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Journalists, editors

How to become a Broadcast Reporter

Gathers information on daily events and incidents while based at a press club, goes to the scenes of incidents and events to report, and delivers the news on television and other media.

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but most reporters are university graduates. You need broad knowledge and general education, writing skills and basic language skills. You are hired after passing a broadcaster's recruitment exam and assigned to the news department depending on your aptitude and wishes. New-staff training focuses on how to write stories, and includes going along on assignments and learning to use equipment and how broadcasting works in studios and elsewhere. Reporters build their skills by reporting and producing news programmes, and are recognised as fully fledged after a suitable period. Depending on ability and aptitude, they move on to roles such as desk editor, chief reporter, news programme director or commentator. Some are moved to departments outside news to gain experience in different fields, so they can handle any news work, and to learn how the whole broadcaster works. To report as news should be reported, you need a journalist's sense of responsibility and high ethical standards, and the mental and physical strength to cope with work timed to the second and long stretches of reporting.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Broadcast Reporter?

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start, but most reporters are university graduates. You need broad knowledge and general education, writing skills and basic language skills. You are hired after passing a broadcaster's recruitment exam and assigned to the news department depending on your aptitude and wishes. New-staff training focuses on how to write stories, and includes going along on assignments and learning to use equipment and how broadcasting works in studios and elsewhere. Reporters build their skills by reporting and producing news programmes, and are recognised as fully fledged after a suitable period. Depending on ability and aptitude, they move on to roles such as desk editor, chief reporter, news programme director or commentator. Some are moved to departments outside news to gain experience in different fields, so they can handle any news work, and to learn how the whole broadcaster works. To report as news should be reported, you need a journalist's sense of responsibility and high ethical standards, and the mental and physical strength to cope with work timed to the second and long stretches of reporting.

How much does a Broadcast Reporter earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥6,731,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Authors, journalists, editors, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Broadcast Reporter?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 80% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Broadcast Reporter?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026