Fuji TV President Holds Emergency Press Conference as Sponsors Withdraw Over Masahiro Nakai Issue

Salesmen fretting over client desertion

Due to Masahiro Nakai’s (52) troubles with women, Fuji TV President Koichi Minato (72) was forced to hold an emergency press conference on January 17 in Tokyo. The press conference, which is usually held in February, was moved up. Behind this, there is said to be an irresistible circumstance.

“Please, enough already.”

Fuji TV’s advertising sales team is currently facing a tough situation.

The era when they were the unquestioned ratings leader is a distant memory. With the rise of new media, advertising revenues have been steadily declining. Amidst this, the additional blow of Nakai’s troubles with women struck.

In June of the previous year, Nakai was involved in a dispute with a woman in her 20s, referred to as Ms. X, and reportedly paid a settlement of 90 million yen through his representative.

On the 9th, Nakai released a statement on his company’s website, stating,

“It is a fact that the dispute was settled through both parties’ representatives, and the matter has been resolved.”

“With the settlement in place, there will be no hindrance to continuing my entertainment activities.”

However, it was too late. His six regular television and radio programs and two commercials were forced to be replaced or postponed.

“NTV’s ‘The! World Shocking News’ has finally announced Nakai’s departure. This is effectively a declaration that ‘you can no longer appear on TV.’ Other programs are likely to follow suit, either with Nakai’s departure or cancellation. Nakai will be ostracized from the television industry,” said a TV industry insider.

However, the entire series of events has escalated into a problem that goes beyond just Nakai.