Major Japanese advertisers are fleeing broadcast powerhouse Fuji Television following an alleged sex scandal involving former boy band idol turned TV host Masahiro Nakai. Industry heavyweights such as Toyota, Nissan and Shiseido are among more than 50 companies pulling their spots from the network, per the Associated Press.
The advertising crisis erupted after weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported in December that Nakai, a former member of the mega-successful male group SMAP, had reached a JPY90 million ($577,000) settlement with a woman over an alleged sexual assault at a 2023 dinner party. While Nakai acknowledged settling “a trouble,” he denied any violence took place.
The situation reached a boiling point following a Friday press conference by Fuji TV president Koichi Minato that drew widespread criticism for its lack of transparency. Minato admitted the network had sat on knowledge of the incident for roughly six months before the magazine expose broke the story.
Adding fuel to the fire, Shukan Bunshun’s latest bombshell report features allegations from an unnamed female Fuji announcer claiming that a senior company executive had arranged multiple similar gatherings for Nakai.
Fuji TV only launched an internal investigation after pressure from Rising Sun Management, one of its major shareholders affiliated with U.S. investment firm Dalton Investment.
Corporate giant Nissan, one of the many blue-chip advertisers jumping ship, confirmed Tuesday it had pulled its ads from the network and is monitoring the situation before making further decisions.
The scandal marks another dark chapter for Japan’s entertainment industry, which is still reeling from the Johnny & Associates abuse revelations. The prominent talent agency, which previously managed SMAP, admitted in 2023 to widespread sexual abuse of young male talents by its late founder Johnny Kitagawa.
