Pallade Veneta - Japan's Fuji TV bosses resign over sex assault scandal

A leading tabloid magazine reported last month that Masahiro Nakai, a J-pop megastar turned TV host, had performed a sexual act without a woman's consent in 2023.

The 52-year-old Nakai reportedly later paid the woman a lump sum of 90 million yen ($570,000) and the pair signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Dozens of brands, including McDonald's and Toyota, pulled their advertisements from the private broadcaster after staff were accused of trying to cover up the scandal.

As pressure mounted, Fuji TV said its president Koichi Minato and chairman Shuji Kanoh were stepping down.

"I would like to apologise sincerely to the women concerned for failing to provide adequate care due to a lack of awareness of human rights," Kanoh told reporters.

"I apologise to the viewers, advertisers, company members, shareholders... for the great concern and inconvenience caused by the series of news reports," he added.

Earlier this month, Minato admitted that Fuji TV was aware of the scandal before it was reported by local media.

The company denies claims that its staff were involved in organising Nakai's meeting with the woman, which allegedly took place at the star's home.

Nakai -- a former member of the boy band SMAP, which swept charts across Asia in the 1990s and 2000s -- announced his retirement on Friday after he was dropped from shows on Fuji TV and other channels.

"I alone am responsible for everything" and "sincerely apologise", Nakai said Friday.

He had previously issued a statement saying some of what had been reported was "different from the facts".

- 'Uncover the truth' -

The Nakai scandal follows another huge reckoning the the industry, involving now-defunct boy band empire Johnny & Associates, to which SMAP belonged.

Johnny & Associates, which has now changed its name, admitted in 2023 that its late founder Johnny Kitagawa had sexually assaulted teenage boys and young men for decades.

While the tabloid reports about Nakai unleashed a coverage frenzy, most Japanese media has taken a cautious approach, referring to the allegations as sexual "trouble" or misconduct.

Some media have reported an endemic culture within Japan's entertainment industry of wining and dining the top presenters, including by inviting women staffers to join such parties.

Fuji network president Minato held a short press conference on January 17, after US activist investor Rising Sun Management said it was "outraged" by the lack of transparency.

But the public relations attempt backfired after only select media were invited, video was not allowed and Minato declined to answer many questions, citing a fresh investigation.

On Monday, Minato addressed the criticism.

"We are acutely aware that we have undermined the credibility of the media," he said.

He also revealed that he was "the subject of an investigation by a third-party committee".

"I will cooperate fully to uncover the truth and prevent similar problems from happening, and to reform the corporate culture," he said.

Fuji Television boasted Japan's highest viewer ratings in the 1980s and early 1990s with its soap operas and popular comedy and variety shows.

It aired the first domestically produced animation "Astro Boy" in 1963, and has also produced films including Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Shoplifters" which won the 2018 Palme d'Or at Cannes.

A.Tucciarone--PV