<!-- 617.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">The number of international marriages has been increasing these days. According to the Health,Labor and Welfare Ministry’s statistics of movement of population, there were 36030 international marriages in 2003 and this accounted for 4.8% of the total number of marriages. One in every twenty couples is an international marriage and it is becoming more and more common around the world.<br /><br /><br /></div>        <div id="int_titie_box_bottom"><!-- Image --></div>      </div>      <div class="both10"></div>    <!-- MTinternational03 -->      <div> </div>      <div class="both10"></div>      <div id="int_box_left">Mr　STEVEN　MARRIOT　（AUSTRALIAN）<br />Ms　AKIE　MARRIOT　　（JAPANESE） </div>    <!-- MTinternational03 -->                        <div id="int_box_right">            <div class="int_photo">              <div class="int_photo_top">              <!-- Image -->              </div>            <img src="/english/images/international/617_international_05.jpg" width="60" />              <div class="int_photo_bottom">              <!-- Image -->              </div>            </div>            <div class="int_photo2">              <div class="int_photo_top">              <!-- Image -->              </div>            <img src="/english/images/international/617_international_06.jpg" width="60" />              <div class="int_photo_bottom">              <!-- Image -->              </div>              <div class="both"></div>            </div>            <p></p>          </div>                    <div class="both10"></div>      <div id="article">        <div id="article_left">                                  <img src="/english/images/international/617_international_08.jpg" width="140" />                                    <img src="/english/images/international/617_international_09.jpg" width="140" />                                                                  </div>      <!-- international_13 -->        <div id="article_right"><font color="#990000">Q: Where did you meet for the first time?　</font><br /><br /><br />A: We met in April 2004 in Ikebukuro station by chance but we both think that it was fate!. We were introduced through a mutual friend ( which since then we have been together since). We went drinking and singing all night long. <br /> <br /><font color="#990000">Q: What was the first impression of each other?　</font><br /><br /><br />A: Our first impression of each other was for me (steve) How she was and still is, so beautiful, intelligent and how she respected me. (Akie) How kind and gentle and handsome he is. <br />We could tell each other anything with ease. <br /> <br /><font color="#990000">Q: What made you decide to marry?　</font><br /><br /><br />A: We decided to get married for the one and true reason. We wanted to live out our days together, and as well as to stay happy.<br /> <br /><font color="#990000">Q: How was your parents’ reaction for that?　</font><br /><br /><br />A: ( Steve ) My family in Australia was very delighted to hear about the good news especially my mum.<br />( Akie ) My family too was so happy for this mum began to cry her heart out with joy.<br /> <br /><font color="#990000">Q: What kind of advantage have you gotten after the international marriage?</font><br /><br /><br />A: The advantage that we both got from our happiness is that how close we are to one another, yet we were raised in two very different situations. <br /><br /><font color="#990000">Q: Any comment for your husband?</font><br /><br /><br />A: From now on in, let's keep helping and loving each other thru any hard times we can do it together.<br /><br /><font color="#990000">Q: Give a comment to your wife, please.</font><br /><br /><br />A: I want to say thank you for waiting for me...as we get older our love grows bigger together.<br /> </div>      <!-- international_13 -->        <div class="both20"></div>      </div>    <!-- international_14 -->                          <!-- end of left_box -->    </div>  </div><!-- end of pagebody_outline --><!-- international_14 -->