Matsumoto Hitoshi’s BPO Complaint as a Form of Subtle Pressure on TV Networks

On July 31, Nikkan Gendai Digital reported that Hitoshi Matsumoto of the comedy duo “Downtown” had finally decided to file a complaint with the Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement Organization (BPO).

Matsumoto has a case pending against Bungei Shunju, the publisher of the weekly Bunshun, which reported the “sexual assault allegations. The battle between the two parties has taken a bizarre turn, as it was discovered that Matsumoto’s attorney, Masahiro Tashiro, had used a detective agency to conduct a background check on Ako, who had accused him of sexual assault.

In January of this year, Matsumoto suspended his entertainment activities, declaring, “I will fight it because it has no basis in fact. He remained silent for a while, but on July 12, he resumed tweeting on X (formerly Twitter).

Matsumoto’s anger was expressed on “Information Live Miyaneya” (Nippon Television Network Corporation), produced by Yomiuri Television.

When Bunshun published the aforementioned tailing of Ms. A and the story of Mr. X (lawyer Nobuo Nakamura), who had been consulted by Ms. A, the program devoted time to a feature story. The content of the report was “too biased toward the Bunshun side.

Matsumoto’s side sees two problems. The commentator on the program, Dr. Fumie Ohtawa, who is a doctor, said, “I’m going to use every trick in the book to get the Ako anyway.

Fumie Ohtawa, a doctor and commentator on the program, said, “I can clearly see that they are using every possible means to get Ms. A to give up her court appearance.

The other point is that “a major publishing company is trying to get Ms. A to give up her court appearance. Another comment was made by Kohei Nishiyama, an announcer appearing on behalf of Seiji Miyane, about the exchange between Mr. X and a “former editor-in-chief of a women’s weekly magazine at a major publishing company.

Kohei Nishiyama, an announcer appearing on behalf of Seiji Miyane, said, “Well, there is a recording, isn’t there, now?

and announcer Jitsuho Sawaguchi said, “It depends on the article.

“It only depends on the article.”

The recording was not mentioned in the Bunshun article. The TV station demanded a correction and declared that it would file a complaint with the BPO if necessary, claiming that the recording might mislead viewers even though it was not mentioned in the Bunshun article.