It was revealed this week that Da Pump member Yukinari (25) and former TV personality Nishida Natsu (21) married in February. They are expecting a baby in the summer. Also tying the knot this week were Kitahara Masaki (27) of the comedy duo Great Chicken Powers, and TV personality Sugimoto Maki (32). They registered ther marriage on Wednesday, Sugimoto’s birthday. The couple (photo) worked together on the TBS program “Just”.
• Actress Nishizaki Midori (44) gave birth to her first baby this week, a girl. She plans to return to work in June. Also new to motherhood is NHK announcer Takeuchi Sumiko (39), who is expecting her first baby at the end of October. She has been married for ten years. She was one of the presenters of last year’s “Kohaku Uta Gassen” New Year song spectacle.
• Actress Yonekura Ryoko (28) was overcome with emotion when talking about her upcoming NHK drama role during a press conference this week. “Haru to Natsu” (Spring and Summer), which marks NHK’s 80th anniversary, tells the story of two sisters and their family, and is split between locations in Japan and Brazil. Nakama Yukie (24) plays the role of the younger sister. Veterans Mori Mitsuko (83) and Nogiwa Yoko (68) play the sisters in later life. Yonekura, who leaves for Brazil after Golden Week, burst into tears while she talked about what she had learned about the meaning of life while preparing for her role.