Following on the heels of Nikkan Sports' unconfirmed reports of a relationship between Kazunari Ninomiya and Masami Nagasawa, a different sports newspaper has reported another prominent celebrity couple.

According to Sports Nippon, SMAP leader Masahiro Nakai and pop star Kumi Koda have recently begun dating. Koda appeared on stage at a SMAP concert last September, and that led to the start of a relationship this spring. Since then, they have been spending time together at a Tokyo restaurant every weekend with friends. Once, they were spotted alone, and eyewitnesses said they were acting like a couple.

Nakai and Koda are said to have baseball in common, as Nakai is a loyal Giants fan and Koda was affiliated with her junior high school's baseball team.

Neither side has commented on the news yet.