Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki, 34, is not letting a six-year age gap get in the way of her relationship with her backup dancer, Uchiyama Maroka, 28.

Hamasaki and Maroka took to their blogs on Nov 14, confirming rumours that they are dating.

According to Japanese media, she announced that "Maro-chan and I are in a serious relationship", adding that she "did not want to keep the secret from everyone".

On his blog, Maro wrote: "I will continue to take (this relationship) as seriously as I do now".

Maro has been Hamasaki's backup dancer since the summer of 2007, Tokyo Hive reported.

The diminuitive singer, known as "Ayu" to her fan,s divorced Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz in January this year. They were married for a year.

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