Ryoko Yonekura Nearing a Career Wipeout? The Unexpected Benefit She Gained After the Home Search Reports

The new Doctor X project falls apart

Is the title of ratings queen really so mercilessly replaceable?

It has been nearly a month since Bunshun Online reported that actress Ryoko Yonekura (50) had become a subject of investigation by the Narcotics Control Department (known as Matri) of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare this summer. Yonekura, of course, has long starred in TV Asahi’s flagship hit drama “Doctor X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon.”But due to the recent report, the long-discussed plan for a new series is now considered hopeless. A programming executive at a key TV station explains:

“There had been movement toward launching a new series as a tribute to Toshiaki Nishida, who passed away last year. Yonekura herself was leaning toward accepting the role, saying it would be a way to honor Nishida, who had supported her so much.

But because of the recent report, that plan has completely disappeared. Since last year’s theatrical release earned over 3 billion yen at the box office and remained incredibly popular, this is a huge blow for TV Asahi.”

The TV industry is now scrambling to fill the gap. Meanwhile, there is one major actress who is rumored to have benefited—Yasuko Sawaguchi (60).

While Yonekura faces hardship, Sawaguchi is also at a major turning point of her own. This October, she starred in a Fuji TV drama for the first time in 35 years with “Absolute Zero: Emergency Cybercrime Investigation.” Expectations were high, as it aired in the prestigious Getsuku (Monday 9 p.m.) slot, but the show has been struggling with low ratings.

Only one special drama this year

A representative from an advertising agency explains:

“Yasuko Sawaguchi’s move to Fuji TV—after starring for many years in the long-running drama Kasōken no Onna (TV Asahi)—was a huge topic when it happened. But once the show began, the ratings struggled badly. Episode 1 got 6.5%, and Episode 2 dropped to 5.5% (Video Research, Kanto region). The influx of Kasōken viewers that Fuji had hoped for simply didn’t materialize.”

In fact, Kasōken no Onna had long been rumored to be on the verge of cancellation. In 2022, its time slot was moved from “Thursday Mystery” to Tuesday at 9 p.m., and both the directing style and cast presentation were modernized. But this backfired. The shift in direction removed moments hinting at the romance between Sawaguchi’s character, Mariko Sakaki, and Naitō Takashi’s character, Detective Domon, disappointing many fans. As a result, ratings frequently fell into the single digits.

“For Season 24 in 2024, the average rating slipped to the 7% range. And because the show films primarily in Kyoto, production costs soared. It had fallen into a vicious cycle of high cost, low ratings. This year, the series wasn’t scheduled as a regular drama at all—combined with Sawaguchi’s move to Fuji, only one special drama is planned for the year-end/new-year season. Effectively, it was considered finished.” (same source)

Sawaguchi couldn’t get ratings at Fuji, and Kasōken at TV Asahi was on the verge of cancellation—she appeared to be blocked on all sides. But then—Ryoko Yonekura’s scandal drastically changed everything. The programming executive continues:

“Because Yonekura stumbled, Sawaguchi unexpectedly benefited in a big way. TV Asahi now faces the risk of losing Doctor X, one of its killer content titles. To fill that hole, despite its declining ratings, Kasōken no Onna is now back on the table—because if production costs can be controlled, the show still guarantees a stable base of loyal viewers.

If Yonekura is arrested, TV Asahi won’t just have to cancel the irregular evening reruns of Doctor X—they’ll also have to suspend past seasons currently available on streaming platforms. If that happens, the case for bringing back Sawaguchi becomes even stronger.”

If Absolute Zero continues to struggle in ratings, returning to her old home at TV Asahi might be the ideal scenario for Sawaguchi. The search of a major actress’s home continues to send shockwaves through the television industry.