Sanma Akashiya Praises Masahiro Nakai’s Adaptability in Scandal

Nakai’s first and greatest crisis

Masahiro Nakai (52) lost both his immense popularity and personal credibility in a single misstep. However, Sanma Akashiya (69) once praised Nakai’s crisis management following a past romance scandal, remarking, “He’s still got luck as an entertainer.”

In December of last year, Nakai was reported to be involved in a ¥90 million dispute with a woman. On January 9, he acknowledged the issue through a statement on his agency Nonbiri Nakai’s official website. He assured fans that:

“Since a settlement has been reached, there will be no impact on my future entertainment activities.”

However, just two weeks later, on January 23, Nakai announced his retirement from the entertainment industry.

“A certain level of criticism was expected, but as of January 9, Nakai probably believed he could continue his career. In the past, he faced several crises but always managed to overcome them thanks to his high likability,” said a television magazine writer.

One of Nakai’s first and biggest career crises may have been the FRIDAY magazine report in 1997, which revealed his alleged relationship with a “No-Panty Shabu-Shabu” hostess (FRIDAY, November 21, 1997 issue).

At the time, Nakai was 25 years old. The previous year, SMAP×SMAP had begun airing on Fuji TV, quickly making him a national idol. By 1997, he had been selected to host the 48th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen. However, the scandal broke just one month before the prestigious event.