<figure id="attachment_410971" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 5472px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-410971"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f7ce65ad"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/b20073f02dd5b728b689d90109d08bf3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-410971" class="wp-caption-text">The redo press conference by Fuji TV lasted for 10 hours.</figcaption></figure>
On January 27, Fuji TV held a press conference lasting over 10 hours regarding the female-related trouble involving former talent Masahiro Nakai (52).
Koichi Minato, president of Fuji Television, and Shuji Kano, chairman, announced their resignations, with Kenji Shimizu appointed as the new president. On January 28, Vice Chairman Ryunosuke Endo also revealed he would resign after the third-party committee&#8217;s investigation concluded.
The main cause of the confusion surrounding this issue appears to stem from the failure of the initial response or suspicions of concealment.
Until reports from &#8220;Women’s Seven&#8221; and &#8220;Weekly Bunshun&#8221; in December, the fact that the issue wasn&#8217;t reported to the &#8220;Compliance Promotion Office&#8221; (hereafter referred to as the compliance office) was a significant factor that exacerbated the situation. After the incident occurred, it should have been reported to the compliance office immediately to start an investigation and clarify the solution.
<h2>A small group of people handled the female victim once the trouble was discovered</h2>
The trouble between Nakai and the woman occurred in June 2023. When employees noticed the woman&#8217;s condition, two executives responded and then reported it to Koichi Minato. Minato explained,
He said,
&#8220;We prioritized the woman&#8217;s desire to return to work naturally and without anyone knowing.&#8221;
He added,
&#8220;If too many people find out, it will negatively impact the woman&#8217;s care. Additionally, if Nakai contacted her, it would hurt her further.&#8221;
However, such a careful response should have been handled by the Compliance Office (compra), which was established based on the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare&#8217;s harassment guidelines.
While consulting with a doctor, a small group, including Minato, dealt with the female victim upon discovering the issue. They took on a significant problem, which may have led to inadequate handling of the situation.
In cases like sexual harassment, when the perpetrator continues to work in the same environment, it is said that the victim may develop PTSD or other secondary harm. It is typically believed that Nakai continuing to appear on shows would trigger the woman, and this was corroborated by a comment in the January 27th issue of Weekly Post from the woman,
&#8220;If the trouble had never been made public, I thought Nakai would have continued to appear on TV, and I felt deeply hopeless.&#8221;
This directly contradicts Minato&#8217;s explanation that suddenly stopping would have triggered the woman. It sounds more like an excuse to continue Nakai’s television appearances.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Fuji's response was also pointed out to be in Nakai's favor."></div>
The issue between Nakai and the woman was that their, &#8220;Understanding deferred.&#8221;
It was also revealed for the first time in the press conference that their claims differed, which is common in harassment cases. It is necessary to involve professional lawyers and make quick decisions as a company to take appropriate measures.
Even though it has been over a year and a half since the incident occurred, the statement remains
&#8220;There is a possibility of human rights violations.&#8221;
Because such vague expressions are used, it is understandable that Fuji&#8217;s response is seen as favoring Nakai. The situation escalated, with clients halting their commercials due to the unclear truth, leading to a crisis where the investigation was handed over to an external committee.
Nakai, the main figure in the scandal, announced his retirement on January 23.
<h2>The anticipated press conference by Masahiro Nakai</h2>
Nakai acknowledged the trouble and apologized in a comment released on January 9, saying,
&#8220;With the settlement of the matter, I am able to continue my entertainment activities without issue.&#8221;
However, just two weeks later, he announced his retirement.
&#8220;I do not believe I have fulfilled all responsibilities. I will continue to sincerely address various issues and investigations, and take full responsibility for everything personally.&#8221;
While he has pledged to cooperate with the investigation, many have pointed out the need for him to hold a press conference as the main party involved.
Some feel uncomfortable with his sudden announcement of retirement, as it seemed like an attempt to fade out with just a one-sided comment saying &#8220;Goodbye&#8221; instead of a proper press conference.
Nakai himself should explain the details, including whether there was any sexual misconduct, while considering the privacy of the woman involved. Furthermore, it would be helpful if Nakai clarified his relationship with the Fuji TV executives and other female personalities, the circumstances surrounding his departure from the program, and the response of Fuji TV when the trouble was reported.
Fuji TV has announced the establishment of a third-party committee based on the Japan Federation of Bar Associations’ guidelines, and plans to prepare a report by the end of March. It is expected that the investigation will thoroughly uncover the truth about the trouble between Nakai and the woman, as well as any potential involvement of Fuji employees, and the results should be made public.

 Ryo Sakamoto (former head of the Culture and Society Department of Tokyo Sports Newspaper)

 Kazuhiko Nakamura

 Fuji TV's "redo" press conference lasted 10 hours. Fuji TV President Minato did not report Masahiro Nakai's trouble to the Compliance Office, and regular programs were left untouched. The "cover-up" is not surprising. ......

Fuji TV Criticized for Handling of Nakai Issue and Alleged Cover-Up

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