[Exclusive] Divorced Kenshi Sugiya Seen Bar-Hopping Until 2 A.M. with TV Asahi’s Ace Female Announcer

Enjoyed bar-hopping for six hours

Past 11 p.m. on an early June night, when the entire country was wrapped in the sticky heat hinting at the coming rainy season, with the temperature reaching a high of 28°C.

A man dressed in a coordinated all-white outfit—white setup and white sneakers, giving off the vibe of a stylish IT company president from Minato Ward—emerged from “Uo no Hana,” a hidden gem izakaya in Tokyo’s Nakameguro. It was Kenshi Sugiya (34), a former professional baseball player who is now active on variety shows and YouTube.

“Sugiya was known for bringing energy both on and off the field during his time with the Nippon-Ham Fighters. After retiring in 2022, his cheerful character made him a popular figure in the media. He also runs a company focused on sports and education. Some say he earns more now than he did as an athlete,” said a sports newspaper editor.

Following behind the tipsy Sugiya were three cheerful young men and women. Among them was a tall woman in a black jacket—believed to be Minami Moriyama (26), an announcer at TV Asahi.

“Moriyama is a promising talent who was appointed as a news presenter on ‘Good! Morning’ shortly after joining the network. She served as assistant on ‘Shinichi Hatori’s Morning Show’ until last March, and now anchors the weekday edition of ‘Super J Channel.’ She’s essentially the face of TV Asahi in the evening and is steadily rising as a leading announcer,” explained a key TV network insider.

Sugiya and Moriyama, showing a friendly vibe despite the age difference, got into a waiting van along with the other two and headed to Ebisu (Shibuya Ward). They stayed at the second restaurant for about three more hours, eventually parting ways at 2 a.m. Sugiya kept making Moriyama laugh with his playful antics until the very end.

Sugiya had announced back in January 2020 that he divorced the woman he married in 2017 during his playing days. Three years after retirement, he has successfully transitioned into a business owner and continues to ride high in popularity. The idea of him attending a mixer with an announcer in search of new connections doesn’t seem far-fetched. Although Moriyama is known to be a soccer fan, could this night lead to something more?

When asked about the gathering, Sugiya’s company “ZENSHIN CONNECT,” which he heads, gave the following explanation:

“This dinner was held around 8 p.m. to celebrate Mr. Taro Fukuda, who left Hokkaido Television Broadcasting this March and moved to Tokyo to become an MLB play-by-play announcer. Mr. Fukuda is the same age as Sugiya and has been a close companion since Sugiya’s playing days. The gathering included Ms. Moriyama—who has worked with Sugiya on programs within the TV Asahi network—and her friend. It was a close-knit group enjoying good food to send off Mr. Fukuda, and not a ‘gokon’ (group blind date).”

Sugiya, now a popular figure beyond sports, enjoyed six hours of bar-hopping with a star announcer. His brightness and attentiveness continue to win people over—even those in the TV industry.

From the June 27 and July 4, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”