<!-- 377.html -->  <div id="pagebody_outline">    <div id="left_box">      <div id="int_title_box">        <div id="int_titie_box_top"><!-- Image --></div>        <div id="midashi">Japanese  Ryo Nakajima<br />Chinese   Yi Zhang<br /></div>        <div id="int_titie_box_bottom"><!-- Image --></div>      </div>      <div class="both10"></div>    <!-- MTinternational03 -->      <div><strong><font color="#FF3366">The number of international marriage has been rising in recent years.  According to the Population Survey Report conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, there were 36,030 international marriages in 2003. This number contributed to 4.8% of the total number of marriage. In other words, 1 out of 20 newly-married couples was an international couple. Perhaps it’ll be something that concerns you as well. Who knows, maybe your marriage might also be an international one! We interviewed an international couple about the reality of international marriage which is filled with dreams and hopes. What are the ideals and the realities?</font></strong> </div>      <div class="both10"></div>      <div id="int_box_left"> </div>    <!-- MTinternational03 -->            <div class="both10"></div>      <div id="article">        <div id="article_left">                                  <img src="/english/images/international/377_international_08.jpg" width="140" />                                                                              </div>      <!-- international_13 -->        <div id="article_right"><font color="#0033cc">Q.What are the pros and cons of an international marriage?</font><br /><br />Yi: The good thing is that I started my new life in Japan. Although it was a bit scary, it has been eye-opening and interesting. The bad thing is that I miss my relatives and friends who are not here with me.<br /><br />Ryo: Since we’re in Japan, there’s nothing different to me in particular. The bad thing is that I still can’t communicate with people surrounding her… (I still can’t speak the language yet)<br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q:Please tell us how you met each other.</font><br /><br />He went to Shanghai on a business trip, and I (the wife) was the interpreter. We met each other at work.<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.Will you stay in Japan forever?</font><br /><br />We’ll live in Shanghai some day in the future.<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.How did people around you react to it?</font><br /><br />Ryo:My parents were just surprised.<br />　　<br />Yi:My parents were very much opposed to it.<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.What was your first impression of each other?</font><br /><br />Ryo:“She’s a cute girl, but she’s still a child!” (because she had just graduated from university…)<br />Yi:“His hair’s so long!”<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.A message to the husband</font><br /><br />I want a cute kid, so let’s work on it.<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.Why did you decide to get married?</font><br /><br />When we were on a trip to Hong Kong, we both wanted to be with each other for longer. At that time, I gave her the engagement ring.<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.Why did you start going out?</font><br /><br />When we were sightseeing in Suzhou, we both felt the importance of each other.<br /><br /><br /><font color="#0033cc">Q.A message to the wife</font><br /><br />Let’s stay together forever!<br /> </div>      <!-- international_13 -->        <div class="both20"></div>      </div>    <!-- international_14 -->                          <!-- end of left_box -->    </div>  </div><!-- end of pagebody_outline --><!-- international_14 -->