Fuji TV Executives Step Down Amid Expanding Sex Scandal.
Executives at Japan's Fuji Television and its parent company have resigned following a widening sex assault scandal involving a former star of one of Japan’s most popular boy bands. The scandal revolves around Masahiro Nakai, a former leader of the iconic SMAP, and a costly settlement reached with a woman over an alleged sexual assault during a 2023 dinner party, which Fuji TV staff are said to have helped organise.
The allegations, first published in a December magazine article, have triggered accusations of systematic cover-ups by senior Fuji TV executives. The controversy, compounded by the network’s lack of transparency, led to a public outcry and severe financial fallout for the company, including significant advertising losses.
Fuji Television Network President Koichi Minato issued an apology, admitting the company mishandled the situation. “We are very sorry that we mishandled the case because of our lack of awareness about human rights and corporate governance ... and as a result our responses to the involved woman were inadequate,” Minato said. “We are very sorry to have destroyed our credibility.”
Minato acknowledged that the incident violated the woman's human rights, but did not disclose further details, citing privacy concerns. He described the case as “extraordinary,” requiring a high level of confidentiality and sensitivity to protect the woman’s mental health, and revealed that it had been handled by a select group of officials within the company.
Despite the severity of the situation, Fuji TV continued to allow Nakai to appear on its shows for a year and a half after the incident. However, Minato denied the allegations of a cover-up, stating that the decision was not influenced by Nakai’s celebrity status. He also remarked that he did not believe the incident constituted sexual assault and emphasised that the case was not reported to the company’s compliance office until after the magazine article was published.
Furthermore, Minato refuted claims of Fuji TV employee involvement in the alleged assault but acknowledged that an investigation was required into allegations that an employee had organised previous events, including barbecues, for Nakai.
As the scandal unfolds, the network faces increased scrutiny over its handling of the case and the broader issue of corporate governance, with calls for greater accountability in the entertainment industry.
