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.

 

A good-looking AD is preyed upon by a female celebrity.

“Even if lawyers who are closely connected with Fuji TV’s executives announce that ‘there was no involvement from Fuji TV,’ no one will believe them. A third-party committee made up of multiple lawyers and experts needs to conduct a strict investigation, interviewing female announcers and employees to fully expose the truth. The public isn’t stupid, and they won’t be fooled,” said a national newspaper journalist.

A former female announcer now working as a YouTuber, Kana Aoki, shared on X:

“Many of the people in Fuji TV’s production team are, in a bad way, very pushy.”

She continued, 

“I used to be driven around by high-ranking Fuji TV staff involved in multiple show productions, and they wouldn’t let me get out of the car until I kissed or let them touch me. If I refused, they would get angry. At the time, I was mentally distraught and had to take medication every time.”

In the January 16 issue of Weekly Bunshun, a “current Fuji TV announcer,” using a pseudonym, confessed that she had been “offered to Fuji TV executive A.”

“Honestly, it’s not just Fuji TV—many television stations have similar practices, where powerful producers and talent receive services. However, if you report it, you risk being blacklisted from the entertainment industry or suffering severe psychological damage from the abuse. That’s why many women kept quiet and suffered in silence. Even when they did report it, it rarely went to the police. The perpetrator would just be transferred, and the matter would be handled internally. But now, with Nakai’s issue surfacing and becoming a social issue, voices are beginning to rise under the ‘Me Too’ movement. It wasn’t just women; even handsome ADs fell victim to the predatory talents. There must be many executives and talent in television stations now living in fear,” said a source from a wide-show production.

Even someone at the top of the entertainment industry, like Nakai, disappeared in an instant. Will the turmoil in the entertainment world continue?