Actor Rei Kikukawa appeared on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-running talk show "Tetsuko's Room" (TV Asahi), which aired on October Getsuku. His eyes welled up as he spoke of his gratitude to freelance announcer Tomoaki Ogura, who passed away last year at the age of 77.
Kikukawa co-starred with Ogura as MC on Fuji TV's morning information program "Information Presenter Tokudane!" for five years and three months. "At first I thought he was a scary, hard-to-approach person, but he was completely different on TV and in private. He was very disciplined on TV, but (in private) he was really kind," she said. "In the entertainment industry, there's really no one I can talk to, but Ogura was the only one who was very kind and listened to my concerns about various things," she said. "He encouraged me right up until just before he passed away."
She married in 2017, gave birth to her first son in 2019 at the age of 41, and has three children. Looking back on the time when she was depressed after her divorce in November last year, she said, "When Ogura was struggling with illness, she encouraged me even though she herself was in a difficult situation. (I) was like, 'I'm not so sure anymore,' 'I don't know if I can keep going,'" she said, at a loss for words for a moment.
With tears in her eyes, she strained her voice to express her gratitude, saying, "You always encouraged me, saying, 'Rei-chan, it's okay, it's okay.' Even now, when I feel down, I remember Ogura-san's words and stay positive. You are a great benefactor." She then looked ahead and said, "I believe Ogura-san lives on in everyone's hearts, not just mine."
When she is at work, her mother looks after her three children. Prompted by Kuroyanagi, she turned to face the camera and expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thanks to my mother, I have been able to live such a fun and wonderful life, and I am truly grateful for her support in raising me. I am still so grateful for her care, and no matter how much time passes, I will always feel like a child, with my mother. I have come to realize that I will always be a little spoiled and rely on her emotionally, so I hope that we will continue to have your support."
He also expressed his gratitude to Ogura, saying, "I hope you will continue to watch over me for a long time to come, and knowing that you are watching over me will motivate me to work hard. I really hope you will continue to watch over me."
