Abe Tsuyoshi from F4 gets married!

Chinese-Japanese actor Abe Tsuyoshi who played Mimasaka, one of the F4 members in "Hana Yori Dango", announced his marriage to Chinese actress Shi Ke on 27 April. Shi is an actress in China and 2 years older than Abe. They submitted their marriage application together at a ward office in Tokyo. The couple got to know each other in summer 2006 through working on a movie, "Incomplete Lovers" and were nurturing their long-distance relationship for about 2 years and 7 months.

Abe announced his marriage through an urgent press conference held at the venue where his new stage play "Kirameku Seiza" was being rehearsed. He said that he is very happy to see his wife whenever he goes home and looks forward to forming a happy family.

He recounted that when he returned from China after the filming of "Incomplete Lovers" in summer 2006, he was feeling lost and empty after spending one month with Shi there. He decided to fly back to Beijing to confess his feelings to Shi and they started dating in Sep that year. To sustain their relationship, Abe had to use the Internet telephone service every day just to chat with Shi so he felt like he was dating the computer.

On 4 May last year which was Shi's birthday, Abe proposed to her in Beijing with a Hello Kitty cake which had words of "please marry me" in Chinese. Shi was so touched that she hugged him as a sign of her consent.

Shi has been an actress since her childhood days. Currently, she is in Japan on a short-term visa and will quit being an actress in China soon. She is scheduled to live in Japan with Abe's family from summer. Shi is currently learning Japanese and said to be thinking of working in Japan as an actress in future. She is not pregnant at the moment. According to Abe, they have plans to hold a wedding dinner in Beijing but none in Japan.

Abe revealed that his wife calls him "Dong" (his Chinese name is Li Zhendong) while he calls her "Baobao" (meaning Baby in Chinese). He said that he had been thinking of marriage ever since he graduated from senior high and was very happy to find someone whom he loves. He called upon fans to continue supporting him in future.

Meanwhile, Abe's co-stars in Hana Yori Dango have also received news of his marriage and here are their comments:

Inoue Mao: (She received news of it through a phone call and email message from Abe) I was very shocked when I received the news but I am also very happy for him. I envy Dong Dong's (Abe's nickname) wife for having married such a serious and honest guy. I wish them all the best in future.

Matsumoto Jun: (He received news through an email message) I was shocked when I got the news yesterday. To think that Abe is the first among us to get married. Abe's kindness and gentleness is always seen, be it during work or in private. I believe he will be a very good husband and will form a happy family. I'm looking forward to meeting him and his wife in future for a meal.
　　
Oguri Shun: That's great! Good for you, Dong Dong! I would also like to protect a guy as nice as you! (Laughs) Please be happy!