Naohide Fukuhara, former male Fuji TV announcer, on his second career: “When I left the company, I felt refreshed.”

Shedding the Coat of “Company Employee

In his 30-year career at Fuji Television, horse racing was not just a job for Fukuhara, but a way of life itself. Although Fukuhara had established a firm position in the world of horse racing, he was also troubled by his position as a member of the Fuji Television organization.

When you are over 50 years old, the training of younger employees becomes an important theme within the organization,” he said. But when I think about what I can teach or give advice to younger employees, I don’t have the confidence to do so. At the same time, I was aware that a person like myself would not be very useful to the organization, and the word “quitting time” had been a stain on my mind for a long time.

Fukuhara left the organization in the spring of 2010, but at first he still felt uneasy about the days when he had no work.

If you don’t have a job, you have no choice but to stay home,” he said. The numbers on the pedometer on my smartphone app dropped dramatically in April and May. I have to be disciplined from now on. I thought to myself, ‘I must discipline myself from now on; I mustn’t drink from noon on. It’s been three whole years since I went freelance, and I still haven’t had a drink in the afternoon.

Currently, he appears on “Yutaka Taketoyo TV! II” on Fuji Television One, “Horse Racing Broth” on the Green Channel, has a regular column in Sankei Sports newspaper, and also appears on YouTube. His work is getting on track.

When I resigned from the company, I felt a sense of relief. It was like an exhilarating feeling of taking off the coat of a company employee and becoming lighter. But to be honest, there are still times when I feel a little cold (laughs).

We are sure to see Fukuhara in action along with the G1 spring horse racing season.

From the March 28, 2025 issue of FRIDAY