A Wake-Up Call for Fuji TV and the Entire Television Industry Amid the Rise of the #MeToo Movement

Fuji TV denies involvement of its employees.

The female offering scandal involving Masahiro Nakai (52) – is it just the tip of the iceberg?

The recent controversy arose when a senior executive from Fuji TV allegedly sent a woman to Nakai under the guise of a “meeting,” and trouble ensued after the woman’s cancellation. Despite attempts to cover it up with an exorbitant settlement of 90 million yen, the scandal has gained momentum through tabloid reports, leading to Nakai’s de facto expulsion from the entertainment industry.

“On January 15, Nippon TV’s ‘The! World’s Shocking News’ officially announced on their website that Nakai would be stepping down from the show. While they haven’t explained what happened between him and the woman, if nothing had occurred, there’s no way he would have been asked to leave. This clearly shows that the TV station has firmly rejected Nakai,” said a sports journalist.

On the 15th, Fuji TV revealed that it had been investigating the incident with external lawyers since last year to confirm the facts. Fuji TV denied any involvement of its employees, and Nakai has also stated that no third party was involved.

Regarding this issue, Dalton Investments, a U.S. investment fund known for being a vocal shareholder, has publicly demanded that Fuji Media Holdings establish a third-party committee. Dalton owns 7% of the company’s stock.

In response to Dalton’s actions, lawyer Masaki Kito pointed out on X on the 15th:

“Just to be clear, this matter must be investigated by an independent third-party committee to ensure the credibility of the investigation.”

He pointed out.