You may kiss the hologram

A Japanese man has shelled out a whopping Sh1.8 million ($18,000) for his wedding - to a hologram.

Akihiko Kondo, 35, married a 'virtual reality singer' named Hatsune Miku in a controversial ceremony earlier this month.

The lavish formal event took place at Tokyo Hall and cost a whopping two million Yen.

Despite shelling out for his special day, none of his family members or friends attended the event.

A video of the ceremony shows Akihiko gazing lovingly into the eyes of a small stuffed doll.

The doll was even fitted with a 'wedding ring' on its wrist to represent the hologram. Newly cyber wed Photo: Reuters

In the clip, Akihiko moves the doll's veil - and long aqua marine pig tails - away from its face before giving the doll a long, painfully slow, kiss.

He also reads a wedding speech to the doll, although it wasn't entirely clear if she was pleased either way.

Since March, Kondo has been living with a moving, talking hologram of Miku that floats in a ShSh280,000 ( $2,800) desktop device.

Gatebox, the company that produces the hologram device has issued a "marriage certificate," which certifies that a human and a virtual character have wed "beyond dimensions".

The singer welcomes Kndo home every evening and tells him when it is time for bed. He even sleeps with a doll of the hologram beside him.

Prior to the wedding, Kondo said he had struggled with conventional relationships and been referred to as 'creepy' by girls he knew. None of Akihiko Kondo's relatives attended his wedding to a hologram of virtual reality singer Hatsune Miku Photo: AFP)

Speaking about his new bride he said: "Miku-san is the woman I love a lot and also the one who saved me."

And while Kondo says he is happy to be friends with a "3D woman", he has no interest in romance with one.

Two-dimensional characters can't cheat, age or die, he points out.

He said: "I'm not seeking these in real women. It's impossible. I believe we must consider all kinds of love and all kinds of happiness."

The delighted groom added that he hoped the wedding would encourage the "diversity" that society has long been calling for.

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