09/06/02 (Tokyo, Japan) - Reported in today's edition of Asahi Shinbun, popular Jpop singer Utada Hikaru (19) announces to her fans that she has gotten married to photographer and video director Kazuaki Kiriya (34) in a small, private ceremony. The two met two years ago during the jacket cover photo shoot for Utada's second album Distance. During the filming of her video Final Distance, the relationship between Utada and Kariya deepened.

On Utada's home page, she sometimes wrote how they overcame the trials and tribulations of their personal life. After the release of her third album Deep River and taking a short rest, Utada decided it would be the ideal time to start afresh in both her professional and personal life. Utada mentions that she does not want to get married in "dekichatta kekkon" style or the process of becoming pregnant and then getting married (as some Japanese celebraties are known to have done). Therefore, she feels that she is ready now to walk down the road of life with the one she loves by her side. Her mother Keiko Fujii was also a popular singer in Japan and got married at the young age of 20.

Born and bred in America, Utada debuted on the Jpop scene in 1998 with her hit single Automatic. Her first album entitled First Love sold nine million copies in Japan. This Feburary she signed a record deal with a major U.S. record company with plans to release an English album. Her husband, Kazuaki Kiriya is from Kumamoto prefecture in Japan. He moved to the U.S. when he was fifteen to study architecture and in 1994 worked as a photographer in New York. In 1999 he moved his office back to Japan. He worked on production for Utada's Traveling and Sakura Drops music videos.

Even though Akadot writer Isaac leaves the office in a "deep river" of tears, the Akadot staff would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to the happy couple and wish Hikaru Utada the best of luck in her new life.

Want more on Hikaru Utada? Check out Akadot writer Isaac Lew's review of her latest album Deep River here on Akadot.