Tanaka Minami, Kato Ayako, Eto Ai, and the Top 12 Female Announcers Share Precious Rookie Days Photos!
This is a special late-spring issue that takes a look back at their rookie years, from the most popular announcers at each station to the big names who are now freelance!

Even today’s most popular announcers were freshmen when they were new to the company.
Minami Tanaka (37), now active as an actress, says that her character was completely different from that of today.
When she first joined TBS, I had the impression that she was a modest honor student. I was surprised when she took charge of “Sunday Japon” in her second year and turned into a “burikko” character, but that was the catalyst for her success,” said an employee of a program production company.
One person who showed glimpses of a major talent soon after joining Fuji Television was Ayako Kato (39).
The responsiveness she showed on her flagship program “Katopan” was impressive. The surprised expression on her face after she was admonished by guest Hiroyuki Ariyoshi as a “30% discount woman” was amazing and convinced me that she was going to be a big seller,” said female announcer watcher Daijiro Maruyama.
On the other hand, there are announcers who do not stand out as newcomers but show great growth, such as TBS’s Ai Eto (38).
In her first year, she seemed to be hidden behind her colleague Minami Tanaka, but she steadily improved her announcing skills and became a successful announcer in charge of everything from news to music programs after turning 30,” said a TBS insider.
Mr. Maruyama explains the fresh charm of new announcers.
Maruyama explains the freshness of the new announcers’ appeal: “Their skills and atmosphere gradually become more refined as they experience appearing on many programs. However, it is during the rookie period that you can see the most of their unadorned appearance, such as their facial expressions and the way they return the talk.
This year will also see the birth of many newcomers, including TV Asahi’s Akari Matsuoka and Gako Miyama, who made their debut on April 1. It might be a good idea to find the best of the best before they make their big breakthrough.











From the May 10 and 17, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
PHOTO: Takehiko Kohiyama