Yurie Omi, announcer for Japan's NHK, to leave broadcaster in March

TOKYO -- Yurie Omi, an announcer for NHK who cohosts the public broadcaster's morning program "Asaichi," announced at the end of the program on Feb. 12 that she would be retiring from NHK in March.

Omi, 32, said, "I have some new things I want to learn." She said she will try something other than being an announcer from April.

"Some people say, 'You're going to become a housewife, aren't you?' or 'Are you going to be a freelance announcer?' But that's not the case at all, so please don't speculate about it," she said. "I have only about a month left, but I want to do my best with Hakata Hanamaru-Daikichi (the comedy duo that hosts the show) until the end."

(Mainichi)