Japanese star Takuya Kimura shares rare picture taken with singer wife Shizuka Kudo

Takuya Kimura with his wife Shizuka Kudo. PHOTO: TAKUYA KIMURA/WEIBO

Japanese singer-actor Takuya Kimura has, reportedly for the first time, shared a photo of him and his wife, Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo.

On Monday (April 13), the 47-year-old star took to his official account on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging site, to post the picture with the message: "Happy birthday!!"

Kudo turned 50 on Tuesday (April 14).

In the picture, taken in their younger days, Kimura is embracing his wife from behind and reaches up to squeeze her cheeks. Kudo is pouting at the camera.

The A-list Japanese couple have been notoriously tight-lipped and private about their relationship since their marriage in 2000.

Their nuptials received widespread coverage as both were popular stars. Yet, it was seen as controversial back then as Kimura was at the peak of his popularity with dramas such as

Long Vacation (1996) and Beautiful Life (2000).

He was then also part of the now-disbanded idol boy band SMAP.

The couple have two children Cocomi, 18 and Koki, 17. Cocomi debuted as the cover girl of Vogue Japan last month while Koki did so on the cover of Elle Japan in 2018.

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