Nakai’s Disconnect with the Public in His Final TV Appearance
Reported his retirement from show business on a paid members’ site
On January 22, 2025, due to a 90 million yen woman trouble, all of Masahiro Nakai’s (52) regular TV and radio programs were canceled. On January 23, he announced his retirement from the entertainment industry on a paid membership site.
Nakai stated, “I, Masahiro Nakai, am retiring from entertainment activities as of today. As for my company, Nonbiri Nakai Co., Ltd., once all remaining procedures and tasks are completed, it will be dissolved.”
He explained the timing of his retirement announcement, stating, “All meetings regarding the cancellation, resignation, and contract terminations with the television stations, radio, and sponsors I have worked with have now concluded, which is why this announcement comes today.”
He expressed deep regret for the trouble he caused, saying, “I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and losses I have caused to so many people.” He also extended his apology to the woman involved, stating, “I sincerely apologize to the other party as well.”
“It was clear that, under the circumstances, his return to television was almost impossible, and retirement was the only option left. Nakai apologized to his fans, saying, ‘I’m really, truly sorry for this kind of farewell.’ This made the possibility of a ‘SMAP’ reunion even more unlikely. Not just Nakai’s fans, but many ‘SMAP’ fans were left saddened by this.” (Entertainment reporter)
Nakai’s regular programs had been steadily suspended since the New Year. As a result, his final television appearance was on December 30, 2024, during the TV Tokyo program “Geinokai All-Star Baseball 2024.”
The program featured a yearly serious battle in baseball between the “Tetsuroz” team, led by comedian Tetsuro Degawa (60), and the “Legend” team, led by the comedy duo Sandwichman. Last year, Nakai participated as a member of Tetsuroz in their game against the “Legend” team.
In the seventh inning, with the game tied and one out with the bases loaded, Nakai stepped up to the plate and delivered a remarkable walk-off game-winning hit. Looking back, it was poignant that his final television appearance featured a walk-off hit. However, what was even more memorable was that during this program, Nakai made outdated, direct sexual harassment remarks.
