Controversy-Plagued Maki Yoko Targets Female Talent She Disdained Amid Sexual Harassment and Airsoft Gun Allegations

Actress Yoko Maki (41) is currently facing a major backlash due to her blunt and controversial remarks, including crude denials of airsoft gun suspicions and a series of cringe-worthy sexual harassment remarks. It turns out that in the past, she has been outspokenly critical of disliked celebrities.

The trouble for Maki began on February 18th when she appeared as a guest on the popular show “Dareka to Nakai” (Fuji TV). Upon seeing this, comedian Yoshimasa Iwahashi (45) of the comedy duo Plus Minus at the time, posted on X, “Oh, she’s the one who shot me with an airsoft gun.” This led to a social media hunt to identify the culprit, but before anyone could be pinpointed, Iwahashi himself confessed that the person in question was indeed Yoko Maki. This sparked a massive uproar online with reactions like “Really!?” and “She seems like the type to do that!” and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

“Immediately during a TikTok livestream, Maki denied Iwahashi’s accusation. However, her choice of words at the time, such as ‘I didn’t do any airsoft gun!’ were harsh, leading to a significant focus on her behavior on Dareka to Nakai.

This is because, during the same appearance, Maki made a series of sexually harassing remarks about her co-guest, Arata Mackenyu (27), saying things like ‘He’s erotic,’ and ‘I thought I’d be groped for the first time at 41.’ In today’s era with strict compliance, this was a complete faux pas, leading to a massive backlash and tarnishing her image as a cringeworthy auntie.” (Entertainment journalist)

When it comes to Maki, she has often been associated with a cool and somewhat mysterious image, stemming from the roles she has portrayed. Furthermore, since she started actively engaging on social media, she has been well-received for her service-oriented comments and her dedication to responding to fans, even amidst her busy schedule. This created a favorable impression, successfully enhancing her image through this contrast. So, why has she ended up in such a situation now?

In light of this, there was a curiosity about Maki’s true self beyond her acting and social media presence, prompting an investigation. What emerged were surprising anecdotes that revealed her genuine character.

“She’s truly straightforward and easygoing, without any pretense. Whether the person she’s talking to is someone important or just an assistant, she’ll converse with them in a relaxed manner. It was quite a while ago, but there was an incident where Maki-san worked alongside the celebrity Saeko (37). At that time, Saeko was only talking to important people and completely ignored anyone else, which really irritated Maki-san.

I guess Maki-san really disliked people who change their attitude depending on who they’re talking to. But what I found most characteristic of her was what happened afterward. After complaining about it, she said, ‘Please don’t use her,’ and I initially thought she meant, ‘Don’t use this statement,’ but she actually meant, ‘Don’t use Saeko.’ It’s funny, isn’t it? Since she’s someone who doesn’t hide anything, I guess you could say I’m not surprised by this whole uproar.” (Freelance production staff)

Sometimes, being easygoing can work in one’s favor, but it can also quickly turn into a disadvantage. Surviving in the age of social media is truly a daunting task.

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