<figure id="attachment_382336" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 368px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-382336"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9ee1a42d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/07/919206c9d54b5479bead441443c2d2f4.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-382336" class="wp-caption-text">Matsumoto Hitoshi from Downtown has now declared he will restart his social media. What is his intention behind this?</figcaption></figure>
A new &#8220;Bunshun bomb&#8221; has exploded regarding Matsumoto Hitoshi from Downtown. 
The July 11 issue of “Weekly Bunshun” reported that Matsumoto Hitoshi&#8217;s side was involved in &#8220;sabotage&#8221; concerning the testimony of A, who accused him of sexual misconduct.
In response, Matsumoto&#8217;s lawyer, Masahiro Tashiro, strongly rejected these claims, adding a new twist to the ongoing &#8220;Matsumoto vs. Bunshun&#8221; conflict.
The key figure is &#8220;Mr. X,&#8221; who has been supporting A through her ongoing issues and has helped her despite her uncertain life situation.
Tashiro attempted to contact Mr. X, allegedly trying to persuade A to withdraw her testimony through him. Tashiro has denied these claims.
There are even descriptions that make one tilt their head in confusion.
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This refers to Tashiro&#8217;s mention of an affair between A and Mr. X. 
Weekly Bunshun reports that after Tashiro&#8217;s request to withdraw A’s testimony was rejected, he casually said:
&#8220;By the way, Mr. X is having an affair with A. The magazine plans to write an article about it. I can stop the article if you&#8217;d like. What should we do?”
It is reported that he used this as leverage.
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Matsumoto's lawyer also admitted that he knew about the &quot;affair coverage.&quot; ......"></div>
On the other hand, Tashiro&#8217;s statement regarding Mr. X is:
“There are media outlets that want to write about the affair between you and the woman. Just wanted to let you know in case you weren’t aware.”
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This phrasing seems to present the information as a gesture of goodwill. Both Mr. X and A have firmly denied the affair.
The common point in both Bunshun&#8217;s and Tashiro&#8217;s perspectives is:
&#8220;Some magazine is attempting to report on the affair between Mr. X and A.&#8221;
Is such a thing actually possible?
Regarding this, those within the media would likely say.
&#8220;Such an article cannot be published.”
They would likely say.
The reasons are clear: First, both A and Mr. X are private individuals. Second, A’s affair allegations are unrelated to Matsumoto&#8217;s sexual misconduct issues. Even if the affair were true, there is no public interest in reporting it.
&#8220;Even if a magazine were to report on the affair, it could cast a negative light on a woman who is already alleging sexual abuse. This poses a significant human rights issue.
Given the current climate, such matters are handled with utmost care. There are also legal risks. Even if a story were perfectly sourced, a reputable media outlet would likely choose not to report it.”
That kind of assertion comes from an entertainment reporter at a sports newspaper. 
&#8220;A magazine company is trying to write an article about an affair.”
From the perspective of media professionals, the idea itself is considered impossible. 
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According to Bunshun, after that, as predicted by lawyer Tashiro, a representative from a women’s weekly magazine came to X with an article about an affair.
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&#8220;If Bunshun’s report is true, it means that they were talking about a story that could not actually be reported as if it were going to come out, which could be considered &#8216;intimidation.’&#8221; (sports newspaper reporter)
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Lawyer Tashiro&#8217;s side claims they were completely unaware of the weekly magazine’s actions and had no involvement in them.
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Additionally, on the 11th, Tashiro responded to media inquiries, reporting that they had identified Ms. A. He also hinted at the possibility of filing a civil suit against Bunshun for making baseless accusations.
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The next court date in the Matsumoto vs. Bunshun case is scheduled for August 14. One thing is certain: things are starting to get suspicious.

 It's a bee outside the courtroom. ...... Downtown" Hitoshi Matsumoto has filed a lawsuit against the Weekly Bunshun, which reported that he sexually coerced a woman, claiming over 500 million yen in damages. It seems that the game under the water is getting more and more intense. ......

Weekly Bunshun: Why the ‘A and X Affair’ Leak Is Unlikely

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