[Translation] Taichi chosen as Fuji TV newscaster for the London Olympics

[basil-ovelby.livejournal.com]

Kokubun Taichi, member of popular group TOKIO, was present at the Fuji Television interview in Odaiba after being selected as the main newscaster to represent Fuji at the London Olympics. Kokubun currently appears in and acts as the editor-in-chief to the Fuji TV Saturday night sports program "Sport!". Kokubun has had experience newscasting for a variety of different sporting events, and described his last four years since getting appointed as editor-in-chief as a "four year battle". "I've always had an eye out for the Fuji TV big-shots, and now finally I got this position," he said with a smile. "I'll do my best to report with passion as zeal as a representative of Fuji TV". He accepted the position with an exuberant guts pose.

He's also stated that he has yet to inform the other TOKIO members, remarking with a laugh that "they'll probably read the newspapers and find out. I mean, even I didn't know about Matsuoka-kun collapsing in the sauna until I read it in the papers. They've been my rivals for this position the last four years--and now I've finally managed to defeat them and claim it for myself!" he stated with a joking smile, all laughter and energy at the Odaiba interview.

The other Fuji Television casters chosen for the Olympics will be lead by Hirai Rio and Honda Tomoko. Live on-site coverage will be lead by "Mezamashi TV"'s Miyake Masaharu, "Tokudane!"'s Ogura Tomoaki, and "Super News"'s Mainoumi Shuuhei. Announcers Hirai and Honda also attended the interview.

At the end of the interview, Kokubun enthusiastically distributed gold business cards with his name and "London Olympics Relay Broadcast Announcer" to Hirai, Honda and the other reporters, stating "may your stories be big and your hearts bigger".

--from the Mainichi Shinbun Dijital, 2012.05.06