Minako Nakano, Miho Nakai, Chino Kikuma… Former female announcers are becoming outside directors one after another.

Former female TV announcers have been appointed as outside directors of famous companies one after another. The main former female announcers are as follows (figures in parentheses indicate former TV stations and companies for which they are outside directors).

Motoyo Yamane (NHK, Itochu Enex)

Mitsuyo Kusano (NHK, Onward Holdings)

Kanae Takeuchi (TBS, SBI Holdings, etc.)

Mieko Mishiro (TBS, TV Asahi Holdings)

Hiroko Kiba (TBS, Tokai Railway Company, etc.)

Why are former female TV announcers so valued as outside directors? Economic journalist Takashi Matsuzaki explains.

In June 2003, the Tokyo Stock Exchange added a rule to its listing rules requiring the appointment of two or more outside directors from the viewpoint of governance. The aim was to check for any irregularities under the watchful eye of a third party. Furthermore, in June of last year, the government convened a meeting for gender equality and set a goal of increasing the ratio of female directors to 30% or more.

In light of this trend, a former female announcer would have been an ideal candidate for a female outside director. They have a fresh and intellectual image, which makes a good impression both inside and outside the company. Many of them are children of prominent families and are well known, so they can also serve as “billboards” for the company.

Names of companies where Fuji TV announcers serve as outside directors

The largest number of female announcers are from Fuji Television Network. The number of female Fuji TV announcers on the board of outside directors is the largest among the seven listed below.

Naomi Ushio (JX Holdings, Inc.)

Tomoe Matsuda (Komeda Holdings Co., Ltd.)

Miho Nakai (Mediaseek)

Chino Kikuma (KOSÉ, KITZ, etc.)

Maiko Hasumi (Cyber Buzz, Z Holdings, etc.)

Kyoko Uchida (Kidsmile Holdings)

Minako Nakano (Shidenko)

There is a convincing reason why former Fuji employees form the “largest faction” of “former female TV announcer outside directors,” Mr. Matsuzaki continues. The aforementioned Mr. Matsuzaki continues.

Looking back on the history of female announcers, it was in the 1980s that their status skyrocketed. Until then, they had only played a supporting role to male announcers, but now they are in the spotlight. Fuji TV was a pioneer in this direction. For example, Miho Nakai became the program’s first female main anchor for “Professional Baseball News” in 1988.

Today, presidents and executives of famous companies are around 60 years old. For them when they first entered the workforce, Fuji’s female announcers must have been glorious, full of charm. It may be a ‘dream come true’ for the executives of famous companies to appoint these women whom they admire so much.

It is not just the attractive profile of the former Fuji girls. These women are also energetic in pursuing their second careers.

Naomi Ushio studied business administration at the graduate school of Keio University and obtained an MBA after leaving Fuji. Maiko Hasumi also studied again at Stanford University in the United States and became an analyst. Chino Kikuma qualified as a lawyer and studied law at the graduate school of Waseda University.

These women not only had glorious pasts. Even after retiring from their first life as female analysts, they are striving and playing an active role in their second life. I believe that this attitude and way of life is considered to be very useful for revitalizing companies,” says Matsuzaki.

It is not only glamorous. It seems that the reason why former Fuji female announcers are so popular is that there is a reason why it has to be them. ……