Who’s the Next Icon? The Search for TV’s Newest Female Announcer Star
Part 1: TV people and experts select the best eleven!
The next-generation new heroines
NTV’s Asami Miura (38), TV Asahi’s Ayaka Hironaka (34), and if we’re talking TBS, then probably Ai Eto (39). The lineup of flagship female announcers at the key stations hasn’t really changed for nearly a decade. In a world where the lack of young talent among female announcers is becoming a pressing issue, training new recruits has become an urgent task. So, do next-generation new heroines exist who can overcome this tough situation? FRIDAY conducted urgent interviews with TV station staff, female announcer watchers, and experts. Let’s introduce the standout talents within their first three years at the stations who emerged from these interviews.
The name that came up the most as a promising young announcer was Aoi Harada (25) from Fuji TV.
“Last month, when Seika Inoue (30), the main anchor of Mezamashi TV, was off for a week, Harada filled in flawlessly. Her script reading was perfect, and her time management was spot-on. She handled everything with such composure that you could easily see her as the main anchor. I think she’s steadily establishing herself as the ‘post-Seika Inoue.’
Since October 2023, she’s also appeared regularly on the variety show Pokapoka. Her experience in live broadcasts, where mistakes aren’t allowed, has helped her grow. She’s steadily improving her skills without relying on her background as a former member of Sakurazaka46,” says TV columnist Tamami Hiyama.
Also attracting strong attention from watchers is Mami Nakane (25) from TV Tokyo, who is the same age as Harada.
“Nakane attended an announcer school run by Fuji TV during college and was a finalist in the first Student Announcer Awards—a testament to her abilities. She joined the station with high expectations and was quickly chosen as a reporter for TV Tokyo Music Festival and the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, which are stepping stones for TV Tokyo announcers. At the fireworks event, she impressed viewers by bantering smoothly with co-host Toshiyaki Kasuga (46) from the comedy duo Audrey, making the audience laugh. Just six months after joining, she earned the role of main anchor on Saturday Night J.
Since October last year, she’s also been the host of Ijuin Hikaru & Nobuyuki Sakuma’s Arbitrary “TV Tokyo Critique”, skillfully handling news, sports, and variety. The fact that she’s being featured so widely shows how much TV Tokyo is betting on her,” says entertainment critic Takeshi Misugi.
Another finalist alongside Nakane in the Student Announcer Awards was Yui Watanabe (25) from NTV.
“She didn’t win the grand prize, but she received a special award. The higher-ups must have seen her as ready to go from the start because she was quickly assigned to flagship shows like ZIP! and Hirunandesu!.
Since April 2024, she’s been hosting Daigo’s Comedian Receipts. Putting her in a show with Daigo (45) of the top comedy duo Chidori is likely meant to develop her ability to respond to sudden prompts and manage chaotic show flows. In fact, she’s shown impressive poise for a rookie, even throwing sharp comebacks during comedian talk segments. Reportedly, even Daigo holds her in high regard,” says a variety show director at a key station.
Fuji TV’s face of sports
While more and more announcers are becoming all-rounders, Risa Yamamoto (25), who joined Nippon TV in 2023, is being praised for standing out by specializing in her area of strength, according to the aforementioned variety show director from a key station.
“She was on the handball team in both junior high and high school, even placing third in the nation during junior high—a real athlete. She’s already proving to be an asset on the sports show Going! Sports & News. She has a lively and energetic personality typical of athletes, and she’s well-liked by them.
Yamamoto thoroughly researches the athletes she interviews, watching detailed footage of their matches. Even an athlete known for disliking the media gladly accepted her interview request. Recognizing her capabilities, she was sent for on-site reporting at the Paris Olympics last year. While Fuji TV’s Minami Sakuma (27) is also a popular young sportscaster, some criticize her for being too close to the athletes. Yamamoto, who knows how to maintain professional boundaries, may soon secure her place as an established sportscaster.”
Fuji TV also has several outstanding announcers in the sports field. Maaya Miyamoto (23), for instance, became something of a legend during her student days when she worked as a beer vendor at Fukuoka’s Mizuho PayPay Dome, selling a record 240 cups in a single day.
“She uses the communication skills she honed as a vendor to smoothly handle interviews with major athletes. In May of this year, she made a triumphant return to the PayPay Dome to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a game between SoftBank and Nippon-Ham, energizing the crowd. The following month, she was appointed caster for a warm-up match of the Japan women’s national basketball team. If she continues to gain experience on sports programs, she may soon be on par with Sakuma,” adds Misugi.
Columnist Tamami Hiyama, previously mentioned, recommends TBS’s Kaira Urano (23), who joined in 2024, saying she has nerves of steel for a rookie.
“On Sunday Japon, where she appears as a reporter, she interviewed the Chief Investment Officer of Dalton Investments—Fuji Media Holdings’ outspoken major shareholder—in English. She directly asked, ‘Is Dalton’s ultimate goal to take control of Fuji’s management?’ Her boldness didn’t feel like that of a newcomer. She also made headlines when she asked Yuichiro Tamaki (56), leader of the Democratic Party for the People, ‘Do you have any negative feelings toward the Japan Innovation Party?’ Her courage to ask tough questions to big names is impressive. Clearly recognizing her talent, the station has entrusted her with major programs like THE TIME,.”
As for fearless personalities, Akari Matsuoka (23), now in her second year at TV Asahi, is no less formidable.
“She was a standout from day one, starting as an assistant on Shinichi Hatori’s Morning Show on April 1, the day she joined. She was only the second rookie ever to start on that show from day one—the first being Chiharu Saito (28). This rare appointment shows how highly the station regards her. She rarely makes mistakes when reading scripts, and she even danced on the spot when asked unexpectedly by co-host Toru Tamagawa (61) to teach him some dance moves. With both talent and guts, she’s got it all. Hatori (54) himself has reportedly said, ‘Matsuoka is going to be big.’ With his endorsement, TV Asahi’s executives are likely to increase her screen time even more.”
Her fellow 2023 entrant, Yoshiko Miyama (23), is also a promising talent. She appeared on Good! Morning on the very day of the company entrance ceremony. A Keio University graduate fluent in French, she’s another one to watch, according to a news program producer at a key station.
From “FRIDAY”, June 27–July 4, 2025, combined issue
