Actress Kaoru Sugita (43) is reportedly in a serious relationship with a publishing company employee, said to be in his 50s. The two are partially living together, and according to several people close to them, they appear to be headed for marriage.

They first met in 1999, when the man was the editor of a magazine that Sugita was writing for. In September 2006, a reporter for a women's magazine spotted them entering a love hotel, but Sugita made up excuses and denied that there was a relationship between them. The man had a wife at the time, but he got a divorce last year.

Sugita has also been married once. In January 2005, she wedded a company president, but they broke up only seven months later.