Toshiyuki Nishida Fights Back Against False Drug Allegations and Online Defamation

Toshiyuki Nishida, the renowned actor known for the “Tsuribaka Nisshi” series, was found to have passed away on October 17 at the age of 76.

Nishida began his entertainment career in 1970 when he joined the Seinenza Theater Company.

He starred in three NHK Taiga dramas: “Tobu ga Gotoku” (1990), “Yoshimune, the Eighth Shogun” (1995), and “Aoi Tokugawa Sandai” (2000).

In film, he starred in the “Tsuribaka Nisshi” series starting in 1988, earning acclaim for his comedic performances. Meanwhile, he gained attention for his role as a yakuza in Takeshi Kitano’s “Outrage” series.

As a singer, his hit song “Moshimo Piano ga Hiketa nara” (1981) led to his first appearance at the 32nd NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen that same year. In variety shows, he served as the “emotional director” on Osaka’s ABC TV program “Tantei! Night Scoop” for many years.

Responding firmly to online slander

According to investigative sources, Nishida was found cold in his bed at his home in Setagaya, Tokyo, and his family called emergency services around 12:20 PM on the 17th. His death is believed to be due to natural causes.

In the wake of the sudden news of his passing, many celebrities have paid tribute to his generous personality. Nishida also set an example by responding resolutely to the increasingly problematic issue of online defamation.

Since around 2015, unfounded information regarding Nishida’s drug allegations and violent tendencies began circulating online. Gradually, these rumors became associated with terms like urban legend and the dark side of the entertainment industry, reaching an intolerable level.

 

 

In response to this situation, Nishida boldly declared at a press conference for the fourth series of “Doctor X” held in Tokyo in 2016,

“I am not a drug addict.”

He turned the drug allegations on their head and elevated them into a form of material. At the time, people in the industry praised him, saying,

“As expected of Nishida.”

However, the reality was different.

“Nishida was bewildered and furious about the groundless rumors. In fact, due to the drug allegations, he lost a contract with a conglomerate that he had represented for a long time. For someone of Nishida’s stature, the loss amounted to hundreds of millions of yen. Although the conglomerate understood that Nishida was innocent, they were forced to make a painful decision, considering the online climate surrounding image-based businesses. In the end, nobody benefited, and Nishida declared, ‘I can never forgive this. If I leave this unaddressed, it will lead to serious consequences,’ prompting him to seek out the culprits.”

Nishida’s agency filed a complaint in August 2016. About a year later, the Akasaka Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested three individuals, including a woman in her 40s from the Chubu region, on charges of obstructing business through false pretenses. They were suspected of compiling articles from online bulletin boards and magazines that claimed Nishida was

“using illegal drugs and routinely committing acts of violence,” and making them accessible. 

The woman reportedly stated,

“I wanted to publish articles that would attract people’s interest to increase the number of views and boost advertising revenue.”

Becky and Machida Zelvia also responded harshly to slander.

“Nishida had a gentle image, but he was someone who would express anger at unreasonable stories and actions that caused trouble for others. At the same time, he felt deep sadness over the fact that people were taking their own lives due to online defamation. In a previous NHK interview, he expressed concern about the world becoming more tense and strained, and unfortunately, that concern has come true,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

Recently, there has been an increase in cases where individuals are no longer accepting online defamation quietly and are instead seeking to disclose the identities of the offenders.

The talent agency “GATE,” which represents talents like Becky, announced on its official website on October 15 that it would implement strong countermeasures against malicious defamation, stating,

“We will firmly execute countermeasures, including legal action.”

“In response to online defamation and similar issues, we will swiftly preserve evidence and strictly address the situation, including legal measures such as requests for disclosure of the identities of the offenders.”

In the sports world, soccer J1 club FC Machida Zelvia announced that it had filed a criminal complaint with the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office against a poster who repeatedly made malicious comments, citing defamation among other charges. According to their legal team, abusive remarks were directed not only at the players but also at their families.

Nishida was the first to demonstrate a fighting stance. This attitude has been firmly passed down to his juniors.