紅白司会: The story behind this trend in Social Media today
09-10-2026
The social-media trend around “紅白司会” is the announcement of the hosts for the 77th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the annual New Year’s Eve song contest.NHK confirmed the lineup on October 8–9, 2026, ahead of the December 31 broadcast (19:20–23:45, with a news break). The hosts are actress Ashida Mana, actor Sakai Masato, singer-actor Ninomiya Kazunari, and NHK announcer Suzuki Naoko. The program theme is “こえていこう、歌とともに。” (“Let’s go beyond, together with songs”), framed as a message of crossing generational, genre, and national boundaries through Japanese music at a time of ongoing anxiety after disasters.Ashida, 22, is hosting for the first time. She previously appeared on the show as a child singer in 2011, performing “Maru Maru Mori Mori,” and later as a guest judge in 2022. Sakai, 52, is also a first-time host; he has been a guest judge twice (2015 and 2023) and is currently starring in the second season of the hit drama VIVANT. Ninomiya returns as host for the first time since 2017 (his second solo turn); he appeared with Arashi five times from 2010 to 2014. Suzuki is hosting for the third year in a row after 2024 and 2025.In comments released with the announcement, Ashida said she was surprised by the major role and looked forward to learning from Sakai, whom she had not worked with before, while calling Ninomiya reassuring because of his hosting experience. Sakai said he still felt about 99 percent unsure he was the right choice, but accepted after remembering how singers’ voices had moved him as a judge. Ninomiya said he was startled by the offer after nine years and felt a bit nervous because, unlike past years, he could not “win it back” by performing with Arashi at the end; he called both co-hosts specialists with words.The choice drew attention because pre-announcement speculation had pointed elsewhere. Commentators had expected a woman tied to the recent asadora Kaze, Kaoru (with Mikami Ai often tipped for hosting and Uesaka Juri for judging) and had treated a fourth straight year for comedian Ariyoshi Hiroyuki as unlikely. Male names circulating included Ninomiya and Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s Omori Motoki, partly because both had hosted NHK’s summer music special sometimes called the “summer Kōhaku.” The final actor-heavy trio, plus the returning announcer, therefore registered as a shift from recent variety-leaning lineups toward established dramatic performers.