TOKYO (TR) – NHK announcer Emi Hatakeyama, who vanished from the public eye following a highly publicized “predatory affair” scandal last year, will make her television comeback this April at the network’s Kanazawa Broadcasting Station, reports Flash (Mar. 4).
The transfer comes roughly a year after a bombshell report by weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun in April 2025 exposed Hatakeyama’s illicit relationship with a married NHK director, whose wife was pregnant at the time. The scoop, which featured photos of the pair wearing matching headbands on a date at Tokyo Disneyland, sent shockwaves through the national broadcaster.
Other confirmed events included a three-night, four-day trip to Hokkaido and a date at a SixTONES concert, which suggested a fairly deep relationship.
However, in interviews with both parties after the news broke, Hatakeyama testified that she “believed he was single when they started dating.” As well, the director admitted to “deceiving her.”
At the time, Hatakeyama had just been appointed as a caster for NHK’s flagship evening news program, “NHK News 7.” The scandal forced her to step down just two weeks into the role, relegating the once-promising star to radio broadcasts and behind-the-scenes duties. Rumors quickly swirled that she was on the verge of being pressured into an early resignation.
However, an internal NHK investigation later revealed a dramatic twist: the male director had allegedly lied to Hatakeyama, explicitly telling her that he was “already divorced.” Sources indicate that Hatakeyama was effectively a victim of his deception, leaving her visibly emaciated in the weeks following the media firestorm.
Despite the uproar, both employees were allowed to remain at the network. The male director was handed a disciplinary suspension but ultimately kept his job, leading critics and industry insiders to repeatedly point out NHK’s inherently “lenient” corporate culture regarding extramarital affairs.
Now, NHK management is hoping the announcer can rebuild her career in a new environment. Hatakeyama is slated to serve as the main announcer for a local Kanazawa program starting this spring, marking the first step in her public rehabilitation.
Hatakeyama originally joined NHK in 2015 as a sales representative, but successfully transitioned to an announcer role after being moved by the reporting during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
“Because she is considered a strong candidate for a future main caster position, NHK is proceeding cautiously with her return,” an entertainment reporter noted. Time will tell if the move to Kanazawa will serve as a successful fresh start, allowing her to eventually return to the national broadcast stage.
