The Chairman and President of Japan’s Fuji Television, Shuji Kanoh and Koichi Minato, stepped down on Monday following a scandal involving celebrity presenter Masahiro Nakai, which led to a public relations crisis and the withdrawal of major advertisers.
The controversy began when a leading tabloid reported that Nakai, a former J-pop megastar turned television host, was accused of performing a non-consensual sexual act with a woman in 2023.
According to the report, the 52-year-old Nakai later paid the woman 90 million yen ($570,000) as part of a non-disclosure agreement.
The fallout worsened as allegations surfaced that Fuji TV staff attempted to suppress the scandal.
The network subsequently faced a mass exodus of advertisers, including prominent brands like McDonald’s and Toyota.
Under mounting pressure, Fuji TV announced that Kanoh and Minato would resign.
Kanoh offered a public apology, saying, “I would like to apologise sincerely to the women concerned for failing to provide adequate care due to a lack of awareness of human rights. I apologise to the viewers, advertisers, company members, shareholders… for the great concern and inconvenience caused by the series of news reports.”
Earlier in January, Minato admitted the network had prior knowledge of the scandal before it was exposed by the media.
However, the company denied accusations that its staff had facilitated Nakai’s meeting with the woman, which allegedly took place at his residence.
Nakai, once a member of the hugely successful boy band SMAP, which dominated Asian music charts in the 1990s and 2000s, announced his retirement last Thursday after being dropped from programs on Fuji TV and other networks.
“I alone am responsible for everything,” Nakai said in a statement, adding, “I sincerely apologise.” He had previously contested aspects of the reports, stating that some details were “different from the facts.”
Japan has not witnessed a #MeToo movement of the scale seen in other countries, partly due to societal fears of backlash in a male-dominated power structure.
Nonetheless, the Nakai case is the latest in a growing series of revelations shaking the country’s media and entertainment industries.
One prominent example is the now-defunct boy band agency Johnny & Associates, which admitted in 2023 that its late founder Johnny Kitagawa had sexually abused teenage boys and young men for decades.
Similarly, comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto has recently faced accusations of sexual assault by two women.
Despite the public outcry, much of Japan’s media has used cautious language in reporting such incidents, describing allegations as “trouble” or misconduct.
Reports also highlight an entrenched culture in the entertainment industry where women staffers are reportedly invited to social gatherings involving prominent presenters.
The crisis at Fuji TV intensified earlier this month after U.S.-based activist investor Rising Sun Management condemned the company’s lack of transparency.
In response, Minato held a limited press conference on January 17, but the attempt at damage control backfired.
Only select media outlets were invited, video coverage was prohibited, and Minato declined to answer several questions, citing an ongoing investigation.
On Monday, Minato acknowledged the backlash, saying, “We are acutely aware that we have undermined the credibility of the media.” He revealed he was “the subject of an investigation by a third-party committee” and pledged to fully cooperate. “I will cooperate fully to uncover the truth and prevent similar problems from happening, and to reform the corporate culture,” he stated.
Fuji Television was once a powerhouse in Japan’s media landscape, enjoying top viewer ratings in the 1980s and early 1990s with hit soap operas, comedy programs, and variety shows.
The network aired Japan’s first domestically produced animation, Astro Boy, in 1963 and later earned international acclaim with films such as Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters, which won the 2018 Palme d’Or at Cannes.
