Tamori’s NHK Show “Buratamori” Ends, Future on Music Station in Question

Is it finally the end for one of the ‘Big Three’ who has led the entertainment industry for many years?

 

It was announced that NHK’s popular program “Buratamori,” hosted by Tamori, will end its regular broadcast at the end of March.

 

During NHK’s regular press conference, Hiroo Yamana the head of the Media General Bureau, announced the program lineup for the fiscal year 2024, stating, 

“We have visited various places across the country nearly 270 times over the past nine years. We will conclude the current style of the program this fiscal year.”

He hinted at aiming for programs that would be more enjoyable for everyone in regards to special programs.

Tamori, who will turn 80 next August, has seen the end of Buratamori, which had run for 40 years on TV Asahi, in March last year. The only remaining regular program for Tamori now is TV Asahi’s ‘Music Station’ (hereinafter referred to as M Station).

“Music Station,” which has been airing since October 1986, is a long-running program. However, recently, the number of broadcasts has decreased, and it is no longer aired every week.

“Looking at last year’s performance, it aired only once or twice a month, and in January of this year, there was only one compilation episode. With Buratamori also ending, there are concerns on social media and elsewhere that ‘Music Station’ might be coming to an end.

The 4-and-a-half-hour special in December last year achieved a core viewership rating (ages 13-49) of 5.9%, securing the top spot. Recently, due to aging demographics and budgetary issues, music programs have drastically decreased, making Music Station one of the few remaining valuable programs that receive support from younger audiences.” (Television station insider)

In April last year, Weekly Bunshun reported that Tamori’s wife was undergoing medical treatment, and Tamori was providing care, leaking to those around him that he was ‘in the process of preparing for the end. It was also reported that Buratamori ended due to Tamori’s suggestion.

While Buratamori involves many overnight shoots, which are much more time-consuming, Music Station, despite being considerably less demanding in terms of time commitments, might also come to an end alongside Tamori’s preparation for the end.

And when it comes to ‘Music Station,’ there is always that lingering issue.

“The honeymoon relationship with the old Johnny’s has long been a matter of concern. When Johnny-san and Mary-san were alive, groups that were rivals to Johnny’s couldn’t appear on Music Station. Once in 1997, when ‘DA PUMP’ appeared, the scheduled appearance of ‘KinKi Kids’ was suddenly canceled.

Since then, the Music Station side has been intimidated, becoming subservient to Johnny’s. With the dismantling of Johnny’s, groups from other agencies such as JO1 and BE:FIRST have been able to appear. For young people, it’s been a positive direction to enjoy groups other than Johnny’s.” (Sports newspaper journalist)

Of course, this is the policy of the television station, not the personal preference of the talent, Tamori, I believe. However, if Music Station has been bending to the strong influence of Johnny’s for many years, it may seem as if it has indirectly supported Johnny’s patriarch, Johnny Kitagawa, including his sexual misconduct.

Will Music Station come to an end during Tamori’s era? Or will a clean new Music Station be born? That remains to be seen.