NHK's newest morning drama series is off to a disappointing start. The first episode of "Welkame" aired on Monday, and it drew only 16.0% ratings in the Kanto area, which is the second worst Asadora premiere in history. In the Kansai area, it scored 11.8%.

In recent years, Asadora ratings have typically been declining. The 2007 series "Dondo Bare" set the record low for a premiere episode at 14.9%, though it managed to average a 19.4% rating by the end of the series. The recently-finished "Tsubasa" started out better at 17.7%, but its overall average was a mere 13.8%, the worst in history.

"Welkame" stars Kana Kurashina (21) as a young woman working for a small publisher in her hometown in Tokushima. The series is expected to run until March 27, 2010.