Naoko Suzuki (鈴木 奈穂子, Suzuki Naoko; born January 29, 1982) is a Japanese news anchor and television personality for NHK. She is the anchor of NHK's morning talk show Asaichi.
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Early years
Suzuki was born in Yokohama, Japan. She has a younger sister.
During her elementary school years, she attended three schools due to her father's work demands.
She attended Hosei University and received a bachelor's degree in social sciences. During college, Suzuki joined Hosei University's Jishu Masukomi Kouza (Independent Mass Media Course). She attended announcer schools of NTV Events Inc. and TV-Asahi Ask Co. Ltd. to experience broadcasting.
Career
Suzuki had some odd jobs during her university period. Though she had considered entering the work force as an announcer before, it was after receiving a comment by one of her professors in the independent course that she seriously considered becoming one.
Suzuki was hired by NHK in April 2004. She started her career at the NHK Takamatsu Broadcasting Station in the rural area of Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, where she lived alone after living with her family in the Kanto region. Two years later, she was relocated to Matsuyama Broadcasting Station in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. She served as Ambassador for Promotion of Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting for both of these stations and Okayama Broadcasting Station.
In 2008, Suzuki was relocated to NHK Tokyo's Announcer Department to be the anchor of the regional TV program Shutoken Network, which aired exclusively in Tokyo and peripheral prefectures.
From March 2010, she was the anchor of NHK News Ohayō Nippon until March 2015.
Suzuki then served as the anchor of News Watch 9 from March 2015 for two years.
In April 2017, Suzuki became the anchor of the weekday edition of the primetime news show NHK News 7, which was considered as one of NHK's most highlighted news programs.
From October to November 2018, she was suddenly absent from the program because of sickness.
In 2019 she decided to step down the anchoring post to take maternity leave.
Suzuki returned to NHK to host its morning infotainment program Asaichi replacing Yurie Omi on March 29, 2021.
She was announced as part of the 77th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (2026) broadcast.
Personal life
Suzuki got married to Yuichiro Yokoi, a programming director working for TBS on November 22, 2012. They met while they were studying in the Independent Mass Media Course at Hosei She gave birth to a daughter on May 18, 2019.