Hiro Morita#Sumo Prime Time
{{Short description|Japanese announcer (born 1967)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Hiroshi Morita
| native_name = 森田 博士
| native_name_lang = ja
| image =
| caption =
| birthname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|8|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Tokyo, Japan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names = Hiro Morita
| education = Ohio State University
| years_active = 1994–present
| occupation = {{hlist |news anchor|television presenter|journalist|YouTuber}}
| employer = NHK
Japan Sumo Association
| television = NHK Newsline
Grand Sumo
Dosukoi Sumo Salon
Sumo Prime Time
}}
{{nihongo|Hiroshi Morita|森田 博士|Morita Hiroshi|born 7 August 1967|lead=no}}, known professionally as Hiro Morita, is a Japanese English-language announcer for NHK and a presenter on Japan Sumo Association's English-language YouTube channel, Sumo Prime Time.
Born in Tokyo, Morita moved to Columbus, Ohio when he was a teenager.{{cite web |title=Hiro Morita profile|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/authors/51/|work=NHK|access-date=2 March 2023}} He graduated Ohio State University and was later hired by NHK as a producer, but later became an English-language announcer.{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|title=English sumo broadcasts bring together diverse cast|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/08/22/sumo/english-sumo-broadcasts-bring-together-diverse-cast/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=22 August 2018|access-date=2 March 2023}} His career in the broadcast industry began when he asked NHK producer Shigeno Tateno to give him a job, despite not having previous experience.
NHK newsline
Morita joined NHK in 1994 and was for a time an announcer on NHK World-Japan's international news program NHK Newsline.{{cite web|title=Sumo: JSA targets overseas audience with English YouTube channel|url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/08/909f24978ec2-sumo-jsa-targets-overseas-audience-with-english-youtube-channel.html|work=Kyodo News|date=2 August 2022|access-date=2 March 2023}}{{cite press release |date=2 May 2018|title=Sumo, the Longest-Running Japanese Sport, Returns to LA in the 18th Annual US Sumo Open|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2018/05/02/1495211/0/en/Sumo-the-Longest-Running-Japanese-Sport-Returns-to-LA-in-the-18th-Annual-US-Sumo-Open.html |location=Los Angeles, CA|publisher=NHK|agency=Globe Newswire|access-date=13 March 2023}}
Sumo
=Commentary=
Morita is also known for hosting programs related to professional sumo on NHK World-Japan. He has been a play-by-play announcer since 1999, and since 2016 he has covered sumo tournament news, including host of the program Grand Sumo Preview and color commentator on Grand Sumo Highlights. {{cite web |title=Grand Sumo Highlights|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/|work=NHK|access-date=2 March 2023}} He is one of a roster of English-language play-by-play announcers for sumo tournaments that air live on NHK.
=International promotion of sumo=
Morita traveled in 2019 to Georgia, Estonia, and Lithuania to promote sumo in those countries.{{sfn|Morita|2019|p=1}} In each of those countries, he lectured on sumo and its history, and presented exhibits with various artifacts related to the sport.{{sfn|Morita|2019|pp=1–2}} During the trip, he also met with former ōzeki Baruto Kaito in Estonia, who demonstrated basic sumo techniques to the audience.{{sfn|Morita|2019|p=6}}
In August 2022, the Japan Sumo Association launched an English-language YouTube channel called Sumo Prime Time in hopes of drawing a larger international audience to sumo.{{cite web |url=https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/235112|title=【大相撲】若隆景が海外ファンへ向けてすり足をレクチャー 昼寝の重要性も解説|trans-title=(Grand Sumo Tournament) Wakatakakage gives a lecture on sliding feet for overseas fans and explains the importance of taking a nap|date=16 August 2022|website=tokyo-sports.co.jp|publisher=Tokyo Sports|access-date=13 March 2023}} Launched at the initiative of Morita, the channel provides basic sumo explanations such as rikishi routine or training and kimarite moves. It also provides exclusive interviews of toshiyori and rikishi, generally the winner of the previous tournament and popular figures of the sport.{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|title=JSA taps veteran presenter for new English-language YouTube channel|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2022/08/10/sumo/jsa-youtube-english-morita/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=10 August 2022|access-date=2 March 2023}}
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite web |author-last=Morita |author-first=Hiro |title='Fascinating World of Grand Sumo'～日本の国技・大相撲の魅力～ |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000552608.pdf |date=2019 |trans-title=Fascinating World of Grand Sumo: The Appeal of Grand Sumo, Japan's National Sport |access-date=September 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924205608/https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/000552608.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2024 |language=ja}}
External links
- [https://www.dimora.jp/talent-info/35/137983/ Hiroshi Morita page at DiMORA] {{in lang|ja}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/@sumoprimetime7506 Sumo Prime Time YouTube channel]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morita, Hiro}}
Category:Japanese television presenters
Category:Mass media people from Tokyo