“I’m really enjoying this”—Even Co-Stars Made the Comment… The “Unusual Incident” That Happened on the Set of the Jiro Sato & Ai Hashimoto Drama

Did their co-stars know about this scandal?

It has been just over three weeks since the July 2 issue of *Shukan Bunshun* reported on the harassment scandal involving actor Jiro Sato (57) and actress Ai Hashimoto (30), but there are still no signs of the controversy subsiding.

Sato is set to appear in the movie *Bayside Shakedown N.E.W.: Run Through Metropolis!*, scheduled for release in September.

However, the July 3 edition of *Sports Nippon* reported that Fuji TV had notified Sato that he would be removed from the *Bayside Shakedown* spin-off drama, in which he was set to star, that was scheduled to air in September.On July 7, Sato himself took to his X account to declare a break with Fuji TV, posting, “I want all my scenes cut from the main movie as well,” and announced his severance from the *Bayside Shakedown* franchise.

“However, Sato updated his X account the following day, on the 8th, posting a contrite message stating, ‘I sincerely apologize for that part and retract it.’ He also reported that he had received a direct message from director Katsuyuki Motohiro (61).Director Motohiro himself seems to hope production will resume, but senior executives at Fuji—who are listed on the production committee—are perplexed, stating, ‘This isn’t something a single actor or director can decide.’ It is said that they are currently reconsidering the matter, including the offer to Sato,” said a source at a talent agency.

Meanwhile, it is said that Hashimoto’s side is still furious with Fuji.

“Fuji was attempting to negotiate with Hashimoto’s side, including financial compensation, but the news broke just as those talks were underway. It seems the station is still in a state of confusion,” said the same source.

Although trouble between the two leads arose shortly after filming began, the shoot itself apparently proceeded smoothly until the very end. This is because Kaito Nakamura (29) of “Travis Japan” appears in the drama. Nakamura mentioned the filming on his blog on the members-only site FAMILY CLUB web.

In a blog post dated April 7, he began by writing , “I’m having a great time with every shoot,” and reported that he had watched the movie *Bomb* (to be released in 2025), in which Sato starred, and revealed that he was talking with the cast about their favorite foods during breaks.In a blog post dated June 6, he also wrote , “I’m really enjoying the filming itself. I’ve been given a great opportunity to learn a lot.”

“It seems she didn’t tell her co-stars anything about the conflict between the two of them until the very end. Some talent agencies reportedly felt that Fuji TV made some cryptic remarks to them after filming wrapped,” said a Fuji TV insider.

A representative from a different talent agency, speaking to this website, said,

“To begin with, did they properly research the two lead actors’ acting styles and chemistry at the casting stage? No matter how you look at it, isn’t this a miscast? It’s a fact that such concerns were raised by the agencies of the co-stars,”

he said.

How on earth can this conflict be resolved? The outcome remains completely unclear…

[YouTube] On FRIDAY Digital’s “Entertainment Reporter Channel,” active entertainment reporterstitled “Jiro Sato & Ai Hashimoto: The ‘Abnormalities’ Seen on Set—Fuji TV’s ‘Unexpected Remark’ to Co-Stars,” where they thoroughly delve into the behind-the-scenes “quagmire” that reveals the power dynamics of the entertainment industry and explain “what is happening beneath the surface right now.”