The ratings are in a tailspin due to Johnny’s! NHK’s “Kohaku Uta Gassen” is hanging on to the names of “superstars” and “hidden gems”.

As the autumn season is now well underway, TV stations are busy preparing for year-end special programs. The most watched event is NHK’s “Kohaku Uta Gassen,” in which the contestants will compete for a 30% audience rating. Kohaku” is said to have a viewership rating of 30%. It has been said that if five or six groups from the former Johnny’s office perform, it is unlikely that the rating will fall below the border, but this year is different.

NHK has stated that it will not use former Johnny’s talents until it can confirm that compensation for the victims and efforts to prevent recurrence are being steadily made,” and it seems that NHK intends to emphasize that “Kohaku” is addressing the issue of sexual assault and make an offer. I have heard that they are already in discussions with one or two groups to participate in the festival,” said a source from a TV station.

Last year, the leading actors of the year’s drama and the leading actors of the next drama held a “handover” ceremony at the “Kohaku” event.

This year, Matsumoto Jun (40) is starring in “Doukara Ieyasu,” and I suspect that his appearance will not be eliminated, but that he will be allowed to appear as a judge. I have also heard that Junichi Okada (42), who appeared in “What to do with Ieyasu” and will be leaving soon after, may also participate in the special project.”

Matsumoto and Okada’s collaboration would be a good opportunity for both NHK and the former Johnny’s office to impress the audience with their “comeback.

If Matsumoto performs, it will make it easier for other talents to perform as well. Matsumoto’s appearance will make it easier for other talents to appear,” said Mr. Kurokawa. “Groups such as ‘Snow Man’ and ‘King & Prince’ that have had decent hits this year are being considered for the show. In terms of personnel selection, we have a policy of not appointing artists who have had hit songs this year. NHK has announced that it will not use artists who have hit songs this year,” said an NHK official.

If Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (49), who is currently starring in the morning drama “Boogie Woogie,” were to participate as a singer with “New Map,” he would be able to show that he is free from any ties or disciplinary action.

In order to maintain the ratings for a program that runs for more than four hours, it is necessary to have a catalyst other than the former Johnny’s. For this reason, it is necessary to have a singer from another entertainment company as well. For this reason, they can no longer afford to be accommodating to other entertainment agencies, and are eager to acquire successful artists who have had real hits.

As a highlight of the event, we have prepared a medley of hit anime songs. YOASOBI” and “10-FEET,” as well as a collaboration between Genshi Yonezu (32), who sang the theme song for the latest Ghibli movie, and Masaki Suda (30), who participated as a voice actor. In a linked project, there is also a plan to have Shuri (33), who stars in the morning drama, sing the morning drama theme song with Ran Ito (68) and Yutaka Mizutani (71), who are now open to media appearances, and their parents and children.

Also expected to compete with Akina Nakamori (58) and Seiko Matsuda (61) as the centerpiece of the older generation. They are negotiating until the last minute, including with retired staff members. I hear that they are exploring various forms, including recordings and video messages,” said an entertainment agency official.

This year, Hiroyuki Ariyoshi (49) has been chosen to host the event. This is the first time in 16 years since Shofukutei Tsurube (71) in 2007 that a comedian will serve as host.

NHK is very conscious of the number of followers on Instagram and the number of views on TikTok. This is also the reason for the increasing use of K-POP idols, including Ariyoshi, and collaborations between young artists and stars of yesteryear. As long as the old Johnny’s office cannot get in the way, there is a possibility that a new group called Number_i, including Shiyoh Hirano (26), who has more than 4 million followers in less than two months since he opened his Instagram this year, will participate with their debut song.

Surprise is the key for the last performer

While successful comedians are being promoted to MC roles at commercial broadcasters, there are whispers of a big-name comedian appearing as a “hidden gem” in the “Kohaku” program.

Takeshi Kitano (76), whose new movie “The Head” will be released in late November, is expected to appear as a singer. Like the historical drama, the film features the likes of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, making it easy to collaborate with them. If the director himself appears, actors such as Hidetoshi Nishijima (52), who appeared in the movie, will probably come to support him.

The “Kohaku” is crowded with various songs and corners, but it is the artist who will perform the last act that is of particular interest. This year, it seems that the organizers are planning to focus on surprises, and it is expected that the main performer will be chosen from among singers who have not previously performed at the Kohaku.

There are strong calls for “Spitz,” whose theme song for the “Detective Conan” movie was a hit, to perform. Although they have no intention of participating in the festival and have been turned down numerous times, they would be a perfect surprise singer. Another candidate would be “M r.Children,” who just released an album this October. Kazutoshi Sakurai, 53, says he wants to spend the New Year’s holiday with his family, but his children have grown up, so this remains a possibility.

The most suitable group for the big finale is B’z,” said Kazutoshi Sakurai, 53, who said he wants to spend the New Year with his family. They are celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, and their CD sales are going well, but tickets for their live concerts, which sold out immediately on their 30th anniversary, did not sell out immediately this time. They have recently written a song for Ado (21) and are appealing to the media to give the impression that they are still active in order to attract new fans. It seems that “B’z” has been approached to perform in “Kohaku” through the route of performing the theme song for next year’s morning drama. In addition, “DREAMS COME TRUE” has been approached to perform the last song of the red group. Amidst much discussion about gender, it has been pointed out that color-coding men and women is outdated. In response to these points of view, we are planning to bring a male and female unit as the last performer.

This year’s New Year’s Eve will be a little different from previous years. Who knows what will happen this year?

From the November 10 and 17, 2023 issue of FRIDAY