenship.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the guy who married to Hikaru looks Austin Powers lol

http://nestuai.net/4651

2 ( +2 / -0 )

David: She is a natural born American. In Jaoan, when child is born, he.she will be registed to his/her family registration (Koseki Tohon - Says all of your ancestor;s names of both oarents). You will request to get summary (kosekui shohon) for just names of just your maternal and paternal grand parents down to your siblings name when you enter elementray school. I doubt very much she had this kind of red tape. Denoucement of American citizenship without criminal record? I don;t know.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Uatda Hikaru is Japanese-American, she was born and raised in New York, English is her first language. Her fiancé also speaks English, he works in London, UK.

I don't think there will be any language barrier in their relationship, both speak fluent English, for those concerned.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

She is a singer, song writer and arranger. Her ancestors were based in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Utada in kanji character tells me she is from Hofu or Sabagun high class samurai families. Not Abe's area. Yamaguchi ken produced many PM. Industrialists and politicians but top selling singer? Better than Hitachi, Nissan Yamaguchi ken people are proud of. Former PM Kan is from Ube, Ube Kosan corporation area. Glad normal Yamaguchiken descendent girl is top artist.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Denoucement of American citizenship without criminal record? I don;t know

Japan forces renouncement of other countries' citizenship as a condition of keeping Japanese citizenship. Unfortunately. Maybe one day Japan will join the modern world and allow dual.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Toshiko According to an Internet search several years ago, Utada's dad's ancestors are from the small town of Kagawa (嘉川)between Yamaguchi City and Ube. Not Abe's area, but near Kan's and near Uniqlo/First retailing.

I live near there and have asked locals if they knew who her ancestors might be abut none I spoke to had heard of the connection.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

theeastisredFeb. 06, 2014 - 11:09AM JST Japan forces renouncement of other countries' citizenship as a condition of keeping Japanese citizenship. Unfortunately. Maybe one day Japan will join the modern world and allow dual.

This is a technicality, I know many people with dual or triple citizenships with one of them being Japanese. The requirement is that you renounce it, not that it's terminated.

Moderator: Sorry, but we asked readers earlier to get back on topic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Who cares! Is this the best the media can do without getting dumped on by the government?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The gentleman's name and photographs are being displayed by the Italian press. He was a barman working in Knightsbridge, London either at the Bulgari hotel or the Sake Bar of the exclusive Japanese restaurant, Zuma. http://bari.repubblica.it/cronaca/2014/02/04/news/sposo_giapponese-77695771/ I was wrong above. Ms. Utada's dad is from Tokuchi so both her father and fiancé are form very rural regions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Please help me. So she's 31 now, first married when she was just 19 yrs old in 2002 to a guy who's 45 now but was about 33 then I guess, right? And they divorced after 5 years because of differences with future plans?

And now she's the 31 yr old marrying the young 23 yr old? It's all coming full circle I guess. But, hey, I wish every marriage success.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Hikaru....get a water-tight pre-nup for gods sake!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Isn't her future husband cute? Her first husband, if he was rasied in Japan, he could have expected her to be a maidwife who makes a lot of money. We who studied in USA University and married to none-Japanese dont' know how to be a nice obedient ,maid-wife. Example is Yoko Ono. Her last husband became house-husband. She will be happy with this cute young man this time. Yamaguchiken Shizoku list book has Utada families in notth of Hofu and Hofu (related families)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'd love to know something about her music, when will she come back? Can a singer be a singer after four years without singing?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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