Masahiro Nakai’s Alleged Sex Scandal Prompts Advertiser Exodus at Japanese TV Giant Fuji

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Many significant Japanese advertisers have decided to withdraw their commercials from Fuji Television due to a reported sex scandal involving a former boy band idol-turned-TV host named Masahiro Nakai. Notable companies like Toyota, Nissan, and Shiseido are among over 50 businesses that have taken this step, according to the Associated Press.

A scandal surrounding advertising broke out following the disclosure by weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun in December that Nakai, a former SMAP member, had agreed to a 90 million yen ($577,000) settlement with a woman due to accusations of sexual assault at a dinner party in 2023. Although Nakai admitted to resolving “a problem,” he refuted any claims that physical violence occurred.

After the heated debate triggered by Koichi Minato’s Friday press conference at Fuji TV, I found myself in the middle of a whirlwind of criticism due to the perceived lack of transparency. Admittedly, our network had been holding back information regarding a particular incident for approximately six months before it was exposed by a magazine.

Bolstering the controversy, a recent exposé by Shukan Bunshun includes accusations made by an anonymous Fuji announcer, who asserts that a high-ranking company official organized several such events involving Nakai.

Following demands from Rising Sun Management, a significant shareholder linked to the U.S. investment firm Dalton Investment, Fuji TV initiated an internal probe.

Global corporation Nissan announced on Tuesday that it has withdrawn its advertising from the network, keeping a close eye on developments before making any additional moves.

This scandal signifies another troubling episode for Japan’s entertainment sector, a field that continues to grapple with the fallout from the disclosures about abuses within Johnny & Associates. The influential talent agency, once responsible for managing groups like SMAP, confessed in 2023 to systemic sexual misconduct involving its late founder Johnny Kitagawa and several young male talents under his care.

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2025-01-21 14:46