The Topics That Guarantee Ratings—Bears and Takaichi Administration—and Why Broadcasters Are Uneasy

Political journalists have disappeared

In a television industry struggling with chronically low ratings, there are currently two topics that still reliably draw numbers: the Takaichi administration and bears.

Any program that features either topic is almost guaranteed to get good ratings. Yet field staff say they are on edge. There are reasons unique to television networks.

“Right after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (64) took office, upper management issued an order: ‘Refrain from using political journalists.’ The entire station was thrown into turmoil.”

So confides a veteran producer who works on a commercial network’s daytime talk show.

The cause goes back to the recent LDP leadership election. It effectively became a one-on-one contest between Takaichi and Shinjiro Koizumi (44). Many political journalists who appeared on news and talk shows predicted a “Prime Minister Koizumi.”

But when the results were revealed, Japan saw the birth of its first female LDP president. “In the studio, the commentators all visibly slumped in disappointment—it was like a funeral,” the producer recalls.

“Apparently, someone from Takaichi’s side complained to station executives after seeing that scene. That seems to have led to the directive to limit appearances by political journalists. Our talk show voluntarily refrained from using them for about a week.”

Kimi Onoda, the Minister for Economic Security (42), whose beauty and forthright speech have made her rapidly popular on social media, has also become a difficult figure for TV shows to feature.

“When we ask the political news division about doing a feature on Onoda, they immediately refuse, saying, ‘We can’t comment on her.’ She’s known for disliking the media, and there have been times she has called out reporters by name for writing articles she didn’t like. So the news desks try to avoid her.”

Don’t get out of the car

Another dangerous yet high–rating–guaranteed topic is bears.

This year, bears have been appearing all over the country. Not only in the mountains but also in residential areas and city centers. More than 200 people have already been injured or killed. The number of fatalities has doubled from six in 2023—the worst year on record—to twelve, creating an unprecedented situation in which the Self-Defense Forces have been deployed.

“Normally, we send staff to bear sighting locations across the country, but this year is different. Bears that prey on humans have begun to appear, making on-site reporting a life-threatening task.”

So says a director working on a news program.

Even so, bear-related news is one of the biggest topics of the year and a matter of public concern, so it cannot be ignored. Coverage is now conducted under strict rules such as: “Reporting only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,” “Basically, do not get out of the car—always ensure an escape route,” and “Always carry bear spray.”

“Our network has compiled all the forbidden actions into a manual. But honestly, if you actually saw a bear up close, you’d be too terrified to even hold up the spray. Directors are sweating every day over who will be sent to the scene.” (same director)

On social media, topics related to the Takaichi administration and bears trend almost daily. Both could be saviors of TV ratings, but TV staff find themselves caught between the danger of covering them and the drop in viewership if they avoid them.