Kotaro Uegaki, Announcing Department, Corporate Headquarters, Fuji Television Network, Inc.

Conversation is a collaborative and enjoyable activity with the other person.

Kotaro Uegaki, Announcing Department, Corporate Headquarters, Fuji Television Network, Inc.

■ Profile
She joined Fuji Television in April 2024. She mainly works on information programs, including serving as a presenter for "Mezamashi TV" and "Mezamashi Saturday." Starting April 16th (Thursday), her new music program "STAR" (every Thursday from 19:00 PM to 20:00 PM) will begin airing, where she serves as MC.

■Please tell us about the appeal of being an announcer.

Having loved reading aloud since childhood, I find joy in being able to continue the act of "speaking in my own voice" as a profession. I find my work as a weathercaster particularly rewarding, as I feel connected to viewers through the sky and have the feeling that I might be helping someone.
Through my work as an announcer, I've started to take an interest in areas I hadn't been interested in before, and I'm realizing the joy of broadening my range of interests.

■Please share your secrets to effective communication.

As an announcer, the situation changes with every broadcast. In the end, the only thing you can rely on is your own abilities—the announcing skills, perceptiveness, and expressiveness that you've cultivated over time. To hone these skills, I value the time I spend reflecting after each broadcast. While external evaluations are important, carefully evaluating whether I was satisfied with my own performance is the driving force behind my skill improvement.
Regarding expressive ability, since people focus on different points even when looking at the same thing, I believe it's important to practice putting your own perspective into words. Having a strong vocabulary not only facilitates smoother communication with diverse people but also helps you to accept your own emotions more flexibly.
Furthermore, when choosing a topic, I believe that "things you loved as a child" are the most engaging themes to talk about. When you're unsure what to say, starting with these formative experiences will allow words to flow naturally. When you speak passionately about something you truly want to share, it's incredibly appealing to the listener, and your feelings will be conveyed directly.
It's important not only to passionately express your opinion unilaterally, but also to limit it to 50 percent and deliberately leave the rest as room for interpretation. This room allows the other person to empathize and connect with your words. It's crucial to remember that conversation isn't a solitary endeavor, but a collaborative effort to create a fun and engaging discussion. Everyone has vulnerabilities, and I hope we can live in a society where we support and care for each other's weaknesses.

■Message to students

University students are often said to have a lot of free time, but in reality, they might be surprisingly busy. However, I hope they will live fully in the present moment and spend their time productively without any regrets.

Student Newspaper, April 2026 Issue: Ayatsuki Sakakura, 4rd year student, Tokyo Metropolitan University

Sakura Yamashita (3rd year, Tsuda University) / Rurika Abe (2nd year, Showa Women's University) / Karin Ishimatsu (3rd year, Tsuda University) / Minami Yoshikawa (4th year, Sophia University) / Masamasa Hattori (3rd year, N High School) / Remi Yoneda (2nd year, Aoyama Gakuin University) / Fuka Ota (4th year, Toyo University) / Ayatsuki Sakakura (3rd year, Tokyo Metropolitan University) / Rinka Ito (3rd year, High School) / Kyohei Nakazawa (2nd year, Waseda University)