Masahiro Matsuoka (right) and Shigeru Joshima expressed dissatisfaction with Nippon TV’s response to Taichi Kokubun’s (center) compliance issue. Nippon TV is condescending compared to other networks The compliance issue involving Taichi Kokubun (51), revealed by Nippon TV in June of this year, shows no sign of settling anytime soon. In November, Kokubun held an emergency press conference in Tokyo with his representative present. Around the same time, former TOKIO member Masahiro Matsuoka (48) responded to interviews with Shūkan Bunshun and Shūkan Shinchō, stating: 〈Even after five months, there has been no explanation from the Nippon TV side〉 〈Isn’t that a compliance violation itself?〉 showing his anger toward Nippon TV. In response, on December 10, Nippon TV issued an apology comment to Shigeru Joshima (55), the leader of the same group as Matsuoka: 《Our response was not sufficient to empathize with your feelings, and we sincerely apologize》 Additionally, according to Daily Shinchō, which was published on December 17, on the day before the statement was issued (December 9), the Nippon TV side visited the The! Tetsuwan! DASH!! location to apologize and explain to Joshima. According to the site, they initially asked him before filming, but he declined, saying: 〈I want to focus on filming〉 Nevertheless, on the day, executives and the responsible producer from the production bureau appeared on site and again expressed their intention to apologize, but Joshima rejected it, saying this was not a matter to discuss at the filming location. This response by Nippon TV seemed to undervalue Matsuoka and Joshima, who have been appearing on Tetsuwan DASHfor 30 years. On this, a former commercial broadcasting executive said in an interview: “There is the essence of Nippon TV as a network.” “I feel they have a strong sense of being an established TV station. Having the Yomiuri Shimbun behind them and owning the Giants may have influenced Nippon TV’s unique high pride. It has been like that since the old company culture. Alumni from Hitotsubashi University wielded influence, but former producers and directors at Nippon TV were often condescending compared to other networks, as talents frequently said.” This also applied to subcontracted production companies, which were limited in number and difficult for new entrants to join. Moreover, being the number-one in ratings and having high profit margins seemed to reinforce their pride. Such an episode remains.