K-1 fighter Masato (27) and actress Yazawa Shin (25) announced yesterday that they got married on Sunday. They made the announcement in front of about 150 reporters and 20 TV cameras. Though they had been dating for six years to the day, it was the first time they had been photographed together. They chose to register their marriage in February after consulting with several fortune tellers, and Sunday in particular as it was an auspicious “tai-an” day in the shinto calendar. Masato’s next fight is in the April final qualifiers for the World Max tournament. The middleweight, who has a 43-5-2 record, said, “If I lose, people will say it’s because I got married. So I have to win!” He was the first Japanese to take the world crown in 2003. His good looks have also earned him movie and TV roles. Yazawa, whose given name Shin means “heart”, made her acting debut in 1997’s hit movie “Bounce Ko Gals”. The couple will wait until after the World Max finals in September before having a wedding ceremony.
• Mangaka Sugi Emiko died on Friday of stomach cancer at a Yokohama hospital. She was 47. She made her debut in 1977 and was known for such works as “Gettchu” and “Adam & Eve no Houteishiki”. According to the publisher Shogakkan, her manga sold over 18 million copies.