NHK announcer goes on air bare-faced 10 minutes after earthquake, wins praise online

An NHK announcer who rushed on air bare-faced and wearing glasses to deliver breaking earthquake coverage has gone viral in Japan, drawing widespread praise from viewers online.

A magnitude-5.7 earthquake struck western Shizuoka Prefecture at 1:04 a.m. Sunday, and NHK Nagano began its emergency broadcast roughly 10 minutes later, according to Nikkan Sports and other Japanese media.

Inai Kiyoka, a third-year announcer at the station, sat down in front of the camera wearing thick-rimmed glasses and no makeup. Her long hair was unstyled, and she wore a blue turtleneck sweater instead of her usual formal attire.

"I was at my home in Nagano city when the earthquake hit," Inai said on air. "My smartphone alerted me to the emergency earthquake warning, so I rushed to the station."

Viewers watching the emergency broadcast photographed their television screens and posted the images on social media platforms including X. Some shared side-by-side comparisons with her regular on-air appearance — dressed in formal wear and fully made up.

Comments from Japanese users were overwhelmingly positive. "She's a role model for all announcers," one wrote. "She must have been scared too, but staying calm and delivering breaking news in the middle of the night is impressive," said another. Others noted that her slightly labored breathing suggested she had sprinted to the studio, with one user writing, "She was probably asleep 15 minutes ago — what a fast response."

This was not the first time Inai has delivered earthquake coverage without makeup.

When a magnitude-5.0 earthquake struck the west-southwest of Nagano city on April 18, she was again at the news desk within about 10 minutes, wearing the same thick-rimmed glasses and no makeup. In footage shared by viewers from that broadcast, she could be heard speaking in a slightly breathless voice, urging people to "watch your step" and "stay calm."