Masahiro Nakai Opens Up, Confessions of Past Anger Revealed in Exclusive Interview – Renowned for Sharp Wit, Reflects on Personal Growth

“It wasn’t about speaking the truth or conveying passionate feelings. I was really just angry.”

On March 1st, Masahiro Nakai appeared on the TBS program “Masahiro Nakai’s Friday Smile Special,” where he addressed a past incident on a program he once appeared in. The incident involved him losing his temper, which was aired, and subsequently apologizing.

The program in question was Masahiro Nakai’s Family Conference, which aired intermittently as a special program from 1999 to 2003 on TBS. In the video footage, a young person who had experienced bullying appeared, wearing a string wrapped around their wrist as a talisman. When the young people on the panel mocked with comments like “That’s gross!” and “Creepy,” Nakai exploded:

“What the hell is wrong with you guys!”

He yelled and engaged in a heated exchange. Finally, he approached the young people, saying, 

“Hey! What’s your problem!” 

Even when his co-stars tried to restrain him, he continued to glare at the youth until the video ended. Nakai explained the reason for his behavior, saying, “It was during the heyday of idols,” and apologized, smiling awkwardly.

“During Nakai’s late twenties to early thirties, it was the heyday of SMAP. During this time, Nakai portrayed a character resembling a former delinquent. He starred in the drama series ‘Aji Ichi monme’ on TV Asahi starting from 1995, where he was known for confronting the director and having a tense relationship with co-star Masayuki Imai (who passed away in 2015).” (TV magazine writer)

However, a veteran executive from a longstanding entertainment agency who knew Nakai’s era well stated, “But it’s not that he was just prone to anger.”