Japan’s Fuji TV bosses resign over sex assault scandal

Fuji TV President Koichi Minato and Chairman Shuji Kano have resigned in the wake of a sexual misconduct allegation against a popular TV host. The decision was announced shortly after an emergency board meeting.

Last week, Masahiro Nakai, who was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a 2023 dinner party allegedly organized by the channel staff, announced his retirement from Japan’s entertainment industry.

Addressing a press conference, both bosses issued an apology to the viewers and stakeholders for the trouble and anxiety caused by the scandal.

“I feel deeply the weight of my responsibility for undermining trust in the media,” said Minato. “Looking back, I realise there were shortcomings in our response.”

Earlier, Minato had admitted that the company had known about the allegation against Nakai shortly after the alleged incident took place. However, Fuji TV decided not to take any action in the matter, as it “prioritized the woman’s physical and mental recovery as well as the protection of her privacy,” he revealed.

Meanwhile, Nakai denied using violence against the woman, adding that he had “resolved” the matter with the woman through a settlement. The network has suspended a weekly show hosted by Nakai.

Several companies, including car manufacturers Nissan and Toyota, have pulled their advertisements from Fuji TV, one of the biggest networks in the country, after the channel was accused of attempting to cover up the scandal.

Several reports suggested that Nakai, a former member of the boy band SMAP, had paid the unidentified woman more than half a million dollars after the alleged incident. 

The Japanese government has now called on Fuji TV to work towards regaining the trust of viewers and sponsors. Fuji TV has established an independent committee to investigate the matter.

Executive vice president Kenji Shimizu is set to replace Minato as network president. He said he would “never tolerate acts that violate human rights,” expressing his commitment to preventing similar incidents by “starting from scratch.