Japanese-American John Shiomi, 40, and his wife, Misako, 32, met in the city of Fukuoka in January last year. Misako had posted a message about wanting a friend in the online version of Fukuoka Now, a free publication for foreigners in the area.
After corresponding by email, they met and began dating soon after. The couple lived together for four months and were married in November.
John, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a fourth-generation Japanese-American whose great-grandparents emigrated to the United States about a century ago.