NHK Fee Crackdown Intensifies Backlash Over aespa’s Kōhaku Mushroom Cloud Controversy

They called a lamp shaped like a mushroom cloud cute

This year marks the 100th anniversary of NHK broadcasting. Yet, during this milestone year, NHK has become the target of anger.

On X and other social media platforms, hashtags such as:

“#WeDemandCancellationOfAespaOnKōhaku”

are spreading.

aespa is a four-member multinational girl group from South Korea, active since 2020, and this will be their first appearance on Kōhaku. So what happened?

“A Chinese member, Ningning (23), posted an image to a fan app in 2022. It showed a lamp shaped like a mushroom cloud, along with the text: ‘I bought a pretty light~~~how is it?’ That screenshot began circulating after aespa’s Kōhaku debut was announced. Some say the lamp resembles an atomic bomb mushroom cloud and are calling her anti-Japanese. The show’s hosts, Haruka Ayase and Hiroiki Ariyoshi, are both from Hiroshima, the site of the atomic bombing. This controversy must put them in a difficult position,” explained a sports newspaper reporter.

Searching for the lamp Ningning bought on Amazon brings up descriptions like “3D Mushroom Cloud Explosion Table Lamp, Nuclear Explosion Atomic Bomb Model Light,” sold for around 10,000 yen.

On social media, reactions include:

“I hate that mushroom cloud shape. Please don’t come to Japan.”
“If you must bring this group, the very least you can do is exclude this member from appearing.”

An online petition on change.org titled:

“We demand aespa be removed from the Kōhaku lineup. Please support this petition.”

has already gathered around 68,000 signatures (as of the 19th).

Amid all this, further reports have added fuel to the fire.

Only one group from the former Johnny’s—King & Prince—is appearing

On November 17, Kyodo News reported that NHK, responding to a recent decline in TV license fee payment rates, established a “Special Fee Countermeasures Center” in October and is strengthening legal enforcement. The number of payment enforcement actions in FY2025 is expected to be more than ten times that of FY2024.

In reaction, many people on social media, tying the issue to the aespa controversy, wrote comments such as:

“If you’re going to put aespa on Kōhaku, stop calling yourself a public broadcaster.”
“NHK collects our fees—so why are they inviting aespa to Kōhaku?”

A significant number of users expressed dissatisfaction with NHK’s decisions.

A producer from a commercial TV network commented:

“Kōhaku has excluded the former Johnny’s talent agency acts for two years after the sexual abuse scandal involving Johnny Kitagawa surfaced in September 2023. This year, King & Prince will finally appear again, but they’re the only group from the agency. Snow Man has done a live YouTube broadcast on New Year’s Eve for two consecutive years since 2023 and is very likely to do so again this year.

SixTONES will also appear at the music festival COUNTDOWN JAPAN again this year, continuing their shift away from Kōhaku. That’s why NHK is trying to recover ratings by at least inviting Korean acts, who are popular among younger audiences. However, with former Johnny’s groups absent, 2023 marked the lowest ratings in Kōhaku’s history, and 2024 was the second lowest. With this year’s controversy, the ratings may hit a new record low.”

When this site sent NHK a formal inquiry asking how they viewed the mushroom cloud controversy and aespa’s appearance, NHK responded:

“We are aware of the issue you mentioned, but we have confirmed with the management agency that the member had no intention of mocking or belittling the victims of the atomic bombings. Decisions regarding performers are made based on multiple factors including this year’s achievements, public support, and suitability for the program’s concept and production, and we refer to various data to make a comprehensive judgment. There is no change in the planned lineup.” (Editorial note: This response was added after NHK replied on November 21 following publication.)

What impact will the aespa controversy and the report of tenfold enforcement actions have on this year’s Kōhaku?