Japan’s top 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 opting out of the network, according to the Associated Press.
The publicity crisis erupted after weekly Shukan Bunshun reported in December that Nakai, a former member of the hit boy group SMAP, had reached a 90 million yen ($577,000) settlement with a woman over an alleged sexual assault at a dinner in 2023. While Nakai admitted to fixing “a problem,” he denied any violence.
The situation reached a boiling point after a Friday press conference by Fuji TV president Koichi Minato, which drew widespread criticism for its lack of transparency. Minato admitted that the network had known about the incident for about six months before the magazine article broke the story.
Adding fuel to the fire, Shukan Bunshun’s latest explosive report features allegations from an anonymous Fuji anchor claiming that a senior company executive organized several similar rallies for Nakai.
Fuji TV only launched an internal investigation under pressure from Rising Sun Management, one of its main shareholders affiliated with the American investment company Dalton Investment.
Giant Nissan, one of several blue-chip advertisers that jumped ship, confirmed Tuesday that it had pulled its ads from the network and was monitoring the situation before making further decisions.
The scandal marks another dark chapter for the Japanese entertainment industry, which is still reeling from revelations about Johnny & Associates’ abuse. The leading talent agency, which previously ran SMAP, admitted in 2023 to widespread sexual abuse of young male talent by its late founder Johnny Kitagawa.
