The Sports Nippon newspaper reports that actress Miki Maya, 44, has plans to marry. She is now engaged to 36-year-old Kazuhiro Nishijima, a ballet dancer and actor.

The couple met in 2002 when they co-starred in the stage production "Stardust in Shanghai," based on a work by writer Kenzo Kitakata. They didn't start dating until they met again by chance last summer, but their relationship quickly progressed. Nishijima proposed in March, and they are expected to tie the knot as early as the New Year's holidays.

Nishijima was born into a family of dancers in the Miyazaki prefecture, where he began training in classical ballet at the age of 3 at a school established by his grandmother. He went to France in 1990, and the following year he won in an international competition. Upon returning to Japan, he began an acting career. His roles include a part in the popular 2000 drama series "Ikebukuro West Gate Park."