Medalists Ami Nakai and Team Celebrate Homecoming with Iconic Cheek Pose
Special Report (Part 2): The industry's hottest young hopefuls and talented mid-career announcers are selected from each station! Star candidates following Mami Mizuto and Ayaka Hironaka!
The wave of popular female announcers leaving their networks shows no sign of stopping. At Fuji TV, ace announcers Yumi Nagashima (34) and Marino Fujimoto (30) left last year, and at TBS, Risa Unai (34) also departed within the same period. Even Erina Iwata (30) of Nippon TV, who had been expected to be the post-Asami Miura, is reported to be leaving in March this year.
Who are the new-generation star candidates that will carry the future of each network? Are the young announcers being nurtured? Here, industry insiders who are familiar with female announcers introduce the most notable up-and-coming talents, the “Kami Eleven.”
[Read the First Part Here] Is a breakout guaranteed this year!? The “Kami Eleven 2026” leading the new era of female announcers
Outstanding Internal Popularity
Even those who didn’t rank at the very top within the “Kami Eleven” are all talents with the potential to break through. For example, TV Asahi first-year announcer Rin Urabayashi (23). A TV Asahi insider revealed, “Among the three female announcers who joined in ’25, Urabayashi has the highest internal evaluation.”
“In college, she was in the Wandervogel club, a sports-type club, and was extremely high-energy. She’s also very personable. Last summer, at a TV Asahi event, she was put in charge of introducing beers at the venue. Even after the broadcast ended, she stayed at the booth for over two hours, greeting and chatting with visitors. The staff were impressed by her stamina and service spirit. Her work on ‘Oshita Yoko Wide! Scramble’ was highly praised, and from January this year, she has been appointed the main caster of ‘ABEMA Morning.’”
Mami Nakane (25) of TV Tokyo is an unusual talent who, driven by her love of soccer, obtained a JFA-certified D-level coaching license.
“Six months after joining the company, she became the main caster of the soccer-special program ‘Saturday Night J.’ She was ecstatic, calling it her dream job. During interviews, she carries heavy equipment herself and keeps up with almost all soccer-related news. She is steadily establishing herself as a sports caster,” said a production staff member.
While young talents across networks compete intensely, Fuji TV, which once built an idol announcer empire, is struggling.
“I want to highlight Aoi Harada (25), a former member of ‘Sakurazaka46.’ At the start, repeated misreadings were an issue, but recently she’s been entrusted with information-casting and hosting roles on flagship programs like ‘Mezamashi TV’ and ‘Poka Poka.’ Perhaps because she’s used to performing from her idol days, she is unflappable even in front of major actors appearing for program promotions. Just by appearing on screen, she brings a burst of brightness. I hope she can challenge Seika Inoue’s dominant position,” said TV columnist Tamami Hiyama.
During high school, Nakane served as the manager of the boys’ soccer team. She is also a big fan of Nagoya Grampus Eight.
Called the future ace since joining the company, she may be Fuji’s savior amid concerns about the shortage of female announcers.
Mid-Career Announcers Betting on a Comeback
It’s not just the young talents who are expected to make a leap—among mid-career announcers who have been building experience while waiting for a big break, there are some with explosive potential. Leading the pack are TBS announcers Rina Shinohara (29) and Yuko Wakabayashi (29).
“Shinohara, a University of Tokyo graduate, gained popularity through early-morning live segments on THE TIME, where her hearty eating of standing soba and bread charmed viewers. While her big eater persona came first, she is actually a versatile announcer capable of serious news and field reports. Perhaps because of these skills, she’s recently been given more roles as a caster and reporter.
Wakabayashi previously served as an assistant on the information program Gut Luck! Exposure had decreased after the show ended in ’21, but since last October she has been an assistant on Sunday Japon. She can handle news, information, variety, and sports, so Sunday Japon presents her with a chance for a comeback,” said columnist Tamami Hiyama.
At Nippon TV, shaken by reports of Erina Iwata’s departure, some are pushing Rena Ichiki (30) as the next ace. Professor Gochinobu Okada of Yamato University’s Sociology Department commented:
“She has a background as a former member of Nogizaka46 and has mainly handled variety programs such as Gyoretsu no Dekiru Horitsu Sodanjo. However, she was overshadowed by her classmate (cohort) Iwata. What is less known is that she has also contributed to news programs like news zero and news every. Since the ‘talent announcer’ path is challenging, Nippon TV likely wants to leverage her experience in news programs and develop her into a face of news. Her recognition and composure are certainly reliable.”
From among this year’s “Kami Eleven,” the emergence of a new-generation star announcer may be just around the corner!
A talented announcer who served as a weather caster on Mezamashi Doyoubi while at the University of Tokyo. Aiming to break away from her quirky image and make a big leap.
Has handled everything from news to variety shows. Lived in New York as a child and is fluent in English.
Transitioned from idol and actress to announcer. Handles Buzzerhythm 02 as host and serves as SHOWBIZ caster for ZIP!.
From the March 6, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”