“I Even Bullied Miki Maya” — Taichi Kokubun on the Dangerous Illusion of Sudden Fame

Masahiro Matsuoka firmly stated that he was not subjected to any bullying

Masahiro Matsuoka (48) of TOKIO, which disbanded as of June 25, responded to the press on June 27 after the rehearsal for his starring stage play “Maid Mitazono THE STAGE: Les Misera-buro”, held at the Tokai City Arts Theatre Grand Hall in Aichi Prefecture.

“I didn’t want to cause any further worry to those involved or to the fans, and when we launched TOKIO Co., Ltd., we had discussed that if something (like a scandal) happened again, that would be the end—so we founded the company with that in mind.”

Matsuoka explained the reason for making such a swift decision. Regarding Taichi Kokubun’s compliance violation, he stated that he had heard nothing from either Nippon TV or Kokubun himself, saying, “Neither Jōshima (Shigeru) nor I know anything about it.”

Matsuoka maintained his position throughout as the public relations spokesperson for TOKIO Co., Ltd., but the most attention was focused on a part of the reports alleging bullying within TOKIO. Matsuoka commented:

“There was none. Absolutely none within TOKIO. When I heard it myself, I was startled. Please rest assured about that. Speculation leads to more speculation, and with that comes exaggeration, turning into a fabricated story.”

Although he firmly denied the existence of bullying, weekly magazines and online news outlets continue to report on Kokubun’s hidden side.

In his statement of apology, Kokubun wrote:

“It was all due to my lack of awareness regarding the position I’ve held for many years, my naivety, arrogance, and failure to act appropriately.”

Having been a top idol since his teenage years, Kokubun handled many MC roles within TOKIO, and from 2014 to 2019, he hosted the morning shows “Ippuku!” and “Vivit” (both on TBS). As a result, he earned the most TV appearances annually and achieved an unprecedented six-year winning streak.

“Actually, the whispers about Kokubun’s ‘other side’ began around that time,”

says a veteran TBS staff member.

“I’m the main character.”

“Back then at TBS, it was said that Mr. Kokubun had more people welcoming and surrounding him than even Hiroshi Sekiguchi (81) or Akiko Wada (75),” said a veteran TBS staff member.

At that time, Ippuku!, which aimed to break away from the typical morning variety show format, was launched with supervision from Kundo Koyama (61), a writer and scriptwriter who had earned the strong trust of Julie Keiko Fujishima (58), then-president of the former Johnny’s office. However, the show struggled with low ratings and ended after just one year. Its successor was Vivit. A staff member from that time recalls:

“Mr. Kokubun was extremely irritated when Ippuku! was canceled. Then Vivit started with him as the main host, alongside Miki Maya (61), who was hosting for the first time, and Masaaki Horio (70), a former NHK announcer. The show finally started to look like a proper morning news variety program. However, Kokubun seemed quite dissatisfied with the casting of Maya, who was popular with female viewers, and Horio, who had deep knowledge and strong support from older viewers. I don’t think viewers ever felt the three had good chemistry.

When Mr. Kokubun entered the studio, he always acted as if to say, ‘I’m the main one.’ During live broadcasts, he would often ignore or dismiss Maya’s comments. It was so blatant that some staff members even considered it bullying. Maya, as you can tell from her on-screen presence, is cheerful and easygoing, and being from Takarazuka, she was used to working in a team. In the end, she took the initiative to approach Kokubun, and gradually closed the distance—inviting him to meals and such. Only then did Kokubun begin to acknowledge her, and the atmosphere in the studio finally began to warm up.”

So why did Kokubun become so powerful within TBS?

Columnist Mihoko Yamada offers the following analysis:

“At the time, TOKIO had a significant presence within the old Johnny’s agency. Among them, Kokubun had strong MC skills and drew ratings. With backing from Fujishima, even though Ippuku! flopped, he was still appointed as MC for Vivit. I also heard his wife, who works at TBS, was highly competent.

He had strong trust from the TBS staff, and they even let him hold his wedding press conference using the Vivit studio. Media from various networks gathered. After that, the number of staff surrounding Kokubun became like a feudal lord’s procession. Perhaps all that led to some kind of misunderstanding on his part.”

Some now speculate that, like his senior Masahiro Nakai (52), Kokubun may be preparing for an effective retirement. However, prior to his hiatus, he had six regular TV programs and four commercial contracts. With reports surfacing that damages could total 4–5 billion yen in penalty fees, it seems escaping accountability won’t be easy.