News 9’s Hoshi Makoto, Calm on the Surface, Assertive at Heart, Just Like Mom!

The member lineup of “News Watch 9” undergoes a complete change.

 

It was revealed that announcer Minoru Aoki, who was receiving executive compensation from a relative company, not only resigned from the program but also retired from NHK. Additionally, Masayoshi Tanaka (a reporter belonging to the News Department) and Risa Hayashida, also leave the program at the end of March. In their place, starting from April, reporters Hitoshi Hironouchi and Mariko Sato, along with Hoshi Makoto, will join.

 

There might have been few viewers who heard Hoshimakoto’s name for the first time, but according to an NHK insider, “Her career and abilities are impeccable.”

Hoshi Makoto joined NHK in 2014. After working at Okayama Broadcasting Station and Sapporo Broadcasting Station, she is currently stationed at the Tokyo Announcer Room and has been hosting “Sunday Debate” for two years. The program involves dealing with prominent politicians, demanding extensive knowledge and smooth hosting skills, which she apparently possesses.

“Her father is TBS Vision’s producer, Koki Hoshi. Her mother, Takako Mikumo, was a former TBS announcer and is currently a commentator on ‘News 7 Days’ and ‘Hiruobi.’ On her mother’s side, her grandfather is Shiro Mikumo, who served as a director at the Sankei Shimbun. So, one could say that Hoshimakoto is like a ‘media prodigy’ announcer. Her short haircut and poised expression leave a strong impression, and she looks quite similar to her mother, Mikumo, the more you see her.” (NHK insider as mentioned earlier)

Speaking of Mikumo, in 1977, she joined TBS along with Miyoko Yoshikawa and Eiko Asai (Kazu). 

“While Yoshikawa was overwhelmingly popular among women, Mikumo was a highly popular announcer among men, often referred to as ‘TBS’s Keiko Takashita.’ She also gained attention in the past for being involved with a popular actor. On the other hand, due to her straightforward opinions typical of returnees, she clashed with some male casters within the station.

There was a famous incident where, when Mikumo was in the studio, the voice of a junior male announcer who was struggling with live coverage was aired saying ‘Mikumo, you idiot.’ But Mikumo continued with a calm demeanor. Although many female announcers are strong-willed, it is said that among them, Mikumo was one of the strongest in the history of TBS.” (TV magazine writer)

 

 

Subsequently, her popularity among female viewers soared, leading to her current status, after she took on the role of MC for the afternoon wide show “Just” (TBS, aired from ’98 to ’05), which focused on trends and the true faces of celebrity madams.

“Hoshi Makoto’s daughter also bears a serene resemblance to Mikumo in her profile picture. Inheriting the blood of relatives who demonstrated top-notch performance at television stations and newspapers, she had been preparing for a career in the media since childhood, watching all programs of the Tokyo stations and reading newspapers. I hear she also inherited her mother’s strong-willed and competitive spirit.

Although her colleague, Risa Hayashida, has higher name recognition and popularity for now, there’s no doubt that Hoshimakoto will tackle News Watch 9 with determination. NHK is likely hoping that with Hoshimakoto’s appearance, they can quickly dispel the negative image left by Aoki’s scandal.” (Production company staff)

Speaking of parent-child announcers, Junko Kubo, who was popular at NHK, is well-known. Her father, Haruo Kubo, was the former head of the announcer department at Nippon Television and the inaugural dean of the “Nippon Television Announcer College.” While there are other cases like this, the daughter of Takae Mikumo, who was even called TBS’s Keiko Takashita, taking on a leading role in NHK’s flagship program is undoubtedly a remarkable news event.

Although News Watch 9 suffered setbacks due to Aoki’s scandal, can they make a comeback with the appointment of Hoshimakoto? It’s something to look forward to.