{"id":2147,"date":"2020-06-18T11:27:37","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T02:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/?p=2147"},"modified":"2020-06-18T12:13:16","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T03:13:16","slug":"%e5%a4%89%e3%81%88%e3%82%89%e3%82%8c%e3%82%8b%e3%81%ae%e3%81%af%e8%87%aa%e5%88%86%e3%81%a0%e3%81%91-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/en\/archives\/2147","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Always Sunny with Weatherwoman Akiko Yoshii"},"content":{"rendered":"

Self-Expression Is the Key to Freedom <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>So, tell us a little more about what it\u2019s like working in a newsroom.<\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I became a newscaster in my 30\u2019s, which by industry standards is quite a late start. I think there\u2019s this idea of weather girls being very cutesy, young, and pure. I never thought I would get cast, but I think they chose me because I\u2019m a little different\u2014maybe it was because of my voice.  <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Yes, I\u2019ve noticed that weather women are quite different depending on the culture. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I feel like American news women have this image of being very sexy and vivacious. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I see what you mean. I definitely think that as a newscaster, you have to be so aware of how you present yourself, including your attitude and facial features. You face the camera head on, so you really have to be on it at all times. I\u2019m in awe of how much it varies depending on each country and station. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Personally, I cared about how I looked on camera early on, but with weather forecasting, you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going to say until that very day. During the typhoon season, I wanted to give myself more time to prep, so I would cut out additional time for my makeup. Generally though, I don\u2019t have much time to think about how I look on screen! <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I think of weather forecasting as being a relatively relaxed and peaceful position, but lately, there have been some serious natural disasters that are quite serious. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Yes, some types of weather can absolutely be life threatening. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>How long have you been a newscaster?<\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>For a total of seven years. I worked in Shizuoka for five years, and the last two in Tokyo. I took a little break and started back up again. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>You\u2019ve been doing this for a while.<\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>My work and my life are completely intertwined – I can\u2019t take time off whenever I want. Even though I\u2019m only on air for roughly three minutes a day, I want to make sure that time really counts. When I tried to turn myself on and off from that perspective, I ended up feeling really lost. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Do you feel like you always need a public persona in order to keep your job? <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Sometimes. I often contemplate types of clothing that looks good on camera, and oftentimes, they\u2019re not my favorite looks. Tighter fitting clothes are often more form-flattering for me; when I find myself in looser garments, my figure looks heavier and wider. But at the same time, I can\u2019t come off too sensual in my dress because of NHK\u2019s viewership. Fragrance helps distract me from all of these details\u2014it really uplifts my mood and spirits. My personal favorite is Jo Malone\u2019s Mimosa & Cardamom Cologne<\/a>.<\/u><\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019m sure it\u2019s challenging to be judged based on your body. Many people feel insecure about having curves, even though it can be quite appealing.<\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>You can\u2019t change people\u2019s impressions of you. These days, I try not to contemplate them that much, and it\u2019s made life a lot easier. Nevertheless, styling myself will always be a challenge. I dream of being able to pull off a simple white T-shirt and jeans look, but whenever I try it, I always look like I\u2019m an event-worker in uniform. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>That can be cute, too. No?<\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I suppose so. Most magazines emphasize that simplicity is key as you get older. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>There are so many ways to wear a T-shirt though! Not everyone wears one the same way. I understand though that you\u2019re a newscaster and not a celebrity, and so that occupation comes with specific preconceptions. Can you wear what you want on your own time? <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Well, I can\u2019t just go out wearing whatever I please and completely ignore the public\u2019s opinion. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Morning news is the same on basically every channel. I think people get a certain comfort though from seeing the same person each day. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019d like to think that people tune in to watch me because of my character. I like beauty and fashion and enjoy getting to experiment with both through my job.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Taking Time for Self-Reflection<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>My schedule is more balanced now, but for many years, I woke up at 2:00 a.m. and reported to work by 3:00 a.m. I used to cry on Sunday nights before the work week began. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>It was bad enough to make you cry? <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Whenever the sun started going down, I would dread the thought of going back to work in the middle of the night. Being a news reporter was my dream, but I lost sight of that and the work became increasingly difficult. I was barely getting to work. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Doing the same thing over and over again can be exhausting, especially with those crazy hours. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Somedays, it felt as though my brain was working at only 20% capacity. Eventually, I got an opportunity to work behind the camera. Supporting others on screen helped develop my new perspective, which is that positivity is key in an industry like this. Finding joy in the work uplifts the entire staff and promotes teamwork. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Oh, I agree.  You have to find that sense of joy in order to succeed at any job. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I will admit though that I definitely doubt the career from time to time. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Ambivalence is a natural feeling. I often find myself wondering what else I could do with my time and what other goals I can push myself to achieve with my career. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Last year, I took six months off in order to do an inventory of myself. I was getting so hung up on problems of all different sizes, and I wanted to become more solution oriented. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>What did you do during that time off? <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I realized that in many ways, my job prevented me from seeing myself clearly, so I wanted to get back in touch with my own desires.  <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>It\u2019s fantastic that you took that break when you most needed it. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I agree. I used to love makeup, but over time I became more disenchanted with it. I hated my skin and became so frustrated with aging. Going on air, even for three minutes, felt like a huge ordeal that required a lot of concealment. During my time off, I recognized how detrimental that belief is, and started getting regular facials. Now, I pay more attention to nourishing myself inside and out. I drink this supplement, ORBIS DEFENCERA<\/a>,<\/u> which helps keep my skin supple. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>You have really nice skin. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Your book really changed my opinion of my skin, but I still can\u2019t let myself go out without foundation. I have a huge fear of exposing my natural texture, so I always overapply. It\u2019s a hard habit to break.   <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>As soon as you view foundation as a mask for your skin, it stops being effective. Keep up with your skincare routine, and once you feel that your skin is looking the way that you want it, then try applying a more sheer coat of base makeup. It also helps to look at yourself fresh-faced in the mirror in order to identify the more appealing aspects of your face. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I\u2019m insecure about my entire face, though!<\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>In Japan, many people are insecure about their nose being too flat or too wide and round. Overseas, people fear that their nose is too long. Although they seem like different issues, the underlying insecurity is still the same. Rather than thinking about what you don\u2019t have, you should embrace what\u2019s working well for you. One hundred faces will all have one hundred different qualities, and that\u2019s what makes you unique!<\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>I guess it all depends on my own perspectives. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>You\u2019re the only person who knows yourself inside and out. Not even your parents or your partner can truly know you as you are one hundred percent of the time. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Embracing yourself can be hard. I took some time off this year in order to explore some deep personal issues. I\u2019m extremely busy nowadays, but I don\u2019t feel as stressed out as before. Although I have a noon and evening airtime every day, I\u2019ve grown to enjoy the challenge of dressing and preparing for work. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Natural Is Necessary<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Earlier you mentioned your tendency to use too much base makeup. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Yes, because I want to conceal my imperfections. <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>I think that\u2019s fine, as long as you use a shade that matches your natural skin tone. You end up looking too heavily made up when you don\u2019t try to blend the color with the natural tones of your face and neckline. It\u2019s important not to make your face look too powdery because then it will not match your neck. If you match the foundation shade to your natural skin tone, then the coverage will not be as obvious. When I apply foundation on people, my main goal is to make sure the face matches the neck while eliminating underlying redness\u2014that\u2019s all.<\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>So, the trick is to make it look like you\u2019re not wearing foundation at all? <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>My personal belief is that even if you want to hide imperfections, your skin should still look healthy and luminous. Makeup is about enhancing your natural look, not distorting it. <\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Last year, I bought a new lipstick Yves Saint Laurent\u2019s Rouge Volupte Shine Collector #15<\/a>.  I decided to try it out because it compliments my facial features in a new way. You work with so many different types of women\u2014how do you know what advice to give them?  <\/p>\n

Yasuo\u3000<\/strong>Well, I would say when it comes to everyday makeup, the more all-natural, the better. <\/p>\n

Akiko\u3000<\/strong>Working in the media sometimes distorts my perspective of things. Reminding myself that I need to focus on my own interests and goals outside of the status quo helps keep me grounded. Only then can I let my true colors shine through.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photos \/ Interview : Yasuo Yoshikawa<\/p>\n

Text : Mikako Koyama<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Self-Expression Is the Key to Freedom  Yasuo\u3000So, tell us a little more about what it\u2019s like working in a newsroom. Akiko\u3000I became a newscaster in my 30\u2019s, which by industry standards is quite a late start. I think there\u2019s this idea of weather girls being very cutesy, young, and pure. I never thought I would get cast, but I think they chose me because I\u2019m a little different\u2014maybe it was because of my voice.   Yasuo\u3000Yes, I\u2019ve noticed that weather women are quite different depending on the culture.  Akiko\u3000I feel like American news women have this image of being very sexy and vivacious.  Yasuo\u3000I see what you mean. I definitely think that as a newscaster, you have to be so aware of how you present yourself, including your attitude and facial features. You face the camera head on, so you really have to be on it at all times. I\u2019m in awe of how much it varies depending on each country and station.  Akiko\u3000Personally, I cared about how I looked on camera early on, but with weather forecasting, you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re going to say until that very day. During the typhoon season, I wanted to give myself more time to prep, so I would cut out additional time for my makeup. Generally though, I don\u2019t have much time to think about how I look on screen!  Yasuo\u3000I think of weather forecasting as being a relatively relaxed and peaceful position, but lately, there have been some serious natural disasters that are quite serious.  Akiko\u3000Yes, some types of weather can absolutely be life threatening.  Yasuo\u3000How long have you been a newscaster? Akiko\u3000For a total of seven years. I worked in Shizuoka for five years, and the last two in Tokyo. I took a little break and started back up again.  Yasuo\u3000You\u2019ve been doing this for a while. Akiko\u3000My work and my life are completely intertwined – I can\u2019t take time off whenever I want. Even though I\u2019m only on air for roughly three minutes a day, I want to make sure that time really counts. When I tried to turn myself on and off from that perspective, I ended up feeling really lost.  Yasuo\u3000Do you feel like you always need a public persona in order to keep your job?  Akiko\u3000Sometimes. I often contemplate types of clothing that looks good on camera, and oftentimes, they\u2019re not my favorite looks. Tighter fitting clothes are often more form-flattering for me; when I find myself in looser garments, my figure looks heavier and wider. But at the same time, I can\u2019t come off too sensual in my dress because of NHK\u2019s viewership. Fragrance helps distract me from all of these details\u2014it really uplifts my mood and spirits. My personal favorite is Jo Malone\u2019s Mimosa & Cardamom Cologne. Yasuo\u3000I\u2019m sure it\u2019s challenging to be judged based on your body. Many people feel insecure about having curves, even though it can be quite appealing. Akiko\u3000You can\u2019t change people\u2019s impressions of you. These days, I try not to contemplate them that much, and it\u2019s made life a lot easier. Nevertheless, styling myself will always be a challenge. I dream of being able to pull off a simple white T-shirt and jeans look, but whenever I try it, I always look like I\u2019m an event-worker in uniform.  Yasuo\u3000That can be cute, too. No? Akiko\u3000I suppose so. Most magazines emphasize that simplicity is key as you get older.  Yasuo\u3000There are so many ways to wear a T-shirt though! Not everyone wears one the same way. I understand though that you\u2019re a newscaster and not a celebrity, and so that occupation comes with specific preconceptions. Can you wear what you want on your own time?  Akiko\u3000Well, I can\u2019t just go out wearing whatever I please and completely ignore the public\u2019s opinion.  Yasuo\u3000Morning news is the same on basically every channel. I think people get a certain comfort though from seeing the same person each day.  Akiko\u3000I\u2019d like to think that people tune in to watch me because of my character. I like beauty and fashion and enjoy getting to experiment with both through my job. Taking Time for Self-Reflection Akiko\u3000My schedule is more balanced now, but for many years, I woke up at 2:00 a.m. and reported to work by 3:00 a.m. I used to cry on Sunday nights before the work week began.  Yasuo\u3000It was bad enough to make you cry?  Akiko\u3000Whenever the sun started going down, I would dread the thought of going back to work in the middle of the night. Being a news reporter was my dream, but I lost sight of that and the work became increasingly difficult. I was barely getting to work.  Yasuo\u3000Doing the same thing over and over again can be exhausting, especially with those crazy hours.  Akiko\u3000Somedays, it felt as though my brain was working at only 20% capacity. Eventually, I got an opportunity to work behind the camera. Supporting others on screen helped develop my new perspective, which is that positivity is key in an industry like this. Finding joy in the work uplifts the entire staff and promotes teamwork.  Yasuo\u3000Oh, I agree.  You have to find that sense of joy in order to succeed at any job.  Akiko\u3000I will admit though that I definitely doubt the career from time to time.  Yasuo\u3000Ambivalence is a natural feeling. I often find myself wondering what else I could do with my time and what other goals I can push myself to achieve with my career.  Akiko\u3000Last year, I took six months off in order to do an inventory of myself. I was getting so hung up on problems of all different sizes, and I wanted to become more solution oriented.  Yasuo\u3000What did you do during that time off?  Akiko\u3000I realized that in many ways, my job prevented me from seeing myself clearly, so I wanted to get back in touch with my own desires.   Yasuo\u3000It\u2019s fantastic that you took that break when you most needed it.  Akiko\u3000I agree. I used to love makeup, but over time I became more disenchanted with it. I hated my skin and became so frustrated with aging. Going on air, even for three minutes, felt like a huge ordeal that required a lot of concealment. During my time off, I recognized how detrimental that belief is, and started getting regular facials. Now, I pay more attention to nourishing myself inside and out. I drink this supplement, ORBIS DEFENCERA, which helps keep my skin supple.  Yasuo\u3000You have really nice skin.  Akiko\u3000Your book really changed my opinion of my skin, but I still can\u2019t let myself go out without foundation. I have a huge fear of exposing my natural texture, so I always overapply. It\u2019s a hard habit to break.    Yasuo\u3000As soon as you view foundation as a mask for your skin, it stops being effective. Keep up with your skincare routine, and once you feel that your skin is looking the way that you want it, then try applying a more sheer coat of base makeup. It also helps to look at yourself fresh-faced in the mirror in order to identify the more appealing aspects of your face.  Akiko\u3000I\u2019m insecure about my entire face, though! Yasuo\u3000In Japan, many people are insecure about their nose being too flat or too wide and round. Overseas, people fear that their nose is too long. Although they seem like different issues, the underlying insecurity is still the same. Rather than thinking about what you don\u2019t have, you should embrace what\u2019s working well for you. One hundred faces will all have one hundred different qualities, and that\u2019s what makes you unique! Akiko\u3000I guess it all depends on my own perspectives.  Yasuo\u3000You\u2019re the only person who knows yourself inside and out. Not even your parents or your partner can truly know you as you are one hundred percent of the time.  Akiko\u3000Embracing yourself can be hard. I took some time off this year in order to explore some deep personal issues. I\u2019m extremely busy nowadays, but I don\u2019t feel as stressed out as before. Although I have a noon and evening airtime every day, I\u2019ve grown to enjoy the challenge of dressing and preparing for work.  Natural Is Necessary Yasuo\u3000Earlier you mentioned your tendency to use too much base makeup.  Akiko\u3000Yes, because I want to conceal my imperfections.  Yasuo\u3000I think that\u2019s fine, as long as you use a shade that matches your natural skin tone. You end up looking too heavily made up when you don\u2019t try to blend the color with the natural tones of your face and neckline. It\u2019s important not to make your face look too powdery because then it will not match your neck. If you match the foundation shade to your natural skin tone, then the coverage will not be as obvious. When I apply foundation on people, my main goal is to make sure the face matches the neck while eliminating underlying redness\u2014that\u2019s all. Akiko\u3000So, the trick is to make it look like you\u2019re not wearing foundation at all?  Yasuo\u3000My personal belief is that even if you want to hide imperfections, your skin should still look healthy and luminous. Makeup is about enhancing your natural look, not distorting it.  Akiko\u3000Last year, I bought a new lipstick Yves Saint Laurent\u2019s Rouge Volupte Shine Collector #15.  I decided to try it out because it compliments my facial features in a new way. You work with so many different types of women\u2014how do you know what advice to give them?   Yasuo\u3000Well, I would say when it comes to everyday makeup, the more all-natural, the better.  Akiko\u3000Working in the media sometimes distorts my perspective of things. Reminding myself that I need to focus on my own interests and goals outside of the status quo helps keep me grounded. Only then can I let my true colors shine through. Photos \/ Interview : Yasuo Yoshikawa Text : Mikako Koyama<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1981,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"1985"},"categories":[5,8],"tags":[55,56,54],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2147"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2147"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2156,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2147\/revisions\/2156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unmixlove.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}