<figure id="attachment_408550" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-408550" style="width: 4928px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4d7dd98f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/acbc4fe413487991b2281f3d5470e5b6-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-408550" class="wp-caption-text">TV stations have also been criticized for their handling of the Nakai issue. &#8230;&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
<p> Masahiro Nakai has issued a statement apologizing for the &#8220;90 million yen settlement&#8221; for a woman who has been causing a stir.</p>
<p> Nakai admits that there was a problem and that a settlement has already been reached and resolved, but one sentence in the statement is causing controversy as many are questioning it.</p>
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<p> What is this sentence?</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The statement reads, &#8220;Furthermore, with the settlement reached, I will be able to continue with my future entertainment activities without hindrance.</span></p>
<p> The TV stations have been spreading the news so far.</p>
<h2> The TV stations did not expect the news to spread this far.</h2>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> &#8220;We underestimated the extent of the coverage at first,&#8221; said an employee of one of the key stations.</span></p>
<p> &#8220;We also underestimated it at first,&#8221; said an employee of a key station.</p>
<p> Nakai&#8217;s trouble with women was reported in December of last year. The reports indicated that the trouble had already been resolved, and since neither Nakai nor the female victim had said anything and the details of the trouble were not clear, there were no signs of a ripple effect, and the TV stations were slow to respond.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Neither the station nor the program sponsors received any complaints at that stage, and they did not even ask Mr. Nakai about the situation. There was also no movement on what to do about the program in which Mr. Nakai appeared. We did not expect the news to spread, and on the contrary, we thought it would not grow any bigger than it was, and that it would end with a report in a women&#8217;s weekly magazine. Especially the higher-ups.</span></p>
<p> However, the situation changed drastically when &#8220;Shukan Bunshun&#8221; followed up with a detailed report of the trouble and the victim disclosed her feelings in the same magazine.</p>
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<p> Needless to say, there is a big gap between the entertainment industry, TV stations, and the public.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Even though they knew that the amount of 90 million yen was a serious matter, some of the senior executives at the station were impressed, saying, &#8220;Nakai is a big man for paying 90 million yen. However, many young station staff members were expecting a big uproar, saying, &#8220;This is going to be a big problem. Even if a settlement had been reached, it is now a common sense that &#8220;sexual trouble&#8221; is not acceptable. Naturally, we have been inundated with complaints.</span></p>
<p> (An employee of another key station that aired Nakai&#8217;s program said that complaints have also been received from sponsors.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" There is a possibility that the program will fade out. ......"></div>
<h2>Anger at Fuji TV felt by the victim woman</h2>
<p> As a result, the victim was angry at Fuji Television Network, where Nakai appears in &#8220;The! Sekai Ohten News&#8221; (NTV), &#8220;Masahiro Nakai&#8217;s Saturday Night Party&#8221; (TV Asahi), &#8220;THE MC3&#8221;, &#8220;Masahiro Nakai&#8217;s Friday Smile Tatakae&#8221; (both TBS), &#8220;Dareka to Nakai&#8221; (Fuji TV), and &#8220;Masahiro Nakai ON &amp; ON AIR&#8221; (Nippon Broadcasting) on radio, etc. The same was true of the commercials.</p>
<p> There is a &#8220;big possibility&#8221; that Nakai will fade away.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> If Johnny&#8217;s had existed, the women&#8217;s weekly magazines would not have reported it extensively, and the sports papers would not have been all over it. In a sense, the situation has become normal.</span></p>
<p> In this day and age, it is almost impossible for a celebrity who has once been involved in a scandal to get back on the stage of the entertainment industry. In particular, &#8220;sexual troubles&#8221; are often reported at &#8230;&#8230;. The examples of Yuta Takahata, Hirofumi Arai, and Houka Kinoshita should make this clear.</p>
<p> Some say that Nakai himself needs to hold a press conference to explain the situation, but I don&#8217;t think this will change the situation. However, even if Nakai issues a statement or is forced to retire, it is unlikely that the problem will end there.</p>
<p> The interview with Bunshun reveals that the victim is even more outraged than Nakai at Fuji Television&#8217;s insincere response. Nakai&#8217;s statement reads,</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> There is no evidence of any involvement by anyone other than the parties involved in this trouble.</span></p>
<p> However, it <span style="font-size: 1rem;">is highly possible from</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">the woman&#8217;s statement</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">that Fuji Television employees were involved indirectly, if not directly. Even now, as the details are coming to light, Fuji TV is still maintaining a &#8220;don&#8217;t know, don&#8217;t care&#8221; attitude.</span></p>
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<p> Fuji TV will not suddenly &#8220;go out of business&#8221; as the public has been saying, but if things continue as they are, sponsors will leave and the &#8220;decline&#8221; will be accelerated. &#8211;However, if the situation continues as is, sponsors will leave and the &#8220;decline&#8221; will accelerate.</p>


 Hiroyuki Sasaki (entertainment journalist)

 Shinji Hasuo

 Masahiro Nakai reportedly paid 90 million yen to settle a dispute with a woman. The TV stations responded by replacing Nakai's regular programs and cutting scenes in which he appeared.

Masahiro Nakai’s apology does not change the situation… Complaints to sponsors and TV stations’ “lack of awareness”.

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