Wataru Abe

Wataru Abe
Born (1967-10-07) October 7, 1967 (age 57)
Mizusawa, Iwate, Japan
NationalityJapanese
EducationB.L., Waseda University
OccupationExecutive Announcer
Years active1990–present
EmployerNHK
Notable credit(s)Gogonama anchor (2017–present)
NHK News Ohayō Nippon anchor (2008–2017)
NHK News 7 anchor (2006–2008)
TitleNHK Executive Announcer
Term2017–present
Website[1]

Wataru Abe (阿部 渉, Abe Wataru, born October 7, 1967) is a Japanese announcer, television reporter, television personality, and news anchor for NHK. Abe is a host for NHK's evening talk show Gogonama. From 2008 until 2017 he was a news anchor for NHK's morning news show NHK News Ohayō Nippon.

Early years

Born in Mizusawa, Iwate, Japan, Abe went on to Waseda University, where he received the bachelor's degree of laws in 1990.[1]

Career

Graduated from Waseda University in 1990, Abe was hired by NHK. His first position was a trainee at NHK Akita Branch in Akita Prefecture, Japan, where he started his broadcasting career as a newsreader for local news headlines and weather news.

He was relocated to NHK Yokohama Branch in Yokohama.

His debut for nationwide news program was the weekend news anchor for NHK News 7 in April 2000. He served one year for this program.

On December 31, 2000, Abe was involved in live coverage for NHK's year-end music show Kōhaku Uta Gassen on NHK Radio. In 2001 and 2004, he played a role of the host for the white team (shirogumi) at Kōhaku Uta Gassen. In 2009 and 2011, he became the leading host for the program. In addition, he was a narrator for Taiga drama Toshiie to Matsu in 2002; he was the host for the opening ceremony of Expo 2005 in Aichi Prefecture on Japan's behalf in March 2005;[2] and he was the host for Sunday Studio Park from April 2005 until March 2006.

From April 2006 until March 2008, Abe was the weekday anchor for NHK News 7. In March 2008, he was appointed weekday anchor for NHK News Ohayō Nippon, in which he served until March 2017.

In April 2017, Abe handed over the job of the news anchor for NHK News Ohayō Nippon to Kozo Takase and became host for NHK's evening infotainment talk show Gogonama with actor Eiichiro Funakoshi and actress Jun Miho. On June 9, 2017, Abe was promoted to Executive Announcer.[3]

In April 2020, Abe resigned from Gogonama and became the anchor for News Shibugoji.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ テレビ・タレント人名事典（第6版） (in Japanese). Nichigai Associates. June 2004. p. 48. ISBN 978-4-8169-1852-0.
  2. ^ "Official website".
  3. ^ "NHK武田、阿部アナらが昇格 6月9日付の管理職人事". Kyodo 47NEWS. May 26, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  4. ^ "2020年度「主な番組キャスター」一覧" (PDF). Retrieved February 13, 2020.
Media offices
Preceded by NHK News Weekend Afternoon Edition Anchor
2000–2001 		Succeeded by
Tomoki Deyama
Preceded by
Satoshi Hatakeyama
 NHK News 7 Weekday Edition Anchor
2006–2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Tsuyoshi Matsuo
 NHK News Ohayō Nippon Weekday Edition Anchor
2008–2017 		Succeeded by
First Gogonama Host
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Koji Komatsu
Preceded by
Tsuyoshi Matsuo
 News Shibugoji Anchor
2020–present 		Incumbent