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But in late November this year the 42-year-old surprised his friends and family by sending out wedding invitations.
The shock deepened when they learned his fiancée was a 25-year-old Vietnamese woman living in Tokyo. He says: "My last relationship ended more than 15 years ago. I had no intention of falling in love again, so everyone was curious about who she was and how she managed to change me."
Tran Phuong Linh of Binh Duong Province in Vietnam arrived in Japan in 2018 as a student and met Kazuma in 2022 while working part-time at a medical testing center where he was the manager.
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Phuong Linh and Kazuma during the wedding reception at Linh's family home, part of the traditional wedding ceremony held in Nov. 2024. Photo courtesy of the couple |
They first met on her first day at work. Standing at 1.46 meters, she was intimidated by the towering 1.93-meter manager clad in a black suit and with a stern expression. Her Vietnamese colleagues had warned her that he was strict and difficult to approach. However, the outgoing Linh decided to strike up a conversation with him. To her surprise, she discovered him to be warm and engaging and in contrast to the intimidating image others had painted of him.
Curious, she casually asked him: "How many children do you have?" He replied: "I do not even have a girlfriend, how could I have children?" Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she apologized profusely. That moment of innocence and charm sparked off a sudden attraction in him.
From that day on he found himself looking forward to work. He began learning a few Vietnamese phrases and used them occasionally to tease her, enjoying her laughter and reactions to his jokes. The man who used to spend evenings alone with cans of beer now found joy in small acts of kindness such as carving a pineapple-shaped name tag for Linh. "Back then I often tied my hair up, and he would say I looked like a pineapple," she explains.
Their bond deepened over shared conversations and mutual interests, including Japanese cuisine like takoyaki and ramen, and solving the Rubik's Cube. He nicknamed her "Minion" for her height, while she called him "Gru," inspired by characters from the animation "Despicable Me." One time, standing beside her at work, he jokingly asked: "Where’s Rin Chan (Linh’s Japanese nickname)? Is she off today?" She, jumping up to catch his eye, replied: "I’m here, right here!" He burst out laughing, realizing in that moment how deeply he cared for her.
From that day on whenever they happened to meet while commuting on the train, he would give up his seat for her. When their shifts ended he would wait for her to share the journey home and often buy her snacks. "Being cared for like that in a foreign country made me feel warm and deeply touched," she says.
Her part-time job was only for two months and she had to return to school. While she thought their association might end, he had other plans. On her last day he organized a farewell party at work, but all their colleagues, in what was a diligently planned maneuver, made excuses not to attend, leaving the two alone. But he was too shy to confess his feelings in person, and later sent her a message expressing his love. To his delight, she accepted, marking the beginning of their relationship.
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Linh and Kazuma in tradditional Japanese attire in 2024. Photo courtesy of the couple |
Falling in love with her transformed his life. He gave up his nightly beer routine and began exploring Japan with her. He happily accompanied her to theme parks like Tokyo Disney and Universal Studios even though his height prevented him from trying some of the rides.
Once a person who used social media solely for work, he began to maintain accounts on several platforms like Instagram, Threads and Facebook to share moments and photos of their outings. "He even learned how to take photos and videos just to please me," Linh says.
His family also marveled at the transformation. "Kazuma marrying someone as adorable as Rin Chan feels like hitting the jackpot," his mother, Abe Noriko, 70, says. "I thought he would stay single forever, but here he is, married to such a lovely wife."
His colleagues noticed the change. Duong Lam Thao Vi, who used to work with the couple, says: "He used to be so serious that everyone was scared of him. Now he is playful, even teasing me, joking that I bully his wife." Marriage brought further changes to Kazuma’s once solitary lifestyle.
Instead of returning home to his mother’s cooking, he now cooked meals to suit his young wife’s palate. Once afraid to handle knives in the kitchen, he is now confident and skilled at chopping vegetables. He never did his own laundry during his single days, but now he has taken on the chore with a vengeance.
"I have truly grown up since meeting Linh."
Kazuma teases Linh for their height difference. Video courtesy of the couple
