Why Former NHK Announcer Maatomo Ushida Struggles to Stand Out in Street Speeches Despite Her Charisma

Beauty resembling Masako Natsume

Holding a microphone and addressing the crowd in a clear, powerful voice was Yuichiro Tamaki (56), leader of the Democratic Party for the People. Standing beside him, hands clasped in front and wearing a tense expression, was former NHK announcer Mayu Ushida (39), now the party’s head of the Tokyo Metropolitan constituency for the House of Councillors.

On May 25, the Democratic Party for the People held a street rally in front of JR Hamamatsucho Station (Minato Ward, Tokyo). Alongside the two were Yoshihiro Okumura (31), head of the party’s Tokyo Constituency No. 2, and Sho Ito (34), policy committee chair for Tokyo’s island areas.

Following opening remarks by Okumura, Ushida took the microphone and said:

“This summer, the Democratic Party for the People will push policies to increase take-home pay, which in turn will boost tourism and local economies!”

She added,

“Children sense when adults are under strain, making it harder for them to comfortably share their worries with their parents. We need to build a society where working-age people can thrive.”

That was the extent of her remarks. Afterward, she stood beside Tamaki, listening intently as he gave a passionate speech.

“Ms. Ushida occasionally waved to the crowd while standing next to Mr. Tamaki. She’s often called an announcer who resembles Masako Natsume, and her sophisticated beauty gives her a striking presence even when standing still. After the rally, she posed for photos and signed autographs for supporters and social media followers,” one audience member recounted.

“Then she mostly stayed beside Tamaki while he spoke to the press, chatting with party staffers without making any especially noticeable moves.”

A highly accomplished figure, Ushida graduated from Osaka University’s School of Medicine and was crowned Miss Osaka University in 2007. She joined NHK in 2009, starting at the Yamaguchi bureau (2009–2011), then moving to Kyoto (2012–2014), Tokyo Announce Room (2015–2018), and Osaka (2019–July 2023). In August 2023, she returned to the Tokyo Announce Room, where until April 13 this year, she served as host of Sunday Debate, a political talk show featuring party leaders.

What are the chances of being elected?

Just 10 days later, on April 23, she announced her candidacy for this summer’s House of Councillors election in the Tokyo constituency (six seats up for reelection, one by-election) from the Democratic Party for the People. At a press conference that same day, she explained her reason for choosing the party:

“The Democratic Party for the People is placing strong emphasis on tackling loneliness and isolation, and I too strongly wanted to take part in those discussions,” she said.

Since then, for about a month, Ushida has stood alongside party leader Tamaki at several street speeches, but her own speeches have been brief, with few opportunities to express policy positions in her own words. Political commentator Harumi Arima analyzes the current situation as follows:

“On ‘Sunday Debate,’ Ushida’s job as an announcer was to set up questions for politicians and draw out their words. So her own words still lack energy. Right now, standing next to Tamaki as he speaks, I think she’s learning the phrasing and passion politicians use in their words.

There’s still two months until the election, and she’s a very smart person. As she continues working alongside Tamaki, she’ll likely come to fully understand the Democratic Party for the People’s policies. When the time comes — not just to give speeches, but to debate with confidence — the party will probably time it to make a big splash by presenting her as a major rookie candidate.”

So what are her chances of winning?

“She has the prestigious NHK name. The title of former NHK announcer carries a lot of weight. As things stand, her election is practically guaranteed. However, unless she brings substance to match that title, people will laugh. Since the party can no longer count on Shiori Yamao (50), she’ll need to become a key figure alongside Tamaki. Unless she shows that kind of momentum, it’ll affect the party’s overall vote. To have people say, ‘The Democratic Party for the People chooses good candidates,’ she’s still in the preparation stage,” says Arima.

Whether her candidacy turns out to be a blessing or a curse for the party remains to be seen as the election campaign unfolds.