Why Celebrities No Longer Hold Apology Press Conferences

Celebrities who returned without holding a press conference

Amid the controversy surrounding Masahiro Nakai (52) and his 900 million yen settlement for a woman-related issue, a statement was issued by Nakai on the night of January 9. However, there was a line in the statement that seemed to reflect a disconnect with public perception, and the criticism has not subsided.

The first report in a women’s magazine stated that a settlement had been paid and the matter was already resolved, leading industry insiders to believe it would quickly settle. However, details of the issue were revealed by Weekly Bunshun, and as the woman who had been affected shared her current feelings in an interview with the magazine, the criticism towards Nakai and Fuji TV intensified.

“There were calls both inside and outside the industry for Nakai to hold a press conference, but in the end, he only issued a statement. As a result, the criticism grew even more. Initially, he might have intended to simply ride it out” (Sports newspaper reporter).

In fact, it has become less common for celebrities to hold press conferences even after causing scandals.

Like Nakai, a recent example is Hitoshi Matsumoto (61). A year after the incident was reported, on December 25 of last year, he finally gave an interview to a journalist he was close with, but the content was not what the public was eager to hear or know. Regarding the same Hitoshi Matsumoto issue, Kazutaka Ozawa (51) of Speedwagon has remained in hiding. Jun Kurose (49) of Punk Boo Boo even declared his return on Instagram in June last year without offering any explanation.

“Similarly, Toshifumi Fujimoto (54) of FUJIWARA, who was involved in a hit-and-run accident in October 2023, also didn’t hold a press conference. His car entered an intersection with a red light and collided with another vehicle, but he drove off. In November 2023, he was sent to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office for violating the Road Traffic Act (failure to report the accident, etc.). 

He was later not prosecuted, but without a press conference, he returned. Now, he makes self-deprecating jokes on shows like London Hearts and Ame Talk! (both on TV Asahi), but on social media, there are still many criticisms such as, ‘It’s not funny at all,’ and ‘It just feels like he escaped unscathed'” (Television magazine writer).