TOKYO, JAPAN – April 3, 2018 – Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV), the leading commercial broadcaster network and production powerhouse in Japan, is welcoming anchor Erica Aoi as its first android employee. Aoi is scheduled to make her grand appearance live on the daily show "PON!" this Thursday, April 5, 2018. The announcement was made today by Hiroyuki Fukuda, Operating Officer and President of the Programming Division, Nippon TV. Erica (ERato Intelligent Conversational Android) Aoi (a combination of AI for artificial intelligence and Ø from "NIPPØN TV," the corporate logo of Nippon TV) was borne out of the first project between Osaka University, Kyoto University, and the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International's Japan Science and Technology Agency Strategic Basic Research Programs. Their goal was to develop an autonomous robot that can live symbiotically with humans.