Playback ’16] Rescuing a Drunken Classmate…Katopan, Who Left Fuji, Shows Her “Dignity as an Ace” at the Farewell Party.

Synchronizers gather to celebrate a new beginning

What did “FRIDAY” report 10, 20, or 30 years ago? In this issue of “Playback Friday,” we revisit the topics that were hot at the time. This time, we take a look at the May 27, 2004 issue, which was published 10 years ago, and the entirety of the “Katopan Farewell Party,” where 32 of her classmates gathered, including the scene where she successfully rescued Keiko Tsubakihara, a drunken TV announcer.

Ayako Kato, then 31, left Fuji Television at the end of April 2004. On the night of her last weekend, a farewell party was held at a creative restaurant in Shirokane (Minato Ward), Tokyo. Surrounding her that day were her 32 colleagues who had joined Fuji Television together in 2008, and who had been the face of Fuji Television for so long. The following is a report of the entire event (descriptions in parentheses are quotes from past articles, and titles are those of the time).

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Since announcing her departure in January of that year, several farewell parties have been held for Katopan, including those of big-name celebrities and Fuji Television executives. The last of these was held by her fellow classmates. Except for a few who could not attend due to work, everyone gathered to congratulate her on her departure.

The party was held in a partitioned space in the back of the restaurant. The inside of the room was hidden from the other customers, but their happy voices could be heard. The article at the time reported the scene as follows.

《”Everyone, are you ready for the camera?　It’s a …… ‘good night’ cake for Aya~!”

Just after 8 p.m., when all the participants had arrived, a cake was brought to the venue, and the beautiful voice of Keiko Tsubakihara, then 30, who was apparently the hostess, echoed out. Yay! and the attendees were in high spirits.

Tsubakihara: Who wants to take a two-shot photo with Aya?　What? All of you, then!

Male employee: Let’s all say “Otsukare-sama” in Se-ne. Se-no ……

Good-bye, everyone!

Male employee Let’s take a picture together. Let’s take a picture together!

Amidst the cheers, Katopan said in a high-pitched voice, “Thank you very much!

Thank you very much!

and a round of applause erupted.

Male employee: I don’t think this short time will fill the gap of eight years (laughs), but let’s have fun!

The party proceeded with an air of openness that could only come from being in the same class, and the group left the restaurant after 9:00 p.m., but went straight to the after-party. It was nearly 1:00 a.m. when Katopan and the others reappeared from the Azabu Juban bar where the party was held.

Next to Katopan was Keiko Tsubakihara, who was completely tongue-tied. The next moment, her staggered legs became tangled and she almost fell. Katopan grabbed her hand and saved her from a near-fall. He then pulled Tsubakihara’s hand, saying, “Here we go,” and headed for the after-party.

By the time the after-party ended at 3:30 a.m., Katopan was enjoying the company of her peers, looking nonchalant, showing no signs of fatigue or tears. Even though it was her own farewell party, Katopan was still a dignified Fuji Television ace to the very end.

The “face” of Fuji even after going freelance

Katopan was the main anchor of “Mezamashi TV” and host of numerous variety shows, and was the ace of Fuji Television in the early ’10s. Her schedule was hard, arriving at the office at 3:00 a.m. every morning, appearing on “Mezamashi” and then staying late into the night to record variety shows. Now that she has gone freelance, she is free of this schedule and earns many times more than she did during her time as a station announcer.

FRIDAY” (February 12, 2004 issue) interviewed Katopan the day after she announced her departure. The magazine asked, “Will Fuji Television be all right now that its ace announcer has quit?” Katopan answered cheerfully , “It’s totally fine! Katopan answered cheerfully.

However, in 2007, Katopan returned to the “face of Fuji” as the main anchor of the evening news program “Live News It! an evening news program that started in April. Even after going freelance, she was still an indispensable presence at Fuji Television.

In June 2009, she announced her marriage to the second president (now retired) of a major supermarket, Ropia, and in September 2010, she graduated from “It! and took a break from her activities, saying that she wanted to spend more time with her family. She then gave birth to her first daughter. After taking maternity leave, in April 2013, she became the MC of the variety show “Naze There? (TV Tokyo) in April 2013 after two and a half years of maternity leave. Recently, she has been uploading photos of her two-year-old daughter on Instagram.

It seems that she is still as energetic as before in both child-rearing and work.