Nagano Mei Faces Risk of Losing Agency Support Amid Affair Allegations with Tanaka Kei After Struggling Past

Impact on her projects?

“The public’s reaction is harsher than expected. Considering recent scandal cases, whether the issue is gray or black, the lack of a clear explanation from the individuals involved weighs heavily,” said a source from a major advertising agency.

Mei Nagano (25) and Kei Tanaka (40) are facing intense scrutiny from the advertising and film industries over their alleged affair.

After Shukan Bunshun published photos of the two holding hands and detailed LINE message exchanges, the suspicion has only deepened. Both agencies have completely denied the allegations in an effort to settle the matter, but by May 13, six companies that had featured Nagano as a commercial character had removed related videos and footage from their websites.

Surprisingly, when the allegations first surfaced, the TV industry’s response was muted. At least until right after Golden Week, there was no urgent need to take action. A TBS insider, whose network airs the drama Caster starring Nagano, revealed the situation:

“The response within the station was to wait and see. This was largely because the issue did not escalate into a criminal case, nor was it a matter that violated human rights. While there were concerns about a possible drop in Caster’s ratings, so far the impact hasn’t been that serious.”

Gap from the Best Solution

But as seen with the wave of ad removals mentioned earlier, the damage is becoming increasingly apparent. The advertising agency insider who spoke earlier lowered their voice:

“The series of responses by both agencies was poor. The TV stations that were watching quietly are now at a point where they need to consider how to respond. If even one company moves to drop her, other stations will likely follow suit.

Fuji TV, whose sponsors are cutting back on ads, is now forced to run a lot of its own ads. Since Fuji is part of the production committee and Nagano stars in the movie Kakukaku Shikajika, Fuji’s CM exposure for that film is noticeably higher than elsewhere. Viewers have voiced strong criticism about this. While the work itself is not to blame, Fuji may have to take some action.”

A talent agency insider points out that a key factor going forward is the relationship between Nagano and her agency Stardust Promotion.

“Nagano has a personality that speaks her mind clearly, and there have been rumors that the agency has struggled to handle her. Some senior actors and veteran staff may find her attitude troublesome, and if the scandal grows any further, the agency might not fully come to her defense. Whether support comes from inside the agency will be crucial to settling this controversy.”

From the agency’s perspective, sticking firmly to the denial of the allegations is probably their best strategy. However, the fact remains that public criticism is growing stronger by the day.