Yasuko’s Efforts Were the Only Reliance for 24-Hour Television Despite Marathon Fundraising Exceeding 400 Million Yen

Announcer Hatori provided an explanation about the program’s significance, but…

At the end of the program, amid criticism, Announcer Hatori explained the meaning behind the decision to continue the broadcast. He addressed the reason for placing a question mark on the long-standing theme “Love Saves the Earth” from the first episode:

“We returned to the basics, re-evaluated the meaning of the program, and approached it with a determination and resolve to re-examine the essence of charity.”

And explained.

And then,

“And while we do not know how much understanding we have gained from the public, there are areas where charity would not reach if we did not broadcast. We decided to proceed with this year’s broadcast with the belief that continuing has its own significance,” he said.

However, frankly speaking, this explanation also faced criticism on social media, with comments such as, “There was time to explain the purpose of the event but no time to address the embezzlement,” and “Why is Announcer Hatori explaining this now? It seems NTV officials have no intention of providing a full explanation.”

With issues such as the embezzlement of donations, Mizuto’s apology, and the “question mark” notation due to the typhoon, this year’s 24-Hour Television generated a lot of controversy even before the broadcast. Although Yasuko’s efforts ultimately provided some relief, it remains uncertain when the viewers’ lingering discomfort will be fully addressed.