Two University of Tokyo Graduates Poised for Broadcasting Success

The first female horse racing commentator.

When you think of female announcers who graduated from the University of Tokyo, names like Kyoko Sasaki (51), the head of the announcer department at Fuji TV, Mayuko Wakuda (36) from NHK, and Takako Zenba (49), who moved from NHK to TBS and took over Sunday Morning from Hiroshi Sekiguchi, come to mind.

“While many men from the University of Tokyo work in TV station production staff, there are only a few women who are announcers at each network. The network and viewers tend to be cautious, and as a result, these women haven’t been able to stand out as much” (TV station staff).

However, recently, two University of Tokyo graduate female announcers have begun to gain attention.

“One is Rina Shinohara (28) from TBS. She had been known for her intellectual character as a University of Tokyo graduate on Sunday Japon. She used a whiteboard to explain economic news and political issues, but she couldn’t stand out as much as some of the other female announcers with stronger characters, and she gradually disappeared from the program. Then, I started seeing her regularly on THE TIME, where she did early morning gourmet segments.

Shinohara often covered ramen shops, and her noodle-slurping became a big hit in the studio every time. However, many people, both inside and outside the station, said, ‘What a waste, she’s a University of Tokyo graduate.’ I thought it would be difficult for her to rise to prominence, but then she made history by becoming the first woman to do horse racing commentary, which was introduced by Shinichiro Azumi (51) on THE TIME, praising her as someone who pulled off a big job and calling her a reliable presence” (staff).

Shinohara also writes a column for Nikkan Sports where she predicts G1 race outcomes. Her predictions, based on past data, have been well-received, and her future contributions are highly anticipated.

The other University of Tokyo graduate announcer, who graduated in the same year and joined Fuji TV, is Marino Fujimoto (29), who currently serves as the fifth main anchor on Mr. Sunday.

 

The announcer who tames Sanma and Miyane.

“Fujimoto is known within the network not so much for her Harvard degree, but rather for her physical stamina and strong will as an announcer. In fact, whenever the female regulars on morning shows like ‘Mezamashi TV’ fall ill, Fujimoto has often been called in as a substitute. When she became the host of ‘Sanma’s Owarai Kojo Iinkai’ in April 2022, replacing Akiko Kuji, there were concerns about whether her pride as a Tohoku graduate would get in the way.

But now, the staff highly praise her for how well she fits with Sanma. ‘She’s the one who gets the most along with Sanma. Even behind the scenes, she laughs with a wide open mouth and gives her reactions wholeheartedly.’ In contrast, her predecessor Kuji sometimes showed a lack of enthusiasm and even cried during a harsh joke from comedian Oniyomi Tomahawk on-air, which made the comedians feel uncomfortable.

Fujimoto, however, maintains a smile even when comedians make daring jokes, and her timing of laughter is always perfect, which has earned her recognition from comedy fans,” says a TV magazine editor.

From July 2023, she started hosting the weekend news show Mr. Sunday. There were thoughts that she might leave Owarai Kojo Iinkai, but the staff wanted her to stay.

“When working with Fujimoto, Miyane-san said, ‘Pre-arranged harmony is boring. Let’s mess things up together.’ He also joked that pairing with Fujimoto was a way to help correct his wild moments, which was clearly the strategy behind Fuji TV’s decision. He made the reporters laugh with his self-deprecating humor. In reality, Fujimoto often steps in at just the right moment to correct Miyane when he makes a mistake.

This duo works seamlessly. Miyane’s free-wheeling MC style is made possible by Fujimoto’s support. Though it may not be obvious, when Miyane starts to go off track, she subtly steers him back in line. Her ability to tame the wild uncle is impressive,” says a sports newspaper reporter.

Both Rina Shinohara and Marino Fujimoto have received immense expectations from both within and outside the network. We look forward to their performances in 2025.

This refers to a post from Rina Shinohara, an announcer from TBS, on her Instagram (@shinorinatbs), where she is featured during the “New Year Ekiden” event on January 1, 2024.