Erina Iwata of Nippon TV Rumored Free Agency Ahead Enjoys a Cheerful Night at a High End Yakiniku Restaurant

Heading to an entertainment agency that also represents figures like Seiji Miyane and Shinichi Hatori starting in April

One weekend in late February, a crowd had formed in front of a Tokyo yakiniku restaurant known for being hard to book. At the center of it all, smiling broadly, was Nippon TV announcer Erina Iwata (30). With both hands on her stomach, she burst into laughter—clearly in a very good mood.

Iwata joined Nippon TV in 2018 and has worked on programs such as World’s Most Dangerous Television: Caught on Camera! and Buzz Rhythm 10. She has also been seen as a strong candidate to succeed Azumi Muto as the network’s next top announcer. However, it was reported last December that she would be leaving the network, and on the March 8 broadcast of Shuichi, where she serves as MC, she personally announced her departure on air and confirmed her graduation from the program.

“According to last year’s programming schedule, she was originally expected to continue on ‘Shuichi’ into the next season. Host Hideyuki Nakayama is known for treating staff and performers with care, so it seems more natural to think this was a decision from Iwata’s side rather than a production-side change,” said a key TV station director.

After 7:30 p.m., Iwata left the restaurant with a stylish middle-aged man and got into a shuttle vehicle, heading to a bar about 15 minutes away. About two hours later, after enjoying a second stop, she returned home in the same vehicle.

“Her move to a new agency is scheduled for April, but even before officially joining, she is already receiving chauffeur services from them, showing how warmly she is being welcomed. We also hear she already has MC roles lined up at other networks. Since she doesn’t have a strong news image, she is expected to expand mainly into variety shows,” said a commercial TV insider.

Even after going freelance, her career seems secure—her lively smile says it all.

From the March 27 and April 3, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”