Jiro Sato Blocks Someone—and Social Media Erupts Again Over the Ai Hashimoto Harassment Controversy

Jiro Sato’s block

The harassment controversy involving actor Jiro Sato (57) and actress Ai Hashimoto (30) continues to spread. While the original dispute itself appears to be dying down, an ideological battle among outsiders shows no signs of ending.

It all began on the set of Fuji TV’s Monday-night drama “Fūfu Betsusei Keiji,” when Sato casually touched Hashimoto’s chin during an improvised moment. It later emerged that Hashimoto is an actress who has restrictions regarding physical contact.

After learning about this afterward, Sato went to Hashimoto’s dressing room without an appointment. Because he made comments suggesting that she should quit acting, Fuji TV determined that the incident constituted harassment. The series of events was first reported by “Shūkan Bunshun,” followed by a rebuttal interview with Sato in “Shūkan Shinchō.”

More than a month has passed since the controversy erupted.

The story has virtually disappeared from television talk shows, and related media coverage has declined sharply. On social media, however, a peculiar development continues. A sports newspaper entertainment reporter explains:

“People began examining Hashimoto’s past comments about LGBT issues and labeling her a feminist. Meanwhile, anti-feminist groups rallied behind Sato, and a battle has unfolded in which people are clashing over their respective ideologies, completely unbeknownst to the two actors themselves.”

Put simply, the dynamic has become something along the lines of “Sato = right-wing” and “Hashimoto = left-wing.” And now, it has emerged that Sato himself blocked Seira Fujii, a writer and columnist, on X, adding fresh fuel to that particular online community.

On July 19, Fujii posted on X:

“Jiro Sato, seriously? I read your personal interview in ‘Shūkan Shinchō’ and wrote an article based on its contents.”

In the screenshot of Sato’s account attached to her post, it is clearly visible that he had blocked her. The following day, July 20, Fujii posted again on X:

“I wrote an article saying that while the initial improvised chin touch may have been unavoidable, the two unannounced visits to her dressing room afterward were unacceptable, and that the suggestive post that garnered 160 million views may have effectively served as a dog whistle against Ai Hashimoto.”

Apparently, Sato responded to the article by blocking its author, Fujii.

He searches his own name online

Here’s where things get complicated.

“People who support Sato have dug up Fujii’s background and past comments concerning political issues, cheering her on with remarks such as, ‘Of course he blocked her’ and ‘Good for you, Sato.’ On the other hand, there are also people questioning Sato’s tendency to block people so readily, asking whether that’s really appropriate.”

So says the sports newspaper reporter quoted earlier.

Sato has more than 2.2 million followers, giving him considerable influence. Under normal circumstances, that might not be an issue, but he is currently at the center of a controversy involving Hashimoto. During the scandal, he expressed his frustration with Fuji TV, which he felt had treated him coldly, posting on X:

“Why does Fuji TV go so far as to side with only one party? It’s disappointing.”

“From the bottom of my heart, I no longer want to have anything to do with Fuji.”

The following day, he apologized for and corrected some of his remarks and announced that he would step away from X, saying, “This will be my last post.” However, he has effectively resumed posting already.

Speaking to this website, a television industry insider said:

“Sato has been searching his own name online for quite some time and has always been the type to care about how people perceive him on the internet. Even during this latest controversy, there were many emotional posts, and some people questioned his online literacy or advised him to stay away from social media for a while. But he never let it go. His on-set manager is young, and apparently the agency doesn’t review his posts in advance.”

Before long, Sato has come to be treated almost like a standard-bearer for the anti-feminist camp. That, in itself, would seem likely to have an impact on his image as an actor.

The battle beyond the ring that has spun off from Sato’s dispute with Hashimoto shows no sign of dying down anytime soon.