NHK – Japan Announces Presenters/Reporters with an impairment
NHK has been seeking applications for presenter and reporter with an impairment in advance of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Two candidates have now been selected –Erina Chiba, 22 from Hokkaido with a cerebral palsy and who uses an electric wheelchair. Her interests are history and fashion. Erina also played Electric wheelchair football and slalom.
She said that “I want to help viewers and listeners grow closer to people with an impairment through my work as a presenter and reporter and would be delighted, if in some small way, I can provide the triggers that will change people’s awareness. I want to tell young people that there are many things they can do, whether they have an impairment or not. And I will do my best with a constant smile on my face.”
The second new recruit is Yuki Goto from Gifu. She is hard of hearing and had a cochlear implant. Her interest lies in sub-5th grade Japanese calligraphy and sub-2nd class sign language. Concerning sports, Yuki likes the sprints such as 100 metres.
She said that “I am very excited by this project for shining the spotlight on the sporting activities of persons with an impairment. I have a hearing impairment which is invisible to the eye. I want to be a bridge between people with an impairment, including invisible ones, and those who are without. I am the kind of person who always hates to lose and I’ll do my best to apply that quality to making society an easy place for people with an impairment to live.”