Freelance Announcer Aika Kanda: “A Party is Better than Anything Else! Part 2

From the age of 27, when I started working in Tokyo, until I met my husband, I was going to a lot of blind dates. The reasons for this are described in Part 1.

Click here for Part 1 [ Freelance Announcer Aika Kanda: “Going to Mixed-Concerts Trumps Everything! Part I ].

Continuing from the first part, here is an analysis of the characteristics of the men I met at blind dates by occupation.

Sergeant who takes over a large company that has been in existence for generations

From an early age, he feels the weight of taking over a historic company and is trained to imagine the lives of the employees, their families, and even the shareholders. He is taught to imagine the lives of his employees, their families, and even the shareholders. It is very lonely because he has few friends with whom he can talk about his true feelings. Because he needs to convince shareholders, he is also sensitive to the employers and titles of women who are potential wives. The downside is that he grew up knowing that his father and grandfather had concubines, so he thinks it is normal for him to have concubines in his life.

Young president of an IT company

He believes that he and his family are responsible for the lives of his employees and their families. He believes that his mission is to sell the company to another company at the highest possible price and use the profits to start a new company, and enjoys a life that is far from stable. The difficulty is that he believes that it is important for women to “look how they look when they walk around with you. He tends to look for women who have glamorous images in their professions, not to mention their appearance. He tends to choose his girlfriends based on comparisons with others, such as “◯◯-san is dating an actress,” or “◯◯-san is dating an actress,” etc. He is well aware of the dating information of other IT company presidents, and if that is the case, he should date a woman of this level …….

● Politicians
Tend to research women who attend a blind date in advance to avoid any troublesome situations later on. He often researched the hometowns and schools of the women, and even checked my opinions on politics that I had expressed in my job as a commentator. When they were all present, I casually checked to see if they were recording or hiding anything. He didn’t talk about anything too deep, but rather he liked to talk down to me like a child would, his head full of work 24 hours a day, and he seemed very tired. She is looking for an independent woman because she can’t take care of her personal life.

It’s up to you to make the most of your experience or kill it.

These are the characteristics I observed and felt at the blind dates I attended, and not all of them are the same. However, this experience came in handy later in my career.

For example, when I was in charge of an economic program and interviewed the president of the founding family of a historic company, I was able to record an interview with a tone of voice that was not superficial and full of feeling by leaning into the heavy responsibility he must have felt on a daily basis.

When I interviewed the young president of an IT company, I was able to keep the pace up by asking inorganic, logical questions rather than emotional language. As a result, we succeeded in smoothly eliciting the timing of his decision to let go of the company and his future prospects.

On another occasion, I asked one president, “How did you start that project?” but the answer was abstract and vague. But I had experienced ″That’s when history moved″ (see Part I) at a blind date, so (Oh my!　I wonder if they got their start at a blind date?) I immediately imagined that I had started at a blind date. （I interpreted it as “I wonder if it’s hard to talk to him” and was able to respond with a look of “I understand”. I will never forget the look on the president’s face at that moment. I will never forget the look on the president’s face.

When I tell people that I used to go to a lot of blind dates, some people say that I have no class or that I am a playboy. It is true that I have had my fair share of wild escapades. But the only people who deny that they have ever been to a Gasshokon are usually those who have only been to Gasshokons where there is no classy conversation or games.

Every man I have met at a blind date has had ideas and perspectives that I do not have. I also noticed that being in a different position makes a difference.

What is my position and role in the world?　What should I aim for to have fun?　What should I cherish in order to shine?　It was a good opportunity for me to rethink my future. In other words, depending on the attitude of those who attend, a blind date can be a place to learn about life, and an irreplaceable experience can be gained.

Note: But girls who read this, don’t let your guard down. In order to have a “quality blind date,” you need to improve yourself and assess your partner. Remember, men will always be beasts.

Aika Kanda was born in 1980 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from Gakushuin University with a degree in mathematics, she joined NHK as an announcer in 2003, and left in 2012 to become a freelance announcer. Since then, she has been active mainly in variety shows, and currently makes regular appearances as the main MC of the daytime TV program “Poka Poka” (Fuji Television Network).

From the September 8, 2023 issue of FRIDAY