Comedian Date Mikio (34, photo left) and freelance announcer Kumagai Maiko (38) are engaged to be married, it was revealed yesterday. The two started dating about a year ago. Marrying a fellow celebrity is seen as the icing on the cake for Date, who after ten years of struggle as one half of the duo Sandwichman made his breakthrough when they won the M-1 Grand Prix comedy event in 2007. The win brought instant success and prize money of ¥10 million. Both Date and Kumagai are from the northern city of Sendai, where they plan to hold their wedding this summer. Kumagai, who is also a qualified music teacher, joined a local TV network in 1993 and went freelance ten years later.
• One of Japan’s busiest young actors took time out from his movie schedule yesterday to promote a book and put some rumors to rest. Takaoka Sosuke (27) signed copies of his book “Hajimemashite, Konnichiwa” for fans at a Tokyo bookstore. In the autobiography he talks about how he went astray in his youth and got back on track by working in a ramen shop. Takaoka made his acting debut in a TV Asahi drama series in 1999 and hit the big screen in “Battle Royale” (2000). His big break came with the starring role in the 2005 movie “Pacchigi!” He’s recently worked on a couple of sequels, “Crows Zero 2” and the baseball movie “Rookies – Sotsugyo,” which opens at the end of the month. And he’s also appearing in what is said to be the last ever Zatoichi movie, starring SMAP’s Katori Shingo and scheduled to open next year. Takaoka married popular young actress Miyazaki Aoi (23) in 2007 but recently his late nights and rumored womanizing had the gossip magazines talking about a split. Takaoka said yesterday that he has mended his ways, given up drinking and they are now closer than ever. His new book includes the first ever official photo of the couple together.