Nagisa Watanabe’s Journey from Despair to Renewal: I’ll Challenge Everything

Isn’t it just a fake illness?

“I actually wanted to disclose my illness earlier. However, due to various reasons, I couldn’t. Not being able to make it public led to defamatory remarks such as ‘Isn’t it just malingering?’ I have been conflicted about this for a long time.”

This revelation comes from former Fuji TV announcer Nagisa Watanabe (27).

After graduating from Keio University, Watanabe joined Fuji TV in 2020. She was in charge of popular programs like “Moshimo Tours” and “Mezamashi TV.” However, in July 2023, it was suddenly announced that she would take a leave of absence due to health issues, which led to various speculations.

At the end of August this year, she left Fuji TV, and on October 1, she publicly revealed on her Instagram that she had been suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

After over a year of battling the illness, she confronted and overcame her past trauma, which led her to finally disclose her condition. Watanabe developed PTSD in June of the previous year, triggered by a shocking event in which she felt her life was in danger.

“I can’t go into detail, but at that point, I realized, ‘Ah, I’m done.’ I instinctively felt that unless I sought treatment, I would end up choosing death. When I first developed PTSD, I couldn’t face the incident and my treatment didn’t progress. Even now, I sometimes recall it.”

The cause was an unexpected trouble that occurred. Since then, Watanabe has been struggling with the haunting effects.

“It was a rainy day. When I recall the weather, the nearby station, the smells, and the food, I would experience panic attacks. I developed symptoms of PTSD, such as hyperarousal, and would feel fear even from the slightest sound. I couldn’t go to the supermarket because of the traumatic food ingredients, and I couldn’t swallow food properly. I lost 5 kg in a month. However, I was frustrated that my life was being stolen because of those who caused my PTSD. I kept pushing myself to recover, visiting that place and continuing to fight.”

She loved her work as an announcer and even considered it her vocation. Big opportunities had come her way, and both her personal and professional life were going well. But it was during this time that the incident occurred. Watanabe found it difficult even to walk, and doctors recommended hospitalization, which forced her into a long-term leave of absence.

“At first, I wanted to return to work quickly. But during work, my body would tremble, and I couldn’t stand up straight. The scripts looked distorted. Even after being hospitalized in July last year, symptoms like hyperarousal and light sensitivity didn’t subside, and I realized it would be difficult to make a fresh start.

Since the trauma was related to my job, even if I could return, I didn’t know when it might relapse. I considered filing a police report, but I hesitated. I often took notes, and in my diary from that time, I wrote, ‘I should have lived honestly with myself.’

Because of this, a few months after the incident, in the fall of last year, I was prepared to quit the company. What I had held dear slipped away from my hands in an instant. If I hadn’t developed PTSD, I probably would have continued working as an announcer.”