“To everyone at Fuji TV…” Hisa Hieda, Former Senior Advisor at Fuji TV, Delivers a Message to His Former Employer in a Public Appearance for the First Time in 1 Year and 9 Months
“I consider this a joy.”
A white-haired man, leaning on a cane, slowly made his way onto the stage with cautious steps. As soon as he took his seat at the press conference, he swept his gaze across the room with the same piercing intensity he had once displayed—this was Hisashi Hieda (88), who reigned at the helm of Fuji TV for nearly 40 years.
On September 8, Mr. Hisae attended a press conference in Tokyo to announce the recipients of the “Prince Takamatsu Memorial World Culture Award” and the “29th Young Artists Encouragement Program.” This marked his first public appearance in one year and nine months.
“Mr. Hieda served for many years as Representative Director and Chairman of both Fuji Media Holdings (FMH) and Fuji Television. Even after stepping down in 2017, he continued to wield influence as an Advisory Director of Fuji Media Holdings and as a representative of the Fuji Sankei Group—including nominating the president—and was known as the ‘Don’ of Fuji.
In June 2023, a scandal stemming from a romantic entanglement involving former TV personality Masahiro Nakai (54) brought the company’s compliance practices and corporate culture into question, and criticism focused on Mr. Hieda, who had been involved in management for approximately 40 years.He had stepped down from his post on March 27 of last year. “His appearance in public this time was in his capacity as chairman of the Japan Art Association—an organization belonging to the Fuji Sankei Group, a position he assumed in 2008—marking his first public appearance in one year and nine months,” said a social affairs reporter for a national newspaper.
Mr. Hieda, who had been hospitalized last February due to a lumbar compression fracture, missed last year’s press conference and awards ceremony for the prize. As mentioned at the beginning, his gait appeared quite unsteady as he took the stage leaning on a cane. As soon as he sat down,
“This is Hieda. Please excuse me for remaining seated,”
he said. He then read out the winners of each category. When asked by the press about his first public appearance in a long time,
“I’m even happier than you are. Today, it was just a matter of whether I could walk or sit. Seeing familiar faces and being able to sit here and make this announcement—that in itself is a joy for me,”
she said with a smile. She continued,
“I feel truly blessed that we are able to do work that connects people to people and countries to countries through culture and the arts. So, I’d like everyone at Fuji TV to reflect on the fact that you, too, are playing a part in that,”
she said, delivering a message to Fuji TV.
Meanwhile, Fuji TV is currently embroiled in a lawsuit seeking 5 billion yen in damages from Koichi Minato (74)—who served as president while Hieda was an advisor and was his direct subordinate—and Ryo Ota (67), a former managing executive known as Hieda’s “right-hand man.”
At the time, Fuji TV faced ridicule—being called “cutting off the lizard’s tail”—for suing the two men and seeking such a massive settlement without holding Mr. Hieda accountable in any way. However, judging by Mr. Hieda’s remarks at the press conference, it seems his influence over the network may still be far from over.
