A Rift Too Deep to Cross? Newly Released Photos Capture an Unusual Atmosphere Around Jiro Sato and Ai Hashimoto

A fatal distance

A family strolls through a park at dusk while exchanging casual conversation—a perfectly ordinary scene. Yet the sight of the wife walking two, three, or even nearly five steps behind her husband and daughter seemed strangely out of place. In light of the controversy that later emerged, however, that distance came to feel like an unfathomable chasm.

The scene in question was filmed on May 7 in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, as part of the Fuji TV drama “Fufubessei Keiji (The Married Couple with Separate Surnames Detective).” It was the family scene used at the end of Episode 7.

The sequence depicted the growing bond between the father, played by Jiro Sato (57), and his daughter, played by Rui Tsukishima (18), while Sato’s wife, played by Ai Hashimoto (30), watched over them from a step behind. Yet there appeared to be a considerable distance between the on-screen husband and wife themselves.

According to people familiar with the production, that sense of separation extended beyond the moments when the cameras were rolling.

“The strangest thing was where they took their breaks. Sato stayed close to the filming location with Tsukishima and the others, but Hashimoto rested more than 10 meters away, almost as though she had deliberately turned her back on them. It’s highly unusual for two lead actors to spend their breaks so far apart. Not only did they avoid speaking to each other, they didn’t even exchange greetings. There was an extremely tense atmosphere on set,” said a source connected to the production company.

During one break in filming, Hashimoto chatted with her manager, while Sato remained visibly downcast despite being spoken to repeatedly by Tsukishima. Witnesses reportedly never saw him smile.

The major harassment allegations surrounding Sato have continued to generate controversy.

According to a report published by “Shukan Bunshun’s” digital edition on July 1, Sato learned during production that there were restrictions on physical contact involving Hashimoto’s role and, without making an appointment, entered Hashimoto’s dressing room and told her, “You shouldn’t be an actor.”

Sato subsequently responded in an interview published in “Shukan Shincho” on July 9. He insisted that he had not spoken in a reprimanding tone and revealed that a lawyer responsible for compliance matters at Fuji Television had labeled him the perpetrator of harassment. He further claimed that he had been ordered not to engage in private conversations with Hashimoto and to behave naturally only when other people were present. Sato also admitted that the situation had caused him severe emotional distress and sleep problems.

As this increasingly complicated controversy continues to unfold, many are left wondering how—and whether—it can ultimately be resolved.

The July 31 issue of “FRIDAY” magazine and the paid edition “FRIDAY GOLD” reportedly contain further details concerning actions taken by Sato that troubled senior executives at Fuji Television, as well as unusual developments that occurred within the network itself.

Click here to view the full details and multiple photos↓

From the July 31, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”