Director Hideo Sakaki’s Sexual Assault Scandal and the Dark Side of the Lime Light

According to the March 10 issue of Shukan Bunshun, four actresses confessed to having been sexually assaulted by Sakaki, including being taken into a darkened room after eating and drinking together at an izakaya (Japanese-style pub).

In response to this, the release of Sakaki’s film “Honeymoon,” which was scheduled for March 25, was temporarily cancelled. Since the film is about sexual assault, there is a strong possibility that it will be put on hold.

Sakaki also issued an apology. The apology was made in the order of the producer of “Honeymoon,” the cast and other related parties, his own family, and the actress who accused him of sexual assault.

On January 10, Shin Hayasaka, who has worked on Sakaki’s films as a cameraman since 2001, updated his blog and stated, “I felt a great deal of discomfort” about Sakaki’s apology.

The apology was made in the order of those involved in the film, followed by the family members, and finally, ‘those who have been considered as vortexes, regardless of the truth or untruths,’ and the apology was also made in a lighter order. Naturally, it is the victims who should be the first to apologize.

It also says, “We cannot pretend that the past did not happen. It seems as if the past is being downplayed, but I feel as if it is completely unimaginative of how much pain and suffering “victims of sexual assault” must go through. I believe that it is unacceptable to “keep this in mind” and to “move on to the future” because you do not acknowledge that you are a “sexual victim.

He decried the situation.

According to a person in the film industry who knows Mr. Sakaki

He is usually soft-spoken and gentlemanly. However, there have been concerns in the industry for years about Sakaki’s womanizing habits. I have heard that the director himself had a lot of influence on the casting of his own films, and that he “snacked” on women in the casting process.

He said.

Even as we enter the 2022 era, there is still an old-fashioned atmosphere, especially in some parts of the entertainment industry. Successful actors can decide which films to appear in at their own discretion. However, newcomers and unknown actresses are in a weak position and are at the mercy of their superiors. If they refuse to do so, they will lose their jobs.

Sometimes the agency side works together with the actor to persuade him or her to play the role.

Of course, the film industry is not always surrounded by such lowbrow stories, but “there have been similar sexual assaults in the past, reminiscent of Sakaki’s case,” according to a source in the entertainment industry.

Famous movie director X, who has had many hit movies, is just like that. He does not touch actresses in the leading roles, but he auditions actresses for minor roles. The director is a well-known director, so actresses who want to appear, even in minor roles, apply.

Then they are asked to have a “relationship” at an apartment in Tokyo. The worst part is that the people involved in the film industry are also in on it, and rather than stop X, they sometimes work together to persuade her that this is her moment to shine as an actress.

Back to the story, Sakaki, who is in the middle of a whirlwind, is also directing the movie “Hazard Lamp,” scheduled for release on April 15. The film stars Akira Yasuda and Hiroki Yamada and has received favorable reviews, but a series of media reports have put its release in jeopardy. The cost is greater than expected.