Matsumoto Hitoshi’s Suspension: The Contradictions in Statements and Evidence

Since he has expressed a strong desire to suspend his activities for the time being, as he will not be able to devote all his energy to comedy at the same time as his trial, our company has decided to respect his will, taking various circumstances into consideration.

On January 8, Yoshimoto Kogyo announced that “Downtown” star Hitoshi Matsumoto, whose sexual scandal was reported in the weekly Bunshun, would suspend his entertainment activities.

On January 5, Matsumoto updated his X (formerly Twitter) and pasted an image of a “proof line” distributed by Weekly Women’s PRIME on the same day,

He commented, “It finally happened.”

The image of the LINE was distributed by Weekly Women’s PRIME on the same day. This LINE image was posted on X on December 29 by a person believed to be involved and leaked, and was the topic of conversation on social networking sites. It is part of an exchange between Kazutaka Ozawa of the comedy duo Speedwagon and Ms. Ako, whom he invited to a luxury hotel where Matsumoto and others were staying.

Ms. Ako claims that she was sexually assaulted at the hotel, but after leaving the hotel, Ms. Ako says,

“Ozawa-san, thank you so much for this rare and almost surreal gathering today. I was delighted to meet you. Matsumoto-san is truly wonderful, and ●●-san was also very kind until the end. I am grateful for the connection that Ozawa-san provided. Everyone has already returned home. Thank you very much.”

He sent a message saying, “Thank you very much.” Matsumoto then cropped the leaked image, extracted only the part of Ako’s thanks, and posted it on X.

To begin with, Ozawa wrote a text saying:

“The room is 1502; it seems they secured a room at the back of the 15th floor.”

and, as reported by Bunshun, Ozawa confiscated the women’s phones before the meeting began, and while Ms. Ako was visiting Matsumoto’s room, she wrote:

“How are you feeling now?”
“Are you all right?”

but these messages were also trimmed and cut.

Yoshimoto announced, “There is absolutely no truth to the reported facts,” in response to Bunshun’s coverage. However, Matsumoto concealed inconvenient details and posted, “So, it finally happened,” as if to say that it is the truth. If what Matsumoto wants to convey is correct, it contradicts Yoshimoto’s claim of “There is absolutely no truth to the reported facts.” This contradiction is undoubtedly one of the factors leading to sponsor withdrawal.

At that time, Matsumoto was married and had a daughter. Whether there was a gathering at the hotel, the presence of sexual activities, etc., should be clarified in a press conference or similar platform. Additionally, Ako, who is involved in the entertainment industry, revealed that Ozawa warned her, saying, “If there’s any indiscretion, you might not be able to walk around this area.” It’s not out of the question that she sent a thank-you to Ozawa’s LINE to protect her future life. (Insider in the wide-show industry)

 

Furthermore, the existence of Ms. B is not settling the case as Matsumoto had hoped.

Bunshun reported that Ms. B, like Ms. A, was forced by Matsumoto to have sexual intercourse with him at a hotel. The composition is exactly the same as that of Ms. A, with the same tactic of going to a luxury hotel room where Matsumoto, Ozawa, and the broadcaster X were present.

According to the article, Ms. B was persistently pestered by a nude Matsumoto in a closed room. She suffered from PTSD, and her boyfriend expressed his anger in an interview with Bunshun.

“If Matsumoto is confidently talking about Ms. Ako with a smug face, he should also address Ms. B. After all, Bunshun reported on both Ms. Ako and Ms. B simultaneously. It’s questionable to selectively present only the parts that suit one’s convenience to the public.

Moreover, Matsumoto’s allegations of sexual misconduct have been reported internationally, and despite sponsors rapidly withdrawing from the program, Yoshimoto still maintains a complete denial. It’s quite a spectacle to see whether they can provide a convincing explanation to the public.” (Television station insider)

On the internet, women other than those reported by Bunshun are also starting to speak up. Matsumoto posted on his X, 

“It’s baseless, so let the fight begin,”

Suggesting a full confrontation in court. What will he actually say in this showdown?