Gene Otani is a Japanese presenter, who is a current anchor on the NHK World program NEWSLINE and previously hosted ASIA 7 DAYS.
Otani grew up in Kōbe, attending school in Japan before attending college in Oregon, USA. After several years in non-media work in both Japan and the United States, he attended broadcasting school in Oregon and went to work for several radio stations, first in the United States and then in Japan, in Ōsaka, Kobe, and Saitama. While at Kiss FM in Kobe, a change in station management led to a decision not to renew his contract; the following day, the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck, and Otani was tapped to report live, broadcasting for fifty hours straight. This broadcast led to his receiving an award by the station that was on the verge of releasing him.[1][2]
Otani came to NHK World in 2007, after a short stint on the United States network Bloomberg.[1][2]