Actor and singer-songwriter Masaharu Fukuyama, 46, and actress Kazue Fukiishi, 33, married on Monday, their management agencies said. The day happened to be Fukiishi's birthday.

"We had a friendship which over the past few years grew into a relationship," Fukuyama said in a statement issued by fax. "We started to see each other as partners supporting each other's lives. I am hoping we will receive support from our fans and staff to create a happy family."

In the statement, Fukiishi added: "My sincere apologies for informing (you) about our marriage in a written letter."

Fukuyama played the leading role in "Like Father, Like Son" (Soshite Chichi ni Naru) in 2013, which won the Jury Prize at the 66th Cannes Film Festival. Fukuyama also acted as Ryoma Sakamoto in NHK's long-running eponymous historical series in 2010.

Fukiishi joined the entertainment world when she was 13. She won an award in 2014 for having beautiful legs.