NHK Star Announcers Quit One After Another Amid Growing Sense of No Future

Nakagawa Anna was not the only one

In March of this year, 31-year-old announcer Anna Nakagawa left NHK and joined major talent agency Horipro—since then, she’s been steadily building her freelance career.

Just weeks after her transition, she appeared on the April 6 episode of Akko ni Omakase! (TBS), hosted by agency senior Akiko Wada (75), quickly taking on a semi-regular role. Since then, she’s made appearances on numerous variety shows including Sunday Japon (TBS), Downtown DX (NTV), and What’s So Wrong With Being A Little Calculating? (TV Asahi). On July 14, she made her quiz show debut on Yobidashi Sensei Tanaka SP (Fuji TV), her first such appearance since going freelance.

“Nakagawa joined NHK in 2016. After assignments in Akita and Hiroshima, she was called to Tokyo in just four years. She mainly worked as a sports announcer, serving as a host on Sunday Sports and even providing commentary during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her outfit during the opening ceremony broadcast made headlines online for appearing almost nude.

Known for her trademark sleeveless outfits even during her NHK days, Nakagawa attracted attention on Instagram, achieving popularity on par with female announcers from commercial networks. That strong visibility has translated into a smooth freelance transition—she’s likely already earning more than she did at NHK within her first year,” said a TV industry insider.

Since Nakagawa’s departure, NHK has seen a wave of resignations among top announcers. Her classmate Ayumi Sato (31), who worked on NHK News Ohayō Nippon, announced her resignation and move to freelancing on X (formerly Twitter) on June 8. Meanwhile, Noritaka Nishikawa (34), who was the sports anchor for Saturday Watch 9 and covered the Qatar World Cup and Paris Olympics on-site, left NHK on May 31 and was named the new MC for business media outlet PIVOT in June.

“All of them—whether in news, sports, or variety—were top-tier announcers who would have been considered ace-level talents at any commercial network. The reasons often cited for why such ace-level announcers leave NHK include the reality that even if they remain, they can’t stay in that ‘ace’ position forever. In the Tokyo announcer division, promotions are limited due to the logjam of senior staff, and even those who advance might be reassigned to regional stations.

With no guarantee they can remain in Tokyo, many choose to go freelance, where they can find more fulfilling opportunities. As a result, it’s often the most capable announcers who are the first to leave,” said a journalist covering the broadcast industry.

“I don’t see any future in it.”

Could the situation still be the same today? Former NHK employee and journalist Shinji Nakamura shared more details:

“In fact, many capable employees in their 30s—not just announcers, but also reporters and directors—have been leaving the company. The reason behind this is the lack of perceived future potential in the management strategy of President Nobuo Inaba (74), who took office in January 2023.”

According to reports, former NHK reporter Chisa Kotemori, who worked on international news production, has also left NHK and joined the new program PIVOT as a co-host alongside announcer Nishikawa. So, what exactly is President Inaba’s futureless management strategy?

“NHK has been running budget deficits consecutively. Budget cuts are increasingly pressuring the production sites. Under such tight conditions, the field desperately hopes for a clearer future vision and decisive leadership. But there’s no sign of either.

Take streaming, for example. In May last year, a revised Broadcast Act was passed making online distribution a mandatory service. President Inaba praised this as a ‘historic turning point’ at a press conference. However, in reality, streaming is now limited to already broadcast content. This has prevented the development of original streaming content and deeper extensions of broadcast programming—initiatives promoted during former President Akinobu Maeda’s (80) tenure—effectively shutting down forward-looking and creative efforts. If this is the extent of NHK’s digital presence, where is it headed? There’s no visibility.

Under Inaba’s leadership, he has repeatedly rejected the reforms of the Maeda era, such as the regional employee system and non-visit-based subscription collection. He also treats staff involved in past reforms coldly, without ever presenting a convincing vision for the future. Field staff are increasingly anxious, caught in the middle of one president after another fighting for credit, and management policies that change with every sunrise.

If the ship they’re on is shrinking and bound to sink, it’s only natural for those confident they can succeed elsewhere to jump ship. For announcers who have survived intense competition to appear on national broadcasts, becoming a freelancer is an easier choice,” said Nakamura.

He also noted that, while NHK employees are often thought to be highly paid, commercial network employees still earn more. If the future looks uncertain and salaries aren’t competitive, it’s only natural that capable, high-earning individuals would leave.

Looking at announcer Nakagawa’s energetic recent work, it may well be that those who left NHK are now carving out a brighter future for themselves.

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