[Exclusive Report] Inside the Drinking Parties with Female Announcers from Osaka TV Stations and Top Comedians

Shocking Confession: “It’s Not Just Tokyo!” Dirty jokes, body contact, and even kissing games

“The producers would bring female announcers to drinking parties, trying to cozy up to big names. Such gatherings aren’t just a thing in Tokyo—they’re common at TV stations in Kansai as well. And within these parties, various troubles occur,” says Yamada Takashi (pseudonym), an attender who arranges meetings between women and entertainment industry figures.

Yamada has been in the attending business for over 10 years in Osaka’s entertainment district.

“I often got requests like ‘Can you bring some girls?’ from various people, but the most frequent requests came from producers at Osaka-based TV stations. I brought in gravure idols, aspiring stage actresses, and even introduced several female TV announcers I knew.

These parties would start around 8 PM at the earliest, and naturally, they would run late, past the time for the last trains. The typical routine was for the guest of honor to send the girls home in taxis afterward.”

When asked why he decided to reveal this now, Yamada said, “It was seeing the issue surrounding Masahiro Nakai (52) that made me realize for the first time how bizarre this practice is.”

Possibly out of guilt, Yamada added, “I’ve been to about 50 to 60 of these drinking parties with female announcers. Some people were there just for business, but of course, there were those with ulterior motives.”

Kissing during a drinking session

The first instance where the reality of these gatherings was revealed took place in early December 2022 at a dimly lit bar in Shinsaibashi (Osaka’s Chuo Ward). The event was organized by a producer from the variety department of an Osaka-based TV station. Attendees included announcer A (in her 30s) from the same station, several people from talent agencies, and the main guest: a famous comedian, X (in his 60s), well-known across Kansai.

“At the time, X and announcer A didn’t even share any shows together, and it wasn’t a wrap-up party or anything—it was just a drinking party. As usual, it started late, and by around midnight, the atmosphere was very lively. Although X is married with children, he didn’t seem to care, sitting next to announcer A, hugging her and touching her legs, clearly enjoying himself.

As time passed, the two even started kissing. It seemed to be a penalty for losing a game, and announcer A kissed X on the cheek. The producer, who worked for the same station as the announcer, didn’t try to stop them. X, now in high spirits, said, ‘I’ll take her home!’ and the two got into a taxi together.”

There were other such drinking parties involving Osaka-based TV producers, X, and female announcers. In mid-August 2023, another drinking session was held, this time with a producer from a variety show on another Osaka station, announcer B (in her 20s), and a few freelance models.

“This time, the event was held at an okonomiyaki restaurant in Namba (Chuo Ward). X was in high spirits from the start, making crude jokes, saying, ‘I heard there’d be girls to sleep with!’—whether he was serious or joking was unclear. The first party was lively, and announcer B seemed to be having fun talking. However, at the second party, they started playing games involving physical contact, and many of the women, including B, seemed uncomfortable, lowering their heads and clearly unhappy.

As the night wore on and people began to leave, announcer B, likely due to the presence of her superior and X, ended up staying through to the third party at a karaoke bar. She frequently went to the restroom or sat in the corner, clearly trying to avoid X, but in the end, he insisted, ‘I’ll take you home. We’re just going together, so come on,’ and forcefully got her into a taxi.”

Big-name comedians from Tokyo also attended

The main guests at the drinking parties organized by producers of Osaka-based TV stations, which involved female announcers, were not limited to famous Kansai comedians. In early November 2023, a drinking party was held with comedian Y (in his 50s), who regularly appears on multiple TV shows in Tokyo.

“Along with announcer B, who also attended the party in mid-August, and her supervising producer, a chief director from the variety production department of a key Tokyo station made a special trip to join. It was likely this director who invited Y. Although Y has a wife and children, he had B sit next to him, hugging her and lightly touching her throughout the evening.

However, the next day, when I sent B a thank-you email, she didn’t reply. Since then, she has consistently refused any contact. I left the party midway, but it seems that something happened after I left, and I haven’t seen her at such gatherings since.”

It’s not only entertainment industry insiders who get invited to these events. In mid-July 2023, Yamada participated in a drinking party with a producer from an Osaka-based TV station and announcer C (in her 30s). What was different this time was the attendance of a top executive from a major talent agency and Z (in his 40s), a member of the opposition faction in the Kansai region’s parliament.

“The party took place at a bar in Shinsaibashi, which I had reserved. I don’t know who organized it, but throughout the evening, the top executive and Z were engrossed in conversation. Given the timing, I suspect it had something to do with the upcoming Osaka Expo.

Z, despite being married with children, seemed to take a liking to C. He even asked me to set up another meeting, saying, ‘I want to drink with her again next time.’ I saw him and C leaving together in a taxi at the end of the night.”

These drinking parties, where producers mediate between female announcers and powerful figures, were not just a scandalous practice at Fuji TV but were also common in Osaka-based TV stations. While there are, of course, differences between the two, there are many similarities.

“I’ve attended drinking parties at key stations in Tokyo, but in Osaka, the parties are smaller and held more discreetly. Because of this, female announcers often find it harder to leave early and end up staying until the end. To avoid leaving a trail, all the arrangements are made over the phone. While smartphones aren’t confiscated during the parties, at Y’s gathering, I was frequently warned, ‘Don’t say anything unnecessary.’ Sometimes, the producer would even settle the bill using station funds.

Looking back, I now realize that these parties created situations where announcers were forced to kiss as part of the games or were psychologically cornered into going home with someone, with their supervising producers silently condoning the behavior. I regret not being able to stop the excessive harassment,” Yamada reflects.

The drinking party culture between famous entertainers and female announcers, deeply ingrained in the Kansai television industry, is a harmful practice that must be ended immediately.

From the March 7, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”