Actress Shima Tabata , who gained attention for her role in the NHK Asadora drama series "Omusubi " in the latter half of 2024, has been appointed as the new ambassador for Nippon Rent-A-Car, and a new commercial featuring her began airing on April 4th.
Tabata was born on December 24, 2005, and is a 20-year-old from Kumamoto Prefecture. In " Omusubi," she played Sakuma Natsumi, nicknamed "Nacchan," the childhood friend of the heroine Yui (Kanna Hashimoto), and became a topic of conversation for her "cute smile." In January of this year, she also appeared in the ABC TV/TV Asahi drama series "50-Minute Lover."
The new commercial begins with Tabata cheerfully calling out "Ni-ppon!" to the screen. There are also scenes of her driving along the coast, shopping at a mall, enjoying a meal with friends, and visiting various places through the rental car, and her ever-changing, joyful expressions are a highlight. At the end, she sings the familiar phrase "Nippon Rent-a-Car♪".
Tabata reflected on the filming, saying, "Since we were filming in Sendai, I got to drive along the coastal roads, which felt really great. I also got to visit a Nippon Rent-A-Car branch, and I was very impressed by how four or so people meticulously and carefully inspected the cars after each rental. It made me realize that I could drive safely and trust them completely. I loved everything about Sendai—the sea, the outlet mall, the Nippon Rent-A-Car branch, and the atmosphere!"
