Masahiro Nakai, a prominent Japanese TV host and former member of the popular boy band SMAP, has announced his retirement following allegations of sexual assault. The scandal has rocked Japan’s entertainment industry and led to dozens of major companies pulling their commercials from Fuji Television, where Nakai was a prominent figure. The controversy began in December when a weekly magazine reported on a 90 million yen ($580,000) settlement between Nakai and a woman over an alleged sexual assault at a 2023 dinner party.
Nakai acknowledged the settlement but denied any use of violence. Fuji Television President Koichi Minato apologized during a news conference on Friday, admitting that the company had been aware of the issue for about six months before the magazine report but had not disclosed it. Minato stated that Fuji TV would investigate the case but suggested that he believed his employees had not acted improperly.
The news conference sparked criticism over Fuji TV’s perceived lack of transparency and contrition regarding the affair.
Nakai’s departure shakes entertainment industry
As a result, major sponsors such as Nissan, Toyota, Shiseido, Seven & I Holdings, and Meiji Yasuda announced they were pulling ads from the network.
Local media reports suggest that more than 50 companies have taken similar action. Nakai, in a social media statement posted on Thursday, said that he was “truly sorry for causing trouble and losses to so many people” and apologized for saying goodbye in this manner. The scandal has brought attention to the ongoing reckoning within Japan’s entertainment industry regarding long-unspoken cases of sexual assault.
In 2023, the now-defunct talent agency Johnny & Associates admitted to sexual abuse against hundreds of boys and young men perpetrated by its late founder, Johnny Kitagawa, who had managed SMAP and many other boy bands. The Fuji TV scandal has also raised questions about the network’s handling of the situation and its impact on the Japanese advertising landscape. As the investigation continues, the entertainment industry faces increased scrutiny and pressure to address issues of sexual misconduct and abuse.