Insights into the Unsuccessful Reconciliation Negotiations and His Views on the Osaka Expo

Voices Surrounding Matsumoto Hitoshi’s Return: Fans Miss His Presence at “King of Conte” 

 

Various opinions have emerged regarding Matsumoto Hitoshi’s return to the comedy duo Downtown. On October 12, the “King of Conte” (TBS) was aired, but Matsumoto, who previously held the position of chief judge, was notably absent.

Viewers expressed their sentiments, with comments like: 

“Things just don’t feel right without Matsuchan.”  

“I wonder who Matsumoto would have voted for.”  

This has led to a palpable sense of loss among fans.

The next hearing is scheduled for November 11.

It seems that most comedians are lamenting Matsumoto’s absence.

“Most comedians do comedy because they want to hear Matsumoto say, ‘You’re an idiot.’ His absence has lowered motivation,” said someone in the comedy industry.

In the lawsuit that Matsumoto filed against Bungeishunju, the publisher of Weekly Bunshun, there has been a development. The next hearing, which had been postponed, is now scheduled for November 11, where a non-public procedural hearing will take place.

Behind the scenes, it seems there have been reconciliation negotiations between Matsumoto’s side and Bunshun, as had been rumored for some time. Matsumoto’s attorney, Masahiro Tashiro, commented on the reconciliation negotiations, saying,

“I neither deny nor affirm.”

 

According to various sources, the handling of A, who claims to have been coerced into sexual acts by Matsumoto, became crucial during the reconciliation.

“It seems that a condition for reconciliation included an apology from Matsumoto to A, but they could not reach an agreement. From Matsumoto’s perspective, expressing something like, ‘If A felt uncomfortable, it was my shortcoming,’ could likely be judged as an acknowledgment that the coercion occurred. There seem to be parts of the apology content that cannot be compromised,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

Given the situation, it appears they are struggling to find common ground.

“At this rate, Matsumoto’s return by the end of the year seems hopeless. If both sides’ claims continue to be at an impasse, next year may also be difficult,” said a television network official.

 In light of this situation, Matsumoto, who posted, “I want to do comedy as soon as possible,” is likely feeling frustrated. However, there are also voices from the Kansai region saying, “It’s a blessing in disguise,” because the “Osaka-Kansai Expo” will be held starting April 13 next year.

The “Yoshimoto waraii myraii pavilion” pavilion at the Osaka Expo.

“Downtown” is serving as ambassadors for the expo, and this role continues despite the series of reports from Bunshun.

“In a world expo where countries from all over participate, issues related to ‘sexual misconduct’ are completely off-limits. If it becomes established that there are problems in the capacity of an ambassador, it’s not surprising if some countries decide to withdraw their exhibitions at the last minute. During the summer Olympics in Paris, athletes who had previously committed sexual offenses were expelled from the Olympic Village due to protests from other countries,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

In this context, Matsumoto is currently suing Bunshun over the reports, claiming they are completely unfounded. As the situation remains ambiguous, he is unlikely to be targeted at the expo.

“Expo officials have expressed that it’s safer for the trial to continue rather than reach a settlement. This is because depending on the settlement terms, it could be interpreted as ‘something close to sexual misconduct occurred.’ If that happens, it would be a significant blow to ‘Downtown’ and Yoshimoto,” said a television station representative from Osaka.

For Yoshimoto Kogyo, the expo is a major undertaking. They plan to create a pavilion called “Yoshimoto Waraii Myraii-kan,” where Yoshimoto comedians will perform daily on stage.

“Yoshimoto sees the expo as an opportunity to showcase Japan’s ‘humor’ to the world. Hiroshi Osaki, who raised ‘Downtown’ and left Yoshimoto in June last year, is involved as a co-chair of the expo’s event planning committee,” said the same television station representative from Osaka.

Matsumoto’s trial is now intertwined with various interests and may be beyond individual influence.