Japanese table tennis star Ai Fukuhara announces pregnancy

Japanese table tennis star Ai Fukuhara said on Thursday that she is pregnant and expecting to have a baby this fall.

Japanese table tennis star Ai Fukuhara and her husband. [File photo: Agencies]

The 28-year-old star, who married Chiang Hung-chieh, a table tennis player from Taiwan last year, wrote on her blog that she and her husband are happy to have a small life coming to them. 

"I believe my husband will be a good dad. I will also learn and prepare to be as good a mom," she said.

Fukuhara was regarded as a "child prodigy" in table tennis in Japan. She went to China to be trained at a very young age. 

The sport star, who can speak fluent Mandarin, is also well-known and has a huge amount of fans in China. 

Fukuhara and Chiang got married in September last year.

Fukuhara said she would continue competing when announcing her marriage but did not specify when she would resume competition or whether she would take part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

The Japanese women's table tennis team led by Fukuhara won a bronze at the Rio Summer Olympics last year.