This is just a rumor at the moment but it has been said that Utada is planning to marry a painter whose name is unknown at the moment. She has been seen with him many times in the past year and it is clear that they were dating. This could be why she wants to take such a long break from music.

The source is in Japanese and someone has only partially translated it, which is why I say it is possible and not absolute. I will edit this post accordingly once the full translation is available.

If it is true, I hope she lives happily with him

isnt she the biggest selling female artist in japan? is that correct?

No, that title belongs to Ayumi Hamasaki.

oh thats who im thinking of! ayumi is really pretty then

No, but she holds the record for highest first week sales for an album in the world... ever.

Who?

in the world?!?!?! how much was it??

The album "Distance" sold 3 million copies in Japan in its first week. This is the WW record for highest first week sales. Runner up is N-Sync's "No Strings Attached" which sold approximately 2.4 million in the US.

An iconic legend of Japanese music with over 50 million albums sold.

a muse do u know where namie amuro stands with those utada and ayumi??

Nope. She's a big deal I know that much, but I don't know exactly how many albums she's sold or anything.

oh cuse i like her, her 60s, 70s, 80s was pretty cool

Ayumi has sold morethan Utada total, but Utada's albums usually sell more than Ayumi's albums.

Like the others said she is not. However, she does have the biggest first week sales of any album worldwide AND the best-selling album of Japan ever.

If you have nothing to contribute, why post.

Here you go

Nope Ayumi Hamasaki is as stated earlier, and yes Ayu is gorgeous. J-pop Queen she stays gorgeous and legendary.

Oh and congradulatons Utada.