The chairman and president of Fuji TV, one of Japan’s largest networks, have resigned in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against a prominent TV host.
Dozens of companies have withdrawn their advertising from the network, which has been criticised for trying to scuttle the scandal.
Masahiro Nakai has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a 2023 party organised by Fuji TV staff. Last week, he announced his retirement from show business. Nakai, 52, announced, causing shock among his fans:
“As of today, I am retiring from the entertainment industry. I regret the inconvenience and loss I have brought to so many people.”
The Nakai scandal has also affected Fuji Television Network Inc. because of its alleged involvement in the case and lack of transparency in its explanations, leading many major Japanese companies to remove adverts from the Tokyo-based broadcaster’s airwaves.
According to the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun, in June 2023, a dinner was planned with Fuji TV employees. Only Nakai and and the female victim ended up attending the dinner, which led to uncoordinated sexual acts on Nakai’s part. The conflict was ended with an out-of-court settlement worth 90 million yen.
Scandal that “has rocked Japan’s entertainment industry”
Last month, Shukan Bunshun pages reported that the dinner in question was organised “especially for Nakai” by a Fuji TV employee. The scandal erupted with renewed vigour. However, the TV company stated on its official website that the said employee was not involved in organising the dinner and did not know about it.
Masahiro Nakai apologised for causing “trouble.” Nakai also said that some parts of the magazine’s weekly reports were untrue, including the claim that he had been violent and that another person (a Fuji TV employee) was involved.
“It is true that there were problems” and “all of this was the result of my shortcomings,” he said in a statement published on his agency’s website.
Without elaborating on the details of the incident, Nakai said in a statement to fans that he takes “full responsibility” and apologised again to the woman. He said negotiations to suspend TV programmes and terminate contracts with TV stations and sponsors were “fully concluded,” which led to his resignation.
A spokesman for Nakai declined to comment on the details to Kyodo News, saying, “What was reported by the weekly magazines has already been settled and there is a non-disclosure agreement between the parties.”
The Japanese government has urged Fuji TV to regain the trust of viewers and sponsors.
Fuji TV executives are leaving
At a press conference on Monday, Fuji TV chairman Shuji Kano and president Koichi Minato bowed out as they announced their resignations. They apologised to viewers as well as stakeholders for the trouble and concern caused by the scandal that has rocked Japan’s entertainment industry.
Minato previously confirmed that the company had not disclosed information about the Nakai scandal, although it knew about it long before it was reported by the media.
Last month, reports emerged that the TV host had paid an unnamed woman more than half a million dollars. Further allegations then emerged that a Fuji TV employee had helped organise the meeting.
Earlier this month, the TV station suspended a weekly show hosted by Nakai, and other major TV stations also dropped the host. Fuji TV has since set up an independent committee to investigate the scandal.
