Fuji TV Apologizes for Handling of Masahiro Nakai's Scandal, Establishes Investigative Committee

Jan 17, 2025, 07:48 AM

Fuji TV President Koichi Minato apologized for the network's handling of a scandal involving TV personality Masahiro Nakai, who admitted to a sexual misconduct incident with a woman and paid a settlement of 90 million yen. The incident, which came to light in June 2023, led to the establishment of an external investigative committee led by lawyers to probe the facts and the network's response. Minato denied any involvement of Fuji TV employees in the incident, stating that the network had been aware of the issue since its early stages and had prioritized the privacy and recovery of the woman involved. The network had initially continued to feature Nakai in its programs to avoid speculation, but later suspended his appearances. The investigation will also look into whether there was a culture at Fuji TV of using female TV presenters to entertain male celebrities, as alleged in some reports. Fuji TV's major shareholder, Dalton Investments, had demanded an independent inquiry into the scandal, citing governance issues.