Successful Female Freelance Announcer’s Attitude Towards Drinking Parties Amid Female Announcer Reception Issue

“She always shows up at the old men’s drinking parties.”

The issue stemming from a dispute between retired entertainer Masahiro Nakai (52) and a woman, which led to allegations of “hospitality involving female announcers from Fuji TV,” has been reported by Weekly Bunshun and is causing controversy.

As other private broadcasters scramble to conduct internal investigations, Takashi Tachibana (57), leader of the political group “Party to Protect the People from NHK” and a former NHK employee, addressed the issue in a press conference on January 24. He firmly stated, “NHK employees do not engage in such things. As far as I know, there’s nothing like sexual entertainment involving NHK female announcers like Yumiko Udo and Takako Zenba.”

He continued, revealing, “However, Yumiko Udo always made sure to attend drinking gatherings with older men.” While gathered reporters chuckled, he added, “She even drank beer before going on air.” Furthermore, he suggested that Udo’s participation in such gatherings was not just due to her love of alcohol but may have also played a role in advancing her career through networking with influential figures.

“She would ask things like, ‘Who’s actually higher up, the center director or the department head?’—essentially trying to figure out whom to flatter. She had a pretty calculated side to her.”

A sports newspaper reporter covering broadcasting commented, “Since Tachibana spent nearly 20 years at NHK, his statements carry some credibility. Considering that Udo became the main host of the NHK Red and White Song Battle and the first MC of the morning show Asaichi, it’s possible that her fondness for drinking played a part in her rise at NHK.

That being said, her success ultimately came down to her abilities. This is not something that just any female announcer could replicate.”

And a big mistake with alcohol

Announcer Yumiko Udo expressed her intention to work as a freelance journalist and left NHK on March 31, 2018, after 27 years with the broadcaster. She then served as the main anchor of Nippon TV’s flagship news program news zero from October of the same year until March 2024. Currently, she holds four regular positions: MC of Nippon TV’s music program with MUSIC, narrator for the network’s animal variety show Aa!! Minna no Dobutsuen, main anchor of TV Asahi’s news program Udo Times, and host of Nippon Broadcasting System’s radio show Udo no Radio. Among freelance announcers, a highly competitive field, she is considered one of the few true success stories.

However, despite her success, she remains humble, which has earned her even more admiration outside of work.

“At a wedding attended by many industry professionals and media figures, Udo, who was a friend of the groom, volunteered to be the MC without receiving any payment. During breaks in the program, she happily posed for photos with attendees and engaged in conversations with a friendly demeanor. As a result, her reputation soared. People at the venue were even saying things like, ‘Well, I guess we can’t write anything bad about Udo anymore,’” a guest at the wedding shared.

Udo is known for her love of alcohol and her ability to seamlessly turn social drinking occasions into work opportunities, but not all of her drinking episodes have been positive.

“There was an incident she revealed on Udo no Radio last April. She attended a drinking party and ended up drinking for 10 hours straight, becoming completely inebriated. She then attempted to take a shower at her hotel while still fully clothed, slipped, hit her head against the wall, and was knocked unconscious for about two hours.

Additionally, on the December 14 broadcast of news zero, she appeared with a large bandage on her face, shocking viewers. The next day on her radio show, she explained that she had missed a step while walking down the stairs due to a hangover and hit her face hard.”

While drinking can be enjoyable, one can only hope that she avoids any injuries that could lead to serious consequences.

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