<figure id="attachment_409859" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 805px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409859"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="b7135938"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/9519f8965f76275f41e52884d4280d6a-3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409859" class="wp-caption-text">Masahiro Nakai is said to be in an isolated state at home. A return to showbiz seems almost hopeless.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>The brand of someone who should not be on TV</h2>
The illustrious career of being the leader of SMAP was shattered in an instant.
Talent Masahiro Nakai (52) became embroiled in a major scandal that engulfed the entire television industry due to a women&#8217;s issue. In June of the year before last, he faced serious trouble with a woman named X, and through his representative, it was reported that he paid a large settlement of around 90 million yen.
&#8220;Women’s Seven&#8221; reported the issue in late December of last year. At that time, Nakai was said to be in shock but responded to concerned entertainment industry contacts with:
&#8220;I’ll do my best again.&#8221;
It is said that he responded with.
The situation worsened dramatically after the new year. Two companies canceled their commercials, and six regular TV and radio programs were replaced or suspended. The most damaging blow was when Nakai’s scenes were completely cut from the Nippon TV program &#8220;The! World’s Unbelievable News,&#8221; which was a fatal blow to his career as a talent.
“It’s still somewhat of a relief if they just replace the program or suspend the broadcast. To have your scenes cut from already recorded footage is like being branded with the mark of someone who should not be on TV” (TV station insider).
Around this time, Nakai began complaining about his mental health and started hinting at retirement to those around him.
However, in the apology statement released on January 9, Nakai emphasized that he had reached a settlement with X and expressed his intention to continue his entertainment activities without disruption:
&#8220;I will be able to continue my activities without any problems.&#8221;
This statement, contrary to the idea of retirement, only added fuel to the fire, with some speculating that it was a strategy to avoid breach of contract penalties. Regardless, his attempt to quell the situation failed, and he found himself in an even deeper crisis.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Only the person responsible for driving Fuji into a corner ......"></div>
The final blow came when the scandal spread to Fuji TV, creating a crisis unprecedented in the station’s history.
It is believed that the trouble between Nakai and X was triggered by programming executive A, who had previously used female employees as companions, as well as the corporate culture within the station. This has been investigated by publications like Weekly Bunshun.
&#8220;President Koichi Minato of Fuji TV hastily held a press conference, but his responses were essentially zero. He repeatedly stated we will refrain from answering due to an external lawyer’s investigation, and when asked about the reported contribution system, he only expressed his belief, saying, &#8216;I trust that such things do not exist.&#8217; As a result, sponsors started to pull away, and the situation became uncontrollable&#8221; (TV station insider).
Nakai must be thinking, &#8220;I never expected things to escalate this much.&#8221;
<h2>The cancellation of all six regular programs, including five TV shows and one radio show</h2>
According to an entertainment industry insider, Nakai is currently isolating himself at his apartment, fearing the media. He only contacts a small circle of acquaintances.
&#8220;Nakai still has that yankee vibe, but in reality, he&#8217;s the type to pay attention to the smallest details. This situation has exceeded his ability to cope alone. Those around him are recommending medical care&#8221; (entertainment industry insider).
At this rate, it’s certain to become a major event in entertainment history. In the TV industry, to gain the understanding of viewers and sponsors, all regular programs bearing the name Nakai were eliminated. This includes TBS&#8217;s Nakai Masahiro&#8217;s Friday Smile, TV Asahi&#8217;s Nakai Masahiro&#8217;s Saturday Gathering, and five other TV shows, as well as one radio show.
&#8220;Nakai&#8217;s return? It&#8217;s not entirely his fault, but with this huge scandal and the way he has pushed Fuji TV to the brink of ruin, no one will want to work with him. No one will use him.
 Inside Fuji TV, there are voices of anger towards Nakai for possibly downplaying the issue with X. This is essentially an expulsion from the entertainment industry. The only thing left is whether he&#8217;ll make a farewell comment&#8221; (sports paper entertainment reporter).
The glory of his SMAP days has been erased. Nakai must be filled with regret beyond measure.

 The impact of Masahiro Nakai's "90 million yen" woman trouble continues to grow. About 75 Fuji Television companies have replaced their commercial broadcasts. Nakai himself has also had his six regular programs, five on TV and one on radio, cancelled. ......

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