Japanese comedian Yuki Iwai, 37, to wed 19YO actress Satsuki Okumori

Yuki Iwai said he began dating Satsuki Okumori early in 2023 and that he was attracted by her 'honest and upright character'. Photos: Yuki Iwai/X and Satsuki Okumori/Instagram

Japanese comedian Yuki Iwai has sparked lots of discussion with his marriage to actress Satsuki Okumori.

Iwai, 37, one-half of the popular comedy duo Haraichi, and Satsuki, 19, announced news of their marriage through their agencies on Monday.

He said in the statement that they began dating early in 2023 and that he was attracted by her “honest and upright character”. He said he would do his best as a husband and still continue his activities with Haraichi.

Meanwhile, Satsuki said she wanted to marry him after witnessing his self-discipline and uncompromising approach to work while dating.

While large age gaps are not uncommon among couples in the entertainment industry, some netizens noted that Iwai and Satsuki first met on the children’s variety show Oha Suta in 2017.

She was 13 while he was 31 then, raising the possibility that their relationship might have started when she was a minor.

Others pointed out that he started dating her when the former child actress was 18, when she was legally an adult in Japan. Satsuki turned 19 in May.

There were also many fans who congratulated the couple on their respective social media accounts. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network