J-pop idol Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, a member of the now defunct boy band Smap, is officially married, the second member of the popular boy band to tie the knot.
Kusanagi, 46, announced through his agency on Wednesday (Dec 30) that he had registered his marriage that day.
The agency said he will not disclose the identity of his wife as she is not from the entertainment industry, and added that she is not pregnant.
Kusanagi's big day fell on the same day as his pet dog Kurumi's fourth birthday.
The singer-actor later released a statement, saying he would continue with his acting career after marriage and hoped his fans would continue to support him.
Many fans sent their congratulations to Kusanagi after the announcement. His former band mates – Takuya Kimura, 48, Shingo Katori, 43, Goro Inagaki, 47, and Masahiro Nakai, 48 – also sent their well-wishes.
For a long time, Kimura was the only Smap member to get married, as their agency Johnny & Associates has strict rules on dating. He has been married to singer Shizuka Kudo, 50, since 2000, and they have two daughters – models Cocomi, 19, and Koki, 17.
Smap, which stands for "Sports Music Assemble People", debuted in 1988 and has churned out chart-topping hits such as Lion Heart and The One And Only Flower In The World. It also had chart-topping television shows, individually and as a group.
Kusanagi, Katori and Inagaki left Johnny & Associates after their contract ended and formed a new group "Atarashii Chizu", which means "new map" in Japanese. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
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