Bare-Faced, Wearing Horn-Rimmed Glasses... Praise Pours In for Japanese Announcer Who Delivered '1 a.m. Earthquake Alert'

Magnitude 5.7 quake; on air just 10 minutes later
Prioritized rapid disaster updates over appearance
Intensity of upper 5 in Aichi; 22 injured

Amid a powerful earthquake in Japan in the early hours of the morning, a female announcer has drawn attention for delivering an urgent earthquake alert wearing glasses and no makeup.

Yonhap News reported on the 9th that Japanese social media users have been praising an announcer who, during an earthquake in Japan, appeared in a modest outfit rarely seen on her in her regular broadcasts and rushed to deliver disaster information to help keep people safe.

This is not the first time announcer Inai has appeared on air in a modest outfit during a disaster. Local media reported that she drew attention on April 18, when an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 5 struck Nagano Prefecture, by delivering breaking news wearing glasses and no makeup. The photo compares Inai’s usual appearance with how she looked during the broadcast. Social media

Earlier, immediately after the earthquake struck at around 1:04 a.m. on the 8th, Inai Sayaka, an announcer at NHK's Nagano Broadcasting Station, appeared on air about 10 minutes later to report on the situation. Inai was wearing a blue turtleneck sweater and glasses. Her hair appeared uncombed, and she seemed to be wearing no makeup. Her appearance was quite different from that of female announcers who usually present the news in a polished style.

She said on air that she had been at home when the earthquake struck and rushed to the station after checking the emergency earthquake alert on her smartphone. During the broadcast, she was also seen breathing heavily, apparently after hurrying there. She focused on relaying safety information, urging viewers to take care not to fall or get injured.

As a powerful earthquake struck Japan in the early hours of the morning, announcer Inai drew attention for delivering an urgent earthquake alert wearing glasses with no makeup. Social media...

Immediately after the broadcast, posts praising Inai's response began appearing on X, the Japanese social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Users commented, "She must have been asleep just 15 minutes earlier, but she responded so quickly," "Seeing how out of breath she was, you can tell how urgently she rushed over," "She's a role model for announcers," and "She must have been scared of the earthquake herself, but she calmly delivered the news." Another user said, "I was surprised to see her looking different from her usual broadcasts, but her commitment to getting information to viewers was even more impressive than her appearance," adding, "I truly respect her."

The fact that female announcers wearing glasses is relatively uncommon in Japan's broadcasting industry also drew attention. In Japan, female announcers have traditionally been expected to maintain a polished appearance, including neat hairstyles and makeup. Some observers say that this perception is linked to a broadcasting culture in which seeing announcers wear contact lenses, rather than glasses, is more familiar.

This is not the first time Inai has appeared on air in a modest outfit during a disaster. Local media reported that she drew attention on April 18, when an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 5 struck Nagano Prefecture, by delivering breaking news wearing glasses and no makeup. On NHK's official website, she identified disaster preparedness and minorities as areas of particular interest to her.

She has taken part in producing radio programs related to disaster preparedness and events on volcanic disaster prevention. She also said she continues to report on gender and minority issues, which she has been interested in since her university days. She has also expressed her intention to deliver the news while considering how she can help protect the lives and livelihoods of local residents.

Meanwhile, the earthquake occurred at around 1:04 a.m. on the 8th in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was about 41 km deep, and the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.7. Reuters-Yonhap News

The earthquake occurred at around 1:04 a.m. on the 8th in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was about 41 km deep, and the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.7. Strong shaking of upper 5 on the agency's seismic intensity scale was observed in Chita, Aichi Prefecture. Shaking of lower 5 was also recorded in Urugi, Nagano Prefecture; Ena, Gifu Prefecture; Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture; and Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. An upper 5 on the agency's seismic intensity scale is strong enough to make it difficult for many people to walk without holding onto something, and can cause unsecured furniture to topple or heavy furniture to shift.

At least 22 people were injured in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures. In Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture, a woman in her 50s fell while evacuating and suffered a fracture. In Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, a woman in her 80s fell and was taken to a hospital. Buildings and other facilities were also damaged. Part of an elementary school building in Higashiura, Aichi Prefecture, was damaged, while a rockfall blocked a roughly 10-meter stretch of road in Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, forcing its closure. Rail services were also disrupted. Safety inspections and reduced-speed operations were carried out on some sections of the Tokaido Shinkansen, while some local trains were suspended or delayed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.