“Never Heard of It”—Former Fuji Announcers Rejecting and Facing Outsider Struggles.

The claim that she has never even heard of such rumors comes from a freelance announcer

Who could have imagined that this would turn into such a massive scandal? Masahiro Nakai (52)’s women-related trouble has led to his forced retirement from the entertainment industry and has put Fuji TV in a crisis of survival.

There are no signs of the situation settling down. On the contrary, its impact is continuing to spread. Fuji TV, which is facing fierce criticism over the female announcer bribery allegations, has not only faced backlash from its management and executives but also from the female announcers themselves, who are now being subjected to baseless defamation and criticism.

This is not limited to current announcers. As a result, attention has turned to statements made by former female announcers who left Fuji TV. Hitomi Nakamura (45), who left Fuji TV in 2017, appeared on the TBS show “Gogosuma” on January 27, where she shared:

“There were, of course, business dinners and things like that. However, the staff I regularly worked with used to tell me, ‘You don’t need to force yourself to attend those meetings, Nakamura. You can say no to things you don’t like,’” and she continued, “Even if it was a dinner invitation from a fellow regular talent, I was told I could decline, and that’s how I spent my time at Fuji TV.”

Additionally, Yuko Ando (66), who often served as a host on Fuji TV’s information programs despite not being a Fuji announcer, appeared on “Wide na Show” (Fuji TV) on January 26 and firmly stated:

“I have never, for almost 30 years, witnessed, been present at, or even heard any rumors about such sexual conduct or entertainment.”

Both of them vehemently deny the allegations, but the question remains: what is the truth behind these claims?

 

I don’t even want to have my past involvement in group dates (or mixers) brought up again

During the boom of female announcers, not only at Fuji TV but also at other stations, female announcers participating in “gokon” (group dates) were frequently spotted and reported by weekly magazines.

“From the 1990s to the 2000s, sports figures like pro baseball players and J-League soccer players, as well as businessmen known as the ‘Hills tribe,’ were seen having flashy lifestyles, and female announcers were often spotted with them. It was a time when female announcers tended to choose sports players or businessmen as marriage partners. Many female announcers actively participated in ‘gokon’ with baseball players or in parties held at Roppongi Hills for the ‘Hills tribe,’ and it seemed that senior announcers often invited junior announcers. There were also frequent business-related meetings with sponsors, and some announcers participated actively in these to get closer to important people,” said a former Fuji TV insider.

However, Announcer Nakamura had been dating her husband, Owarai duo “Sammaa~zu” member Ikki Otake, since her second year at the company, and Andou, in fact, was not a Fuji employee at all. “So, it’s no surprise they weren’t actively called to such meetings,” the insider continued.

The announcers who participated in these ‘gokon’ or ‘Hills tribe’ parties did so willingly, and it wasn’t about tribute payments or business entertainment, meaning there was no issue. However, these women are now apprehensive about having these past activities brought back up.

“In the current scandal, Fuji TV’s Announcer Kyoko Sasaki (52) has reportedly fallen ill, and her role as the host for a new program slated for April has been canceled. To avoid suffering the same fate, other female announcers who used to socialize have decided to stay silent. They’re probably just trying to stay out of the spotlight and wait for the storm to pass,” added the insider.

 

 

Only Fuji TV

The other commercial TV stations have begun internal investigations, but the results have not yet been announced.

“With the increasing focus on compliance, I’ve never heard of other TV stations besides Fuji TV inviting female announcers to join as companions or hostesses for business dinners. That practice has been thoroughly addressed” (Commercial TV producer).

Meanwhile, on February 6, Shukan Bunshun reported that former Fuji TV programming executive A, who allegedly started the rumors about the station’s shakedown culture, had also invited female announcers from other stations to drinking parties. A is said to have contacted female announcers from Fuji who had connections with announcers from other stations and persistently requested them to bring their colleagues.

Could it be that only Fuji TV has been going against the historical trend?