FM Yokohama x Magcal.net Collaboration Project 2nd “Yuichi Fujita”

・Mr. Fujita, please tell us how you became a radio reporter.

Before the actual performance, Mr. Fujita interviews the people participating in the Mikihiki. Approximately 500 people pulled the rope attached to the trolley carrying the Kasagi (approximately 10 meters long and weighing approximately 1.5 tons) at the top of the torii gate, chanting "wasshoi" and other words.

When I was in high school, when I started to worry about my career path, my parents told me that from now on, I should get a job no matter what. When I was vaguely thinking that I needed to acquire some kind of skill, I had an idea that I could turn my speaking into a career, as I had always been a noisy and talkative person since I was a child. That's right, it's not a job for the hands, it's a job for the mouth. When I asked my friend what I should do to get a job like that, he brought me an audition magazine and showed me what I needed to do. After graduating from high school and going to university, I joined an agency, and my first audition was for a job as a reporter for FM Yokohama's morning live broadcast program ``THE BREEZE''.

・Do you remember the first time you appeared as a reporter?

Just before the report, I'm waiting for a call from the personality.

My first report was on October 1, 1996, near the ticket gate of JR Kannai Station. Back then, you had to ask people who were walking around and ask for a song you wanted to play on the radio. Nowadays, I can tell that this person is likely to talk to me or give me a request, but at that time, even if I called out to more than 10 people, it wouldn't work at all. I think my voice was a little reserved and weak because it was 8 a.m., rush hour. It's almost time for the live broadcast to air, and I'm starting to feel like I'm going to get fired if I don't get the requests. When I was able to receive a request from the 13th woman after desperately trying to reach out to her, I thought, ``I was saved!'' The woman told me, ``Actually, I've changed jobs and am heading to a new workplace,'' and we had a conversation, ``Today is my first day, too, so let's do our best together.'' It left a deep impression on me. I am.

・Are there any other people you have met during your reporting that left a lasting impression on you?

The report, full of realism, began while checking the interview notes.

I think it was in the Harajuku area of Totsuka, and a mother came to see me because her son really likes listening to the radio and was especially looking forward to the street report section. Her son has a disability and is bedridden and unable to leave his room, so he asked her to go see him instead. While listening to my reports every day, I spread out the map and said things like, ``Today, Fujita-kun is here, there's a big park here,'' and I told him that he could feel the scenery through my voice. Thank you. If my report can help expand the world even just a little bit, even for people who can't be there, I feel like it's worth it.
Also, I think it was around Hadano or Shibusawa, and a blind woman came to see me by herself with a cane. This woman asked me, ``I can't see your photo or autograph, so can I record your voice?'' It was the first time I was asked if I could record my voice, so it left a strong impression on me. I felt grateful that he took the trouble to come see me by himself, even though he was blind.

・I have been a street corner reporter for FM Yokohama for over 20 years. How do you feel when you hold the microphone?

Being asked to sign a sticker

Well, I made my debut at the age of 23, so next year will be my 22nd anniversary. The only time I took a day off was in January of this year when I came down with the flu.
After all, if you keep doing it every day, there will be days when you don't feel well or feel depressed and feel like ``I might not be able to deliver a good broadcast today.'' But that doesn't matter to the person listening. I'll be appearing at 9am, so I'd like to be able to play my first words so that the people listening will want to do their best today. If there are people listening, if there are people waiting, I have to do it. If there's no one to listen to it, no matter how nice I say it, it's meaningless. Knowing that there is at least one person on the other side of the microphone listening makes me want to do my best.

・Honestly, have you ever thought about quitting?

Responding to the photo

I don't want to quit, but looking back, there was one time when I seriously thought about the meaning of my existence. That was during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. At that time, the atmosphere of the world was changing, and many people found it difficult to survive. When the future was uncertain and dark, I thought to myself, ``Is it okay for me to do something like this?'' After all, reports are not essential to life. Even if I don't report, everyone can live a normal life. It made me think deeply about whether there is any point in me continuing if it is not indispensable.
I wondered if it was okay to say "Hey, it's Fujita!" on the radio, or if it was okay for me to appear, but the program went on as usual. When I heard my voice afterwards and heard from listeners that they felt relieved, I realized that it was okay for me to do it. I will deliver my report as usual, and I hope that it will become a part of the listeners' daily lives, and be a place where they can feel at least a little calmer.

・Mr. Fujita has completed a report covering all of Kanagawa Prefecture, and is heading to different areas every day. Do you do some research and prepare before speaking?

(Apparently being asked to sign a backpack)

Sometimes we decide where to go in advance, but most of the time we decide based on information provided by listeners or after visiting. When I actually go there, I try to find local sights and things that I find interesting and explain them in words that even small children can easily imagine.
For example, there is a small bench made from a tree stump inside JR Ninomiya Station. Many people may pass by without noticing it. However, a stump bench is rare for me, and there was even a cushion placed on top of the stump, which I thought was interesting. I write about how interesting it looks, what it feels like to actually sit on it, and so on, so that the next person who gets off at this station will be interested.

・Is there anything you are careful about or keep in mind as a reporter?

A scene from the standing pillar festival. From left: Chief Priest Akihisa Kusayama, host Miho Kitajima, and reporter Fujita. The large torii gate was constructed using a 300-year-old large cedar tree felled in the Tsujimura forest in Odawara.

Until last year, I had been working with Miho Kitajima, who was a personality on the live broadcast program "THE BREEZE" for a long time. Mr. Kitajima has more experience in the broadcasting industry than I do, and he is a wonderful person who subtly brings out what I wanted to say. I really learned a lot about how to ask questions to others, how to choose words, and how to express myself.
Currently, I am delivering a program with a personality who is my junior at FM Yokohama, so I feel that I will have to be in that position next time.
For example, on a very pleasant and sunny day, the way you express it will be different depending on whether you say, ``It's a refreshing day,'' or ``It's a refreshing day.'' In addition, the pronunciation of ``Japan'' is ``nihon'' or ``nippon,'' and ``8 times'' is ``hakkai'' or ``hachikai.''If you don't know the meaning of each word, you won't know how to read the word. The impression conveyed to the other person when you say it is completely different. First of all, take responsibility for your own speech. I want to be able to use each word properly and communicate using beautiful Japanese.

・Finally, please tell us about your future prospects.

Well, I don't really have anything in particular. I'm often asked this question, but if I say I don't have one, everyone will say I don't have ambition. I don't have any wild thoughts about wanting to be the main personality of the program or changing the world. If I were to use a baseball analogy, I wouldn't be aiming for a home run, but I would be happy if I could just keep sending out bunts. In any case, it would be ideal to be able to do the daily broadcasts properly and steadily each day. I don't really want my reports to be in the middle of everyone's lives. I'm sure there are people in various situations, but I hope that my voice can help them do their best each day with a bit of positivity.
If there is even one person who is still waiting for me, I would like to continue as much as possible.

Yuichi Fujita's "Street Corner Report"
Fujita's report on FM Yokohama's "Lovely Day♡" is 9:15/10:00/11:05.
Check out the street corner report on “Yuichi Fujita Blog”!
http://blog.fmyokohama.jp/machikado/

Lovely Day♡ Monday to Friday 9:00 to 12:00 Personalities (Monday to Thursday) Sayaka Kondo, (Friday) Hana