Fuji Television Sexual Harassment Scandal

In December 2024, Japanese magazines such as ''Josei Seven'' and ''Shūkan Bunshun'' reported on sexual harassment and assault allegations against former television personality Masahiro Nakai, and also alleged that executives at the television station Fuji Television (Fuji TV) were involved in covering up the allegations. The scandal led to many advertisers terminating their relationship with Fuji TV and the resignation of senior leadership in January 2025. Due to the scale of the problem, it has been called the or the .

Background

Following the allegations, first reported by ''Shūkan Bunshun'' in December 2024, the first press conference was held on January 17, 2025, by then Fuji Television President Koichi Minato. The conference was criticized, not only because it was held as a closed door conference, but with a limited number of members of the broadcaster's press club. Contents such as transcripts were not allowed to be published by Japanese newspapers, online Japanese news sites and even by Fuji TV themselves; nor live broadcast was allowed to be shared. And it was held on the 30th anniversary of the commemoration of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The inadequate corporate governance and compliance system of the company, including slow responses to situations, was criticized, leading to advertising companies ceasing commercial ads on Fuji TV and its affiliates. Management responsibility of the executives was questioned, resulting in the resignation of president Minato and Fuji Media Holdings (FMH) and Fuji Television Chairman Shuji Kano. Furthermore, although not directly related to this issue, the responsibility of FMH and Fuji Television Director and Advisor Hisashi Hieda, and his influence over decisions taken by the employees and other executives of FMH, is also being questioned.

Pressure exerted by the media and the people, led Nakai to make the decision to announce his retirement from all entertainment activities on January 23, days after the first press conference, taking responsibility for this issue.

On January 27, Fuji Television held a second press conference, which also received severe criticism from the public regarding the content and manner in which some of the reporters asked questions to the management team. ''Shūkan Bunshun'', which had initially reported on this issue, revised some of the original article content early on the day the second press conference was to take place, posting the "correction" on their electronic edition. As a result of this, there was a discrepancy between the press' questions and the management's answers at the press conference, causing confusion and leading to an unusually long press conference that exceeded 10 hours. Bunshun's editorial stance has come under severe criticism from public opinion which had developed into a major problem involving the entire media. Bunshun later apologized for the corrections.

History

Timeline

1987

* An announcer book is released by Fuji's own publisher. A follow-up book was released in 1991. Both books talk about the inner workings of the announcer's department, including cases of sexual harassment.

Around 2013

* A case identified in the third-party investigation, with involvement of the Fuji TV executive from the Nakai case (not Nakai related)/

2021

* A "suite room meeting" held at a foreign-affiliated hotel (case identified in the third-party investigation, with involvement of the Fuji TV executive from the Nakai case (Nakai related)).

2023

* May – A barbecue was held with Tsurube, Hiromi, Nakai, the executive and the woman. Nothing, supposedly, happened that day.
* June – There was a party where Nakai, a Fuji TV executive and a woman are supposed to meet. The executive couldn't go, so Nakai and the woman are left alone. There are allegations that something happened behind closed doors. Nakai and the woman come to an agreement and Nakai ends up paying a large settlement (initial reports say it is of 90 million yen).

2024

* August - The woman (identified as an announcer) leaves Fuji.
* December 19 – Josei Seven reports the incident.
* December 26 – Bunshun reports the incident.
* December 27 – Fuji TV posts a statement on their site. Fuji denies employee involvement.

2025

January

* January 8 – Bunshun reports that the woman consulted with a Fuji executive. Fuji suspends airings of "Dareka to Nakai".
* January 9 – Nakai to issue an apology.
* January 14 – Dalton Investments, a major shareholder, sent its first letter to FMH calling for the establishment of a third-party committee.
* January 16 – Bunshun reports another incident involving an executive and Nakai with another woman.
* January 17 – Fuji TV President Minato held the first press conference, with limited assistance and media limitations and prohibitions. Minato acknowledges knowing of the incident since June 2023. A "third-party committee" is established. France's press (Le Parisien, Le Figaro) start reporting the incident internationally.
* January 18 – Meiji Yasuda Life, Nippon Life, Toyota, and NTT East started suspending their commercials from airing on the network until further notice.
* January 19 – Josei's summarizes the developments until then.
* January 20 – YouTuber Kanon Aoki revealed sexual abuse from a Fuji TV executive. By now, 40 sponsors had stopped airing commercial ads.
* January 21 – By now other international news outlets started sharing the news. Kikkoman requested the removal of " Kuishinbo", a long-time running program. It is substituted by a news program.
* January 22 – Dalton Investments sends a second letter to FMH, mentioning the actions of the first press conference and demanding the company holds a second press conference, this time allowing all media. By now, 75 companies have cut advertisements from Fuji TV and its affiliates.
* January 23 – Fuji Media Holdings holds an extraordinary board meeting, with the top outside directors and FMH, that Kiyoto Saito, president of radio station Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, a major shareholder of FMH, demanded on January 21. Nakai announces his retirement from entertainment.
* January 24 – Commercial ads are being replaced by Ad Council Japan PSAs. Fuji promises sponsors they will not charge for those commercials in January or February.
* January 27 – Fuji TV holds board meeting before second press conference. Executives Kano and Minato resign. Bunshun "corrects" information in their electronic site regarding the issue from December 26 just before the press conference. They later apologized for the confusion.
* January 30 – FMH to revise earning forecast in March. General losses expected at 9.8 billion yen, while 28 affiliates are expected to lose up to 1.4 billion yen, with additional losses of up to 300 million yen expected. Fuji TV considers legal actions against Nakai and Bunshun. Tsurube's Sushiro commercials stop airing.
* January 31 – Fuji TV announces cancellation of their long-running musical special FNS Music Festival (spring edition), scheduled for April.

February

* February 1–3 – On February 1, former Fuji TV Announcer Yutaka Hasegawa appeared on Horiemon's YouTube channel, claiming to have been a victim of sexual harassment from 2 superiors. On February 2, he apologized for the treatment they had received from people, stating that what he had said on the video had been a joke. On February 3, he posted another message, asking people to refrain from harassing them, and commenting that he, as a prior victim of Fuji TV (for another reason), was willing to act as the "bad guy" if that helped change the station.
* February 3 – Problems of production hit programs, not only in the lack of sponsors, but also in the blocking of permits to film on location. "Run for the money" is the latest. Dalton Investments sends third letter, demanding, this time, Hieda's resignation.
* February 4 – MIC Minister Murakami states no reason to revoke Fuji TV's broadcasting license. Third-party committee starts investigations with employees.
* February 5 – "FNS 27-Jikan TV" temporarily suspended until further notice. Yoshimoto Kogyo artists subject to self-restraint due to suspicion of compliance violations.
* February 6 – Expo 2025 returns as sponsor and Sushiro resumes airing Tsurube's ads.
* February 7 – Kinliser returns as sponsor.
* February 8 – Women start manifesting on SNS, under the hashtag #私が退職した本当の理由.
* February 25 - Fuji TV's sponsors are a total of 72.
* February 27 - Hieda resigns as adviser. Fuji TV's President Shimizu reported February's broadcasting revenue down by about 90%, and PSAs replaced 311 companies' ads by the end of January. The launch of the "Revitalization and Reform Project Headquarters" was announced, as well as the measures it will take.

March

* March 27 - Fuji TV and FMH hold board meetings and joint press conference. Major decisions taken: Hieda resigns in June, director number reduced to 10, new directors age reduced to around 50, women to be 30% of directors.
* March 31 - Fuji TV receives the results of the third-party investigations and holds press conference.

April

* April 4 - Kansai TV labor union considering going on strike if management (including former Fuji TV vicepresident Ota and advisor Hieda, Outside Director for Kansai TV) does not resign by April 8. Ota resigns as president of Kansai TV.
* April 16 - Dalton Investments sent Fuji a letter with 12 suggested candidates for Board of Directors.

May

* May 9 – Nakai offers his testimony to the Third Party Committee for a total of 6 hours
* May 12 – Nakai's legal team refutes the Third Party Committee results report
* May 22 – Nakai team receives response letter
* May 30 – Nakai team re-requests information

June

* June 5 – Fuji TV to sue former President Minato and Director Ota
* June 14 – Ads to return airing after the July Monday drama spot at the discretion of sponsors and depending on the June 25 shareholder meeting

First (un)reported incident

In December 2024, reports surfaced in Japanese tabloid newspapers that Nakai allegedly engaged in nonconsensual sexual activity with an unnamed woman in her twenties in June 2023. After the incident occurred, Fuji Television executives were promptly informed, but the broadcaster did not respond against Nakai, and the matter was never widely reported by the Japanese media. Furthermore, although executives were aware of the issue, subsequent reports revealed that the company's compliance department was not informed and the information was not shared.

This started to change after it was reported by two Japanese tabloids, first with Josei Seven on December 19, 2024, then by Shūkan Bunshun on December 26, 2024. According to "Josei Seven", the woman was scheduled to have dinner with Nakai and a Fuji TV employee in 2023, but the Fuji TV employee was absent, and trouble broke out.

Fuji TV posted a statement on its official website on December 27, 2024:

We have recently received reports in some weekly magazines and other media concerning our employees.

The content of the article is untrue, and the employee in question was not involved in any way, including the setting up of the dinner meeting mentioned in the article.

We were not aware of the existence of the meeting, and there is no evidence that the employee was absent without notice on the day of the meeting.

We have also informed the issuer to that effect.

We will refrain from discussing other matters related to privacy.

On the other hand, we are once again sincere about the nature of our relationship with the performers and other stakeholders, and we will make further efforts to comply with our compliance guidelines.

In relation to this matter, there have been some speculative articles and postings on social networking sites regarding our company's employees and related parties.

We cannot tolerate any content that may lead to slander or defamation, and we ask that you refrain (from sharing) on such content.

The company issued a statement denying the involvement of the executive in question, but in a follow-up article on the matter, suspicions emerged that the executive in question had attended (entertained) a female announcer belonging to the company to a dinner party attended by Nakai. At this point, coverage in Japanese media was limited to tabloid magazines, which meant French media first reporting the incident, including ''Le Parisien'' and ''Le Figaro''.

In addition, various stations suspended or withdrew programs in which Nakai appeared, including Fuji TV, which announced on January 8 the suspension of the broadcast of Nakai's co-hosted program ''Dareka to Nakai'' to happen on January 12, for the time being. The show, previously called "Matsumo to Nakai", hosted by Nakai and Hitoshi Matsumoto, which had been reported as to end in March 2025, in part due to Matsumoto's own problems regarding a sexual assault, was renamed to "Someone and Nakai", which welcomed new co-hosts, including Arashi's Kazunari Ninomiya and Tsuyoshi Muro, and having announced for January 12, Junichi Okada, who never got the opportunity to co-host. It was later confirmed that the program would end on January 22.

Other claims regarding Fuji TV employees

Some people are accusing Fuji TV employees of sexual harassment.
* Former Sky PerfecTV! announcer and YouTuber Kanon Aoki has claimed being sexually harassed in the past on her own YouTube broadcast. She had first posted on X (formerly Twitter), on January 14, then made the YouTube video on the 20. On it, she said that, as part of her job, she had to work with people from the Fuji TV producing department, so it was like a revolving door filled with coming and going people from there. She described her aggressor as a higher executive, very influential in the station. She said that that person even showed her compromising photos with other celebrities. However, Aoki didn't reveal the aggressor's name given the lack of security guarantees and the possibility of facing legal demands she could not afford.
* Former announcer (worked at Fuji TV from 1999 to 2013) was featured in Takafumi Horie's February 1 YouTube video. In it, Hasegawa revealed that sexual harassment isn't limited to female announcers, as he himself was a victim of two superiors of the department. In the almost 55-minute video, Hasegawa commented "It's a very special position where you have to listen to everything that the general programming staff says on your work orders, even though you are taking a completely different test called the announcement exam." , former Fuji TV freelance announcer, one of those superiors named by Hasegawa, posted on his blog about the content of the video regarding him. After checking with the female announcer who was said to have been present, he said he had no recollection of the dinner, adding, "I can completely deny the 'tribute'", "I think he's misremembering", and "I would be happy if you could believe my story." On February 2, Hasegawa posted on his X (formerly Twitter) that he had said the previous as a joke, "I never thought I would cause so much trouble to Kasai-san and Kyoko-san (it's been almost 20 years since the incident, and it's past the statute of limitations, so I'm just talking about it as a joke), and I feel incredibly guilty." He continued in another post, requesting people not to harass either one with the excessive(ly) (negative) comments. "The slander against my two favorite seniors has gone quite far. I am writing this message in the hope that as many people as possible will read it. As I have posted many times, the memory of the dinner with the four of us, including Osugi-san, is a 'funny story' for me and one of my good memories." "They 'treat everyone the same'. Older people. Younger people. Men. Women. Whether they are on screen or not. They are just like they are, and that's why everyone loves Kasai-san and Kyoko-san. Along with Osugi's super passionate kiss, it's a good memory that I can laugh at." "It was 20 years ago. It's normal to forget. Mr. Kasai is still fine (I wish he would stop though). But Kyoko can't argue. Because she's an 'employee' of Fuji. I've had this experience, but Fuji TV told me, 'If you have something to say, you should get out there and then express it,' and 'You can't speak freely until you quit.' (That's why I quit to deny the big lies that were spread about me, like embezzlement and so on.) This is not fair." "I will scrutinize Fuji TV's governance, renew the board of directors and above, and play the villain if it means transforming Fuji TV into a big, wonderful new company." "It was 'Fuji's system' that produced this sacrifice. It was 'Fuji's Hieda yes-men.' I don't think you should be attacking the wrong person. My feelings towards my great benefactor Kasai, whom I respect, and my beloved Kyoko, will never change."
* In February 1's YouTube video with Horiemon and Hasegawa, the latter mentioned the treatment of women ("does not matter if announcer or not, girls or women, they are hostesses for Fuji TV") and mentioned announcers Aya Takashima and Ayako Kato. Former announcer Kato had made a guest appearance on a 2017 episode of 'Kujipan', where she recalled a story of the entrance exam, where she was asked to do a sexy pose. Other examinees were not asked the same question, and when she asked HR later, she wasn't expected to comply, and they had considered the problem if they were held as guilty of sexual harassment. A senior announcer also said that she was only showing the nape of her neck, so she had been asked regularly for "sexy poses".
* Another thing that has surfaced, is Fuji TV's "Announcer Calendar". 12 female announcers, all in their 20s and 30s appear in a yearly calendar that started selling in 2014. The 2025 calendar is produced by the fashion magazine 'JJ' (Kobunsha) with the theme of "the element of smiles".
* Two books, published in 1987 and 1991, respectively, were recalled by a journalist. "Anna Book" and "Anna Book 2" (with "Anna" meaning "Announcer"), were published by Fuji Television Publishing. The books include interviews with Fuji announcers, who recalled sexual harassment by superiors and other employees, including at the moment of the making of the book, as some of the questions asked were of sexual themes, in addition to the cover of an additional book having the images of the female announcers with their top part uncovered, seeming as if they were naked.

Fuji TV and Fuji Media Holdings initial response

On January 17, 2025, Fuji Television was forced to hold a press conference in response to this issue, but it was criticized, leading to large-scale repercussions such as the full suspension of commercials.

On January 21, Kiyoto Saito, president of Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, a major shareholder of Fuji TV's parent company Fuji Media Holdings (FMH), and a major constituent company of the Fujisankei Communications Group, as an outside director of FMH and Fuji Television, demanded that FMH hold an extraordinary board of directors meeting, requesting an explanation from FMH regarding this matter in the joint names of all seven outside directors, including Saito. In response to Saito's request, the meeting was held on the 23.

Fuji Television held an extraordinary board of directors meeting on January 27. It is reported that discussions took place at this meeting, including the retirement of President Koichi Minato. A press conference was held from 16:00 on the same day.

This issue has been reported not only in France, but also in the American magazine ''Variety'', the British newspaper ''The Times'', the British BBC News, South Korea's KBS, Singapore's ''The Straits Times'', along with German Japan-related media press Sumikai, the American news agency Associated Press, and other overseas media outlets have also widely reported on the problem, raising the level of concern.

The start of a change: Hieda's resignation as advisor

Advisor Hisashi Hieda was said to be "on the run" (pun on the name of the Fuji TV show), since his car was not seen in the parking lot of the hotel he called "home" since the January 27 press conference. A source from the station said that Hieda had been trying to evade direct contact from media who want to get an answer from him. On February 27, during a press conference held by Fuji Media Holdings, after a regular board meeting, it was informed that Hieda, who was not present at the meeting, because of falling at his home and being in the hospital because of a compression fracture, had resigned as member of the Management Advisory Committee. FMH President Osamu Kanemitsu also announced that he and Fuji Television President Kenji Shimizu had been newly appointed as members, with himself taking Hieda's place.

The Management Advisory Committee was established in June 2023. The majority of its members are independent outside directors, and the committee is also chaired by an independent outside director. In response to inquiries from the board of directors, the committee discusses and provides advice and recommendations on general management issues, the appointment and dismissal of directors, compensation for directors excluding those who are audit and supervisory committee members, and other matters deemed necessary by the board of directors.

On the same day, Nippon Broadcasting System, a radio station under the umbrella of Fuji Media Holdings, the same company as Fuji TV, updated its official website. It published the results of an internal survey on "dinners with celebrities or people related to programs." It concluded that "no inappropriate dining with celebrities or people related to programs was confirmed.".

Stock prices and investor movements

In response to this issue, on January 14, 2025, the American investment fund Dalton Investments, which holds approximately 7% of the company's shares, sent FMH a letter requesting the station to establish a third-party committee to investigate the incident, and restore confidence in the company. In response to the press conference, Dalton Investments sent a second letter to FMH on the January 22, calling the first press conference a "virtual car crash". They mentioned in the body of the letter a possible cover-up of the actions of upper management. They requested that a press conference with cameras be held within the week. On February 3, Dalton sent yet another letter to FMH, this time demanding the resignation of advisor Hieda, saying "He has immense control and influence over the Board of Directors, and this scandal has revealed that corporate governance is completely dysfunctional", "It's hard to believe why a single dictator has been allowed to rule this huge broadcasting group for nearly 40 years!." In the letter, Dalton pointed out that "sponsors and collaborators will not return unless this structure is urgently reviewed." Dalton Investments sent a new letter in April, after Hieda's resignation, with a list of 12 suggested candidates for the FMH Board of Directors, which includes financiers, businessmen and people involved in the entertainment sector. It also included some suggestions for actions to be taken.

In addition, due to this issue and other factors, FMH's stock price fell 13% in three weeks. Takafumi Horie and fellow businessman and investor Shinta Tabata. When influencers such as Mr. Takeshi Okano, a lawyer and YouTuber, announced their intention to purchase FMH shares in order to participate in the general meeting of shareholders, individual investors reacted due to their speculations about the general meeting, and the stock price rebounded. The reason why FHD's stock price has soared despite the scandal is believed to be due to buybacks from short sellers, as well as FHD's low price-to-book ratio and unrealized gains in its real estate business (Sankei Building, etc.). There is also an article that shows that the sense of feeling has attracted attention.

NTT Docomo, a domestic company that owns 3% of FMH's shares, has also requested that Fuji Television investigate this issue and its causes, and has requested that Fuji TV report from time to time results regarding its investigation. In this way, major shareholders in Japan and overseas continue to press Fuji Television to take action.

Press conferences

January 17: Press conference by Fuji Television President Koichi Minato

At 3:00 pm on the 17, Fuji Television President Koichi Minato (at the time) held a press conference regarding this matter in the large conference room on the 10th floor of Fuji Television's headquarters, moving up the regular press conference originally scheduled for February.

The press conference lasted approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. Regarding the Nakai incident, it was revealed that it was already known in June 2023, immediately after the trouble occurred, and a new third-party lawyer was appointed to confirm the facts and verify whether the company's response was appropriate. The broadcaster announced the establishment of an investigation committee. President Minato made it clear that he himself was included in the committee's investigation. Minato commented that he was shocked about the news when Bunshun released it, because he had made dinner parties attended by female announcers a standard when he was producing variety shows in the 1980s ~ '90s, and it was one of the reasons why he had decided to offer a press conference. Comments on SNS regarding the "If it's not fun, it's not TV" slogan the broadcaster had in the 80s, pointed out that it could have very well referred to the dinner parties.

However, this press conference was held at the request of a press club that includes newspaper companies and other members. There were 33 participants from 19 companies. Weekly magazines, online media, and foreign media that are not members of the press club were not allowed to participate in or film press conferences. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) and the commercial television companies in Tokyo (excluding Tokyo MX) were able to participate in the press conference as observers, but they were not allowed to ask questions to Fuji Television President Minato. Broadcasting and video recording were prohibited, and photography was only allowed at the beginning of the press conference, and information on the contents of the press conference was only released after the press conference ended. As a result, the press conference was reported only through photographs, leading some to deride it as a "picture-story show" press conference. According to an article in Bunshun Online, in addition to President Minato, who had expressed a reluctance to hold a press conference, Masato Ishihara, the managing director of FMH who is close to Hiehisa, who is an advisor to the board and has influence within the company, also held a public press conference. The decision to hold such a closed press conference was made over the objections of some directors. Furthermore, at this press conference, the Independent revealed that President Minato said that he believed Fuji Television employees had done nothing wrong.

As a result, Fuji Television's response to the press conference was criticized by news companies and public opinion. Fuji TV employees (including former employees) have also criticized the station's stance at the press conference, and the station's announcer Manami Miyaji appeared on the news program ''Live News It!'' stated, "This press conference was not made completely public, including to the employees. I hope they will give an honest explanation to the employees, and sincerely make it public." Former reporters and news of the station Yuji Kuroiwa, who serves as a presenter and is the current governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, also commented, "I thought that the Fuji TV press conference would be broadcast live, so I was surprised that it wasn't broadcast. I was shocked to hear that there was no video." Additionally, there was a painting of Red Fuji behind the conference room where the press conference was held, giving the impression of being out of place to viewers. In addition, when reporting on the company's news program ''Live News It!'', the caption read "Fuji Television President Apology", but complaints came through the secretary's office, so the caption was changed to "Fuji President Explanation".

On January 19, the Internet signature site Change.org posted a message that a former Asahi Shimbun employee and current Ryukyu Shimpo editorial committee member, Minami Akira, was the founder of a petition calling for Fuji Television to "redo" its press conferences. I started a thread titled "I demand the truth be revealed" and January 17, "We apologize for the unfair press conference held on the day, promptly hold a fair and open press conference with no restrictions on participation or video footage and explain in detail the facts that we currently know." A signature campaign has begun, with journalists from various broadcasting stations and celebrities signing the petitions.

January 22: Kansai Television President Toru Ota's press conference

Toru Ota, a drama producer who once belonged to Fuji Television, served as executive officer and managing director of Fuji Television, and is currently president of Kansai Television, a semi-key station in the Kansai region affiliated to Fuji, was arrested on January 22 in response to the same issue. A press conference was held inside. The above-mentioned press conference at the port received a lot of criticism from media companies and public opinion as being "closed," which led to the suspension of sponsor commercials as described below, weekly magazines, freelance reporters, etc., with a policy of not refusing other media, and the press conference was held in such a way that non-affiliated companies were allowed to ask questions rather than as observers, but it was not broadcast live.

Regarding the issue with Nakai and Fuji TV, Ota said, "This was an incident when I was working at Fuji Television. It happened one and a half years ago.Kansai Television has no involvement in this matter. I would like to sincerely apologize to everyone and the staff for the inconvenience and concern." Furthermore, regarding the response at the time of the trouble, ``It was a very serious matter, so I raised it (reported it) to President Minato (Fuji Television President Koichi Minato) on the same day (the day I received the report), "She (the victim) aims to prioritize the care and privacy. So, a limited number of employees were caring for her, and I was wondering if they could have been a little more close to her."

Kansai Television also announced that nearly 30 companies had canceled their commercials due to this issue, and that they had been replaced with AC Japan PSAs. He thought that, in a certain way, "I was deeply shocked by this," complaining about Nakai and Fuji Television, and "regarding issues surrounding TV station staff and people in the entertainment industry, such as eating out with a female announcer as reported this time." Kansai Television also wants to conduct an internal investigation. "We are planning to conduct a thorough investigation in accordance with our human rights policy," announcing that they would conduct an independent investigation. Most press conferences lasted approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, including a question and answer session.

January 27: an unusual "long-running press conference"

The press conference held by Fuji Television on the 27, lasted about 10 hours and 25 minutes, with the full conference starting at around 4 p.m., and ending at 2:25 a.m. on the 28. 400 members of the press assisted in this occasion, including freelancers. The broadcaster promised that the briefing would not end until it had addressed every single question in the room. The press conference was shared via TVer, Nico Nico and Abema. The full conference is also included in Fuji TV's FNN YouTube channel. Chief producer Takashi Watanabe stated about the broadcast decision: "As soon as the press conference was decided, it was determined to show it as-is. If it seemed like we were hiding something, it would be the end of the company." The conference aired with a 10-minute delay. Regarding the decision about the delay, producer Watanabe had said that it was taken trying to protect the privacy of the people involved. "No one will believe a press conference that ends abruptly." From the beginning to the end of the conference, 10 programs were cancelled or postponed.

Along with now former Fuji TV President Koichi Minato, Chairman Shuji Kano and Vice Chairman Ryunosuke Endo (who had also said that he would resign, but until the probe of the committee was finished), Fuji Media Holdings President Osamu Kanemitsu and the new Fuji TV President Kenji Shimizu were in attendance. 87-year-old Fujisankei Communications Group chairperson and Fuji TV executive Hisashi Hieda, dubbed the "emperor' of the broadcaster, considered one of the most influential people in the company's decision-making process, was not present at the news conference and did not offer his resignation, which caused shock. Regarding why Hieda was not present, Kano said at the conference: "We do report necessary matters and consult (Hieda), however, the daily operations of Fuji TV were handled by myself and Minato. Hieda does not deal with daily operations, that is why he is not here today." Regarding how Hieda may take responsibility, Endo said that "all respective board members will take responsibility once the results of the third-party investigation are out."

Regarding the involvement of the Fuji executive in Nakai's dinner party, Fuji TV repeatedly stated that based on internal hearings conducted at the company, there was no evidence that the executive played a part in the incident, with Nakai reportedly also backing up this account to the network. Minato explained that Nakai had notified someone at Fuji TV about the incident in July 2023, leading company officials to realize that he and the woman had a different understanding of what had occurred. The company understood it to be a difficult and private matter between the two and therefore hesitated to step in to investigate further. Shukan Bunshun's correction to its original story noting that the woman was "invited by Nakai" and "assumed it was an extension of meetings that the executive had set up," but that it was incorrect to state that she was invited by the executive, was made in the morning, before the conference.

They informed that the third-party probe would be set under the guidelines of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, with a committee headed by Akira Takeuchi, a lawyer with a background in investigating fraud at major companies. Fuji TV's Kanemitsu stated that neither he nor the company had ties with Takeuchi, who he had only just met. Takeuchi would be joined by two lead members (one male and one female), with the rest of the committee members set to be decided in the future. The results of the investigation are scheduled to be submitted by the end of March. "This incident has brought home to us the weight of trust and the severity of losing it", said newly appointed president Shimizu. "We will take strict action against any deviant behavior and thoroughly implement measures to prevent recurrence of such acts."

At the end of the broadcast, anchors Minoru Aoi and Manami Miyaji looked back on the content of the press conference, and Hidetoshi Hiramatsu, editor-in-chief of the news department, said, "Fuji TV brought it on itself to have a press conference that lasted over 10 hours." Watanabe added, "Everyone felt the same way, so we didn't think anything of it. However, we had no choice but to wrap it up in the studio. While we aired the press conference as it was, we were producing it as a program, not just a stream. That's why we wanted to properly convey how we received it." About the lack of camera coverage at the press conference on January 17, Watanabe, who has been involved in information and news programs since 2003, comented: "Regarding company decisions as a reporter, I regret not having resisted it a bit more." He noticed the gap left between public and the broadcaster. Regarding the coverage by other broadcasters, neither NHK (which was covering the Diet) nor TV Asahi (which continued with their regular programing) covered it. The viewership of all the programs in Fuji TV covering the press conference was 2~4 times higher than the average of the previous 4 weeks.

February 27, 2025, board meeting and following press conference

On the 27, Fuji Television and its parent company, Fuji Media Holdings (HD), held a regular board meeting at the HQ in Odaiba, Tokyo. After the meeting, Fuji TV President Shimizu responded to the press. He announced the launch of the "Revitalization and Reform Project Headquarters". President Shimizu apologized to all involved and said it was a mistake to continue having Nakai on. The Revitalization and Reform Project Headquarters announced the launch of a working group to prevent recurrence and reform the corporate culture. Six measures, already taken, were announced, including strengthening the effectiveness of the compliance system, imposing tougher penalties on compliance violations, harassment, and human rights violations, clarifying and thoroughly publicizing the scope of those who can use the reporting system, formulating guidelines for dining out and meetings, implementing education and training on human rights and compliance, and initiating "dialogue" as part of human rights due diligence.

March 27, 2025, board meeting and following press conference

On the afternoon of the 27, Fuji Television held an extraordinary general shareholder meeting and a board of directors meeting, and decided to review its management structure. After the meetings, Fuji Television President Shimizu and Fuji Media Holdings (FMH) President Kanemitsu were interviewed. Major changes were taken to restore trust. First, Hieda's resignation as director in June; second, the reduction of directors from 22 to 10, with increased ratio of female directors to 30%, and lowering the age of new directors to around 50. According to President Shimizu, the decision to make the board of directors so compact was that they wanted to separate the execution of duties from the supervisory function of directors. Regarding the decision to make the changes before the third-party committee resolution, President Kanemitsu said that "it was better to do everything we could as soon as possible by aiming to restore trust. We recognized that the renewal of the management structure was a major point, so we wanted to make a decision and announce it as soon as possible". Regarding sponsors, President Shimizu said they don't have a clear image of what is ahead of April, for there are still about 70% of sponsors currently reserving their decision.

March 31, 2025, third-party committee report and press conference

On March 31, the investigation report of the third-party committee was released on the official website of Fuji Media Holdings. The committee held a press conference at 5:00 p.m. on the same day, and in response, Fuji Television Network, Inc. and its parent company Fuji Media Holdings, Inc. also held a press conference on the same day, with the station's president, Kenji Shimizu, in attendance.

The investigative report alone is 273 pages long, and including the results of a separate questionnaire for executives and employees and a summary version, the total report is 394 pages long.

The report found that the woman had been subjected to sexual violence by Nakai, which falls under the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO). It was also found that there were numerous other instances of sexual harassment and power harassment by persons other than Nakai, such as a female announcer who was forced to attend a dinner party that was unnecessary for her job, where she was kissed by a male employee.

In addition, sexual harassment of female employees is rampant not only within Fuji Television, but also at advertising agencies, sponsors, program performers, and companies where interviews are conducted. New problems and allegations emerged, such as the discovery that many employees are unable to report problems because, in some cases, when female victims report problems to their supervisors, the information is leaked to the perpetrators and the victims suffer disadvantages.

In response to the report, President Kenji Shimizu apologized for the company's response, corporate culture, and governance, and promised to improve these issues at a press conference.

April 4, 2025, Kansai TV President Ota's press conference

On April 4, 2025, Kansai TV President Ota held a press conference, and in it announced his resignation. Regarding his reasons to resign, he pointed out that his having been vice-president of Fuji TV, and its lack (or tardiness) of response, was a direct damage for the station (Kansai TV). According to a station spokesman, Kansai TV is to have losses adding up to 900 million by the end of April (losses from January to March alone were of 300 million), total sales about 70% less than the previous year, with 63 companies currently stopping the airing of commercials within the programming, and about 170 complainants, many asking for Ota's resignation. During the press conference, Ota announced that he would be replaced by Sumiro Fukui, chairman of the Board of Directors, for the time being, and that Hieda would remain on the board of directors until June.

June 6, 2025, Fuji TV press conference

On June 6, President Shimizu held a press conference, where he informed that the broadcaster is "pursuing legal liability against President and CEO Minato and former Senior Managing Director Ota in accordance with the Companies Act, and have begun preparations for litigation". He also informed that the former programming manager who was found to be involved in the incident would be demoted four levels and given a one-month disciplinary leave.

Employee reactions and influence

Membership in the labor union, which had a low membership rate for a commercial broadcaster, has increased rapidly, and there are also reports that several announcers have newly joined.

On the edition of '' Mezamashi 8'' broadcast on January 20, the company's announcer cried when he brought up this issue during the live broadcast, but this has also been criticized by public opinion.

In response to the heated news coverage, female announcers were required to take taxis to and from work to avoid direct coverage. This is the complete opposite of what had happened in 2015, when the network faced very low levels of viewership, that it affected employees salaries. Bonuses and other extra income, such as taxi fares, were cut from employee's salaries. The company banned the use of taxis outside of late night and early morning hours to cut costs and encouraged people to carpool. Popular female announcers sometimes used taxis, but the fares came out-of-pocket, while others split the bill between several.

The impact has even reached Fuji TV's production sites, with screenwriter Koki Mitani and talent Ryota Yamasato commenting about problems such as being refused location filming.

Fuji TV current and former female announcers and program guests have been victims of slander and false rumors that have been spread online, which they have denied. Fuji Television has also announced that it is considering legal actions.

On January 23, from 14:30, a press conference was held by Ryunosuke Endo, chairman of the Japan Commercial Broadcasting Federation (Fuji Television Vice Chairman), and afterwards (from around 2:50 pm), Fuji Television Vice Chairman As chairman, he held a press conference following the announcement of Masahiro Nakai's retirement from entertainment activities.

On the same day, from 5:30 pm, Fuji Television held an information session for employees remotely at the station's studio.

Role of the female announcer

Fuji TV's female announcers have a long history, since before the Equal Employment Opportunity Law. The thought process was "The news is for men to read". The main announcers were male, with female announcers in the background, some even served tea for the main cast. , who turned down a job offer from a trading company to join Fuji TV, was one of the pioneers of the change, working alongside main anchor Masataka Itsumi. Another one was , former NHK announcer before moving to Fuji. She was considered the original "talent female announcer", appearing in television magazines. Yorichika mainly worked on information programs, but became so popular, Shochiku Films cast her as a bar hostess.

With the role of the announcer changed, Fuji started getting outside announcers in news programs and variety shows, returning them to a "secondary" role, making them "easily replaceable". Starting with "", female announcers were called "hyokin anna", with it starting the "celebrity announcer".

Whatever the role the female announcer has, their casting was based on their appearance. Interviewers would choose a girl who was cute, pretty, and looked good in a miniskirt. Many of the commercial network announcers are expected to be "Miss xx", representing a school like Keio. Also, their age is considered, as woman around 30 are considered "window-sitters", expecting these women to choose fast whether to continue in her role, go freelance or get married, especially to a person with money (celebrity, athlete, entrepreneur, or an heir to a company). Many choose to become celebrities themselves.

At the January press conference, former President Minato said that he had taken the female announcer to a social gathering. It was a "natural progression" that female announcers who had become celebrities would dine with celebrities and athletes. Some dislike participating in the meetings, some are curious and think it's interesting, but female announcers do have common concerns.

Other coverage

On January 29, in NTV's program Day Day it was revealed that there was a meeting were Nakai, and the woman would coincide. As informed in the program, Tsurube, Hiromi, Nakai, the executive and the woman were supposed to play golf one day, but Tsurube sprained his back. So, they decided to continue with a barbeque at Nakai's house. Hiromi was in charge of the barbeque, so he barely saw the woman. It got cold, so Hiromi and Tsurube decided to leave later. A month later is when, supposedly, the incident between Nakai and the woman happened.

On January 30, TBS program "Hiruobi" talked about the coverage of the press conference held on the 27. , Associate Professor of J. F. Oberlin University's School of Business Management, was a guest. Comments on the program concentrated on the two reporting sources that started all this, focusing on what was reported and what Fuji and the involved had said. Regarding the discrepancies between both sides, Nishiyama questioned the authenticity of the information. He further questioned the lack of a press conference to offer an apology by both media and the media held responsible of the consequences the "mistakes" brought to the table. And about the result of the investigating committee. If it is proven that the executive is involved, then Fuji would have to do something regarding that person, too.

On February 4, in the House of Representatives Budget Committee, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Seiichiro Murakami stated that there is no reason to revoke Fuji TV's broadcasting license. According to Murakami "a license cannot be granted unless (the station) has sufficient funds to maintain broadcasting business." "After obtaining a license, the lack of funds is not stipulated as a reason for revocation under the Radio Law, and the license cannot be revoked." Fuji continues to lose sponsors.

On February 5, Yoshimoto Kogyo posted on their site about the self-restraint of affiliated talent, without naming them. Yoshimoto is the agency to which Hitoshi Matsumoto, Nakai's co-host on "Matsumo to Nakai" (later changed to "Dareka to Nakai"), belonged. The post says: "We are currently investigating the facts with outside lawyers and others as we have found that some talents belonging to our company are suspected of non-compliance."

On NTV's ''News Zero'' broadcast on March 31, 2025, Monday anchor Sho Sakurai commented on the result of the third-party investigations. As an entertainer himself, Sakurai said: "As someone who works in the entertainment industry, I would like to work with all the producers to make them aware of the voiceless voices, to prevent any damage from occurring".

Aftermath of the scandal

Lack of advertisement and substitutions with AC Japan commercials

Since the press conference on January 17, many sponsors, starting with Nippon Life and Toyota, have rapidly moved to suspend commercials on Fuji TV for the time being due to the scandal. These commercials have been replaced by AC Japan (excluding Takasu Clinic and Very Best Law Office, etc.), and according to FNN, the reason why the commercials were replaced by AC Japan is From January 18 to 20, there were over 350 commercials, and as of January 20, 75 commercial sponsors had withdrawn their ads from the station and its affiliates. By January 25, over 120 companies had announced an injunction.

The airing of AC Japan commercials is a common practice to fill in slots when there are no advertisers to air.

Due to the suspension and replacement of commercials, the following impacts have occurred:
* The impact was also noticeable on ''Sazae-san'', a long-running Sunday evening anime, with commercial placements halved from eight companies on January 12, the week before the press conference, to four companies January 19. Additionally, preview commercials for the anime, which are not normally aired, have also begun to air. Furthermore, on January 26, only Nishimatsuya's sponsor and commercials were aired, but January 28, Nishimatsuya also announced that they would suspend commercials. Furthermore, the Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum does not have any policy to immediately cancel airing its commercials.
* In the anime series ''Chibi Maruko-chan'', which is also broadcast on Sunday evenings, the list of sponsors was not displayed on the episode broadcast on January 26, and in the scene where the sponsor list were originally displayed, only still images excerpted from the main story were shown. As usual, still images excerpted from the main story are played on the screen displaying the sponsor list, but in the episode broadcast on the same day, a still image of Maruko with a surprised expression was shown after the opening, and a still image of Maruko being enchanted by a monster was shown after the ending.
* In the first episode of the Tuesday 9 drama ''Aishī ~Momentary Memory Investigation Hiiragi Team~'' broadcast on January 21, there was no sponsor list.
* NTT has also decided to replace Fuji TV's commercial slots across all group companies and postpone new advertising booking contracts for the time being.

Fuji TV's President Kenji Shimizu revealed that February's broadcast revenue decreased by about 90% compared to the previous year due to the continued movement to suspend commercials in response to the Nakai-Fuji TV scandal. He also said that he "did not know" what the outlook for April and beyond would be, because it was program reorganization period. According to Fuji TV, as of January, 311 companies and organizations had replaced their commercials with public service announcements. By February 25, only 72 companies were sponsoring Fuji TV.

Companies that continue to support Fuji via their ads

One of the few who continue supporting Fuji is Katsuya Takasu of cosmetic surgery "Takasu Clinic". According to Takasu, "All the companies that have withdrawn their commercials from Fuji are non-owner companies. We don't discuss things internally like other companies. I make all my decisions based on what I like and dislike. To be honest, I have absolutely no interest in this recent Fuji TV commotion. I'm just a sponsor of Fuji's ' because I like it. I'm not supporting the TV station, I'm supporting the show I like. That stance hasn't changed since the old days. I sponsored Matsu-chan (Matsumoto Hitoshi) because I liked him. There has been criticism, mainly on social media, about continuing to advertise on Fuji. But I don't care at all. "I'm giving money to a show that everyone enjoys, so why should I be criticized? It's my money, not the viewers', so there's no reason for the internet to say anything about it. To me, it's like volunteering. I think the people who withdrew from sponsorship are small-minded."

According to a programming executive at a major commercial broadcasting station, producing a television program costs at least 8 million yen in prime time, and close to 40 million yen at the most. Fuji's programs are across the board more expensive than those of other stations. Companies that continue to place commercials in this crisis are like a spider's web for Fuji. According to the employee of a major advertising agency, "Television stations don't make official announcements about sponsors' movements, so we don't know the exact figures, but now there are only a handful of companies that continue to place commercials on Fuji. Most of them are in the cosmetic surgery and mail order industries, and they are unlisted companies."

Impact on FNS affiliate stations

Fuji Network System (FNS) affiliate stations have also been affected, and there is a growing movement to replace commercials that appear on programs produced by Fuji TV. Kyushu Electric Power, Seibu Gas, and JR Kyushu announced on January 22 that they would take the aforementioned measures against FNS affiliate stations in the Kyushu region. In addition to replacing commercial slots, Kyushu Electric Power has announced that it will postpone new contracts for the time being. Furthermore, on January 23, Nishi-Nippon Railroad, Kyudenko, and Fukuoka Financial Group decided to take similar measures. As for Nishi-Nippon Railroad, they have also postponed their appearance in a program produced by Fuji Television. Shikoku Electric Power (Yonden) also announced January 21 that it would replace its advertising slots on FNS affiliate stations in Chugoku and Shikoku in the same way. York-Benimaru also replaced its arrangements with FNS affiliated stations in the Tohoku region in the same way. In Hokkaido, Hokkaido Electric Power Company, Yotsuba Milk, and Hokkaido Bank are making arrangements to suspend or replace commercials from Fuji TV programs broadcast by Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting (UHB). As mentioned above, Kansai Television has also suspended commercial placements, spreading the impact.

Even if FNS affiliate stations broadcast simultaneous or staggered sponsored network programs produced by their own companies or programs produced by other affiliates, the program sponsor may be a company that has stopped placing commercials on Fuji TV. However, the company's commercials will be aired as usual.

In addition, even sponsors of the same affiliated station may have different attitudes. Using Kansai TV as an example, when Osaka Gas and Kansai Electric Power withdrew their commercials, KEPCO only targeted programs produced by Fuji TV; Osaka Gas lifted all contracted commercials, including local programs produced by Kansai TV.

In response to a series of reports, each FNS station released a statement one after another. Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting apologized, saying, "As a member of the Fuji TV network, we deeply apologize for the great concern we have caused to our viewers, business partners, and many other people." In response to this incident, UHB conducted an internal investigation and reported, "We are interviewing employees in the announcement department, and there have been no problems at this time." TV Miyazaki on its behalf said, "We are conducting another survey of employees and staff, and we will work to thoroughly share information and strengthen our compliance system." TV Shizuoka said, "We are conducting an anonymous in-house survey of all employees. We will continue to work to further improve the environment." Kagoshima Television Station expressed their gratitude, saying, "Even under these circumstances, we have received words of encouragement from viewers and clients, and all of our employees are humbled." Television Nishinippon Corporation announced the comment during a program broadcast on January 22: "As a member of the Fuji TV network, we deeply apologize for causing a great deal of concern to our viewers, business partners, and many other people. We will strive to ensure highly transparent corporate management."

Kansai TV Labor Union, considering the serious situation, had begun to question the future of President Ota, Chairman Fukui Sumiro, and former director and advisor Hisashi Hieda (who still serves as an outside director at Kansai TV). The labor union has urged employees to vote to establish the right to strike, and after the reveal of the results of FujI TV's third-party investigations, have demanded Ota's resignation. One Kansai Television employee said in a hushed voice: "We are already inviting employees to vote to establish the right to strike, and the deadline is 6 p.m. on the 8th of this month (April). If the management doesn't quit by then, I think we're going to really go on strike. There is a lot of anger among employees against Mr. Ota and other management who do not quit even if they are held accountable by a third-party committee". Another employee testified: "The union is growing increasingly concerned that if we miss this opportunity, we won't be able to regain trust. If the board of directors was functioning properly, we wouldn't have to do this, but the reality is that there are no executives who can voice objections to Fukui's one-man rule." President Ota announced his resignation on April 4, 2025.

Impact on other stations (not FMH related)

Other stations also announced "internal investigations" to determine whether there were any inappropriate activities involving celebrities or sponsors, but NHK Chairman Nobuo Inaba said on January 22 that there are no plans to investigate at this time. According to Inaba, "NHK has a well-established harassment-related reporting system, and we are aware that there are no similar cases." In 2018, former Tokio member Tatsuya Yamaguchi was found guilty (suspended sentence) of indecent behavior with a high school-aged girl he met on an NHK's E-TV program. The difference with the Fuji TV case is that NHK discovered and reported it. A weekly magazine reporter noted the similarities: "There was a suspicion of a cover-up on the part of NHK's program, and there were some reports that the victim protested to NHK, but NHK denied all of them. Yamaguchi learned the victim's contact information because the victim was told by the program staff to exchange contact information, but NHK did not hold a press conference or investigate through a third-party committee."

TV Asahi Program Council held a meeting on February 20, with a discussion on the theme of "What we should learn from Fuji TV's troubles". Some committee members expressed hope for change in the industry, saying, "A crisis is the greatest opportunity. I hope that this incident will lead to greater awareness and action to 'protect announcers and women,' and that people will say that 'the TV industry has become much safer and cleaner since then.'" In response to these opinions, Chairman Hayakawa Hiroshi offered his opinion, saying, "The unique feature of this incident is that the details of the case are confidential, so everyone is commenting blindly, and the seriousness of the trouble is not well understood. Many things escalated because Nakai was not asked about the situation. I realized that the most important thing was to understand the details of what had happened". President Shinozuka Hiroshi said, "We established a human rights policy in February last year and are promoting human rights due diligence, but I realized once again that even if we put a system in place, it is important to put soul into it. We will create a workplace where everyone can work with peace of mind. We need to think carefully so that we do not allow distrust of the media to increase any further."

Possible lawsuits

On January 30, 2025, FMH announced that it will revise its full-year earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2025 downward. Fuji TV's new president, Kenji Shimizu said net sales are expected to decrease by 50.1 billion yen, from 598.3 billion yen to 548.2 billion yen, and net profit by 66.2%, from 29.0 billion yen to 9.8 billion yen. Fuji Television's total broadcasting revenue is expected to decline by 23.3 billion yen. Fuji's 28 affiliates are expected to lose 1.3 billion to 1.4 billion yen, with additional losses of 200 million to 300 million yen (approx. $1.29 million to $1.93 million) expected. There is no guarantee that commercials will resume after the committee results are presented in March. According to attorney Masaki Kito, there is a possibility that Nakai were to be sued for compensation. But "depending on the nature of the act, the amount of (damages) will vary." There is also the consideration of all the parties. Nakai's involvement with the woman, Fuji TV's participation, and Bunshun's "corrected mistake". Kito stated "depends on the conclusion of the third-party committee, but it could be several billion yen to 10 billion yen in some cases.

According to lawyer Ryosuke Nishiwaki, former TV Asahi legal department head, a "shareholder derivative lawsuit" could follow, if the economic situation continues. In it, shareholders (with minimum 1 share and half a year of holding them) sue company officers on behalf of the company (if it does not act within 60 days), when they cause damage to the company. Officers are forced to cover the damages. If the shareholder's claim is accepted in court, the officer compensates the company for the damage "out of his own pocket". It is not known how many "defendants" could be in the case of Fuji TV/FMH, there were 15 directors including Minato and Kano, who had already resigned. Compensation could be several billion yen divided per capita, and it is likely that directors' personal assets will not cover the bill. With regard to this issue, there is a suspicion of a major 'breach of duty' among the executives at the center of Fuji Television's management. The Companies Act requires directors to "immediately" report to the officer in charge of auditing when they "discover that there is a fact that may cause significant damage to the company." However, the outside director, member of the Audit and Supervisory Committee, and the person in charge of compliance were not informed, until the weekly magazine interview. The third-party committee report could be used as evidence in a lawsuit. Depending on the contents, it may be conceivable that the company, under pressure from shareholders, would not wait for a shareholder derivative lawsuit, suing executives on its own.

Others affected

After learning on January 29 of his participation in the "Nakai barbeque", on the 30 Tsurube was cut from his Sushiro commercial. He was also affected regarding the program BS11 "Mugaku Tsuru no Ma" scheduled to air on February 4, which was taken off the broadcast schedule. Tsurube has been hosting the program for over 20 years at the Osaka comedy hall "Mugaku". On February 6, Sushiro posted on their official site regarding the removal of Tsurube's ads. In the post, after apologizing for the inconvenience caused, they mention that they had taken the decision to remove the ads after learning about his participation (in the barbeque), because the situation was unclear. Internal communications started between the company and Tsurube's agency, and, after that, decided to resume airing the commercial ads.

Third-party committee investigations

On February 4 it was announced that the committee had started their investigations. It began investigating the employees of Fuji Media Holdings and Fuji Television, to find if other cases such as Nakai's had happened. A second inquiry is to start with an investigation on the company's corporate culture. Officials question the need to expand investigations to other areas, such as production companies and other contractors.

On February 7, announced via X (formerly Twitter) that it would resume with commercial ads in Fuji TV programming. The company stated that there had been talks with people involved, and that they are considering the changes taken by the broadcaster, although there are still controversial points, and are aware that new facts may arise with the results given by the third-party committee. They also posted that they hope that resuming the ads will be an encouragement for the broadcaster's employees to work hard and have faith in the future. They will continue monitoring Fuji TV's activities.

On February 10, Fuji Media Holdings revealed that it had set up a "hotline exclusively for the third-party committee for external parties" to solicit information regarding whether there had been any similar cases between that day and February 24. This will solicit information from former employees of Fuji Media Holdings and Fuji TV, as well as so-called external parties who had dealings with both companies, regarding harassment incidents that occurred when Fuji Television executives and employees attended meetings hosted by the company from April 2016.

March 31: Results of the third-party committee

On March 28, Fuji posted that they had received the results to the third-party investigations, contained in a 394-page document. According to it, Fuji TV, through the "Reconstruction and Reform Project" and the "Recurrence Prevention and Culture Reform Working Group", established directly under it, have formulated a plan for the reconstruction and reform of Fuji Television. They will make revisions to the reconstruction and reform plan in accordance with the contents of the investigation report. According to the review made by the company, their risk management was seriously lacking, allowing for incidents such as Nakai's to happen. In order to promote the revitalization and reform of Fuji Television, in addition to the hard aspects such as reviewing various regulations, rules, and organizations, "it is also necessary to promote the transformation of organizational and corporate culture. As a broadcasting company entrusted with the public airwaves, we must carefully grasp social changes and values, and continue to have a healthy social sense, a sense of responsibility, and a strong awareness of human rights."

Third-party committee head, Akira Takeuchi, compared the Fuji case with that from Johnny & Associates, which Fuji TV's news department (FNN) reported on. Takeuchi said, "Fuji Television's news bureau is also part of the Fuji Television organization, and since Fuji Television has lost trust, I think there is a problem as to whether stakeholders will trust what the news department investigates (themselves)". About "The Sexual Assault Problem at the Former Johnny's Office and the Silence of the Media", the FNN-produced program, Takeuchi pointed out that the report was only a self-examination and Fuji did not conduct a sufficient and objective verification or investigation, so they could not learn from it," and added, "I believe that it would not have been enough for Fuji TV's news bureau to examine this issue alone".

On April 1, the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA) received the report from Fuji TV. As a response, the JBA issued a written severe warning to Fuji TV on April 2. JBS's President (and former vice-president of Fuji TV) Ryunosuke Endo, resigned on April 2. Until the next president is decided, Managing Director Takuya Horiki will act as president.

The former Fuji TV announcer victim of the incident said on April 1 through her attorney "The damage I suffered will never go away, and what I have lost will never come back. I honestly feel relieved that my views were expressed in the investigation report. There are many facts I learned for the first time from the report, and I feel frustrated all over again." She added, "I sincerely hope that this kind of thing will disappear from society as a whole".

According to the report of the third-party investigation result by Josei Jishin, it is possible that Nakai did not know that the cancellation of the program was because of him, but because of Matsumoto, as he was told this. President Minato and Director Ota had already received the report of the assault by the woman, but had considered to continue with the program by August 2023, because the sudden cancellation would cause speculation and could hurt the woman. When she left, that is when the decision to end the program with the April 2025 reorganization was taken. Nakai was informed of the decision by the programming executive with whom he was close, and Nakai asked him if it was because of him. The executive told him it was a comprehensive programming decision. Nakai was already aware of Bunshun's investigation.

It was reported on May 12 that Nakai's side asked the third-party committee to disclose the materials used to prepare the investigation report and an explanation, including "what evidence was used to determine that sexual violence occurred." When received, Nakai's side argued that the report lacked neutrality and fairness, and severely damaged the individual's honor and social status, posing "extremely serious problems." Nakai had responded to the third-party committee's hearing on March 9 for about six hours, yet the summary of his remarks was hardly reflected in the investigation report. The report also found Nakai guilty of "sexual violence", but as a result of detailed interviews with Nakai by his attorneys, "no actual violent or coercive sexual acts commonly conjured up in the Japanese word 'sexual violence' were found in this case". The document called for a sincere response from the third-party committee, saying, "We are making this request from the perspective of protecting Nakai's human rights violation."

A new report informs that Nakai's side re-requested the information regarding the results of the investigation on May 30. The information requested includes clarifing (1) the hearing records and other evidence used to prepare the investigation report, (2) evidence used to determine that sexual violence occurred, and (3) materials that show the correspondence between the evidence and the findings. If some or all of the above evidence cannot be disclosed, the reason. In addition, four items were presented as matters for clarification: (1) the WHO's definition of "sexual violence," (which the committee took as a base to clasify the case) (2) the expanded interpretation of "as an extension of work," (3) the scope of the committee's investigation, which emphasizes the importance of the range of period of said investigation, and (4) the misunderstanding of the subject of confidentiality. They cited some of the inconsistencies, such as mentioning the working relationship between the woman and Nakai at the moment, which, according to Nakai's team, was non-existing at the time. "As of June 2, 2023, there was no employment, command and supervision, or hierarchical business authority relationship between Mr. Nakai and the woman". Regarding their private relationship, "the two parties had multiple opportunities to have dinner, and Mr. Nakai and she exchanged various family and private matters, and received gratitude such as 'encouragement' by e-mail." As for the committee's investigation, they stated "We have agreed to cooperate because we believe that it will be beneficial", yet the results showed that, though the committee had considered that what had happened behind closed doors, unlike what had happened before and after, wasn't the direct subject of the investigation, in the end it was taken as such, resulting in the unilateral conclusion that it was "sexual violence". Nakai's team called the change of subject equal to a "sneak attack" that goes beyond discretionary judgment. The Third-Party Committee replied on May 22 to the first request that it would refrain from disclosing the information on the grounds that it would "impair independence and neutrality." The deadline for this new request was slated for June 6.

May 16, 2025, FMHD's director candidate selected, Dalton's proposal opposed

Fuji Media Holdings announced four new director candidates at its regular board meeting on May 16. None of the 12 candidates recommended by Dalton Investments were included. The new director candidates announced are 11 people, including former FamilyMart president Sawada Takashi, former Mori Building director and senior managing executive officer and CFO Horiuchi Tsutomu, Fuji Television executive officer Yanagi Atsushi, and Atsumi Sakai Foreign Law Joint Enterprise's Hanada Saori. Dalton had proposed 12 people as shareholders, but they were not included. The company also decided to oppose the 12 candidates proposed by Dalton. At a press conference after the board meeting, Fuji Television President Kenji Shimizu said that the four were the best candidates to advance the company's management reform plan, including creating a human rights-first workplace. He then explained the reasons for his opposition to Dalton's proposal, saying, "The candidates proposed by the company are the best, and considering the desirable size of the board of directors, we have determined that it would not be appropriate to increase the number of directors."

Furthermore, Kondo Takami, president of NEXYZ.Group, a media advertising business and one of Dalton's candidates for director position, told TBS, "I never thought they would remove Kitao. I think there's a high possibility that things will become a quagmire. Including the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, this will definitely become a battle of some kind," indicating that he believes there may be an all-out confrontation between FMHD and Dalton ahead of the general meeting of shareholders in June. Another related party also commented that SBI Chairman Kitao Yoshitaka, who is also a candidate for Dalton, is "furious" and that "if things continue like this, there's no backing down."

Impact on program productions

Impact on programs sponsored by one company

Programs sponsored by one company, including BS Fuji, a BS digital broadcasting station affiliated with Fuji Television, have also been affected. As a result of these influences, ''Live News & Weather'' was organized as an alternative program from January 28, and the ironic result was that ''Spot News'', which was abolished at the end of March 2018, was revived for the first time in nearly 7 years. The status of programs provided by one company is described below.

Impact on other programs

* Fuji Sankei Group Advertising Grand Prix event was cancelled. According to its site, the judging period would be in late January/early February, with the ceremony in April.
* On January 31, 2025, it was announced that FNS Music Festival, which was scheduled to air as a spring special in April, was cancelled due to the lack of sponsors. The event has been held for more than 50 years, with yearly specials (Spring, Summer, and Autumn).
* It was reported on February 3, 2025, that the show "" could face production problems. Not only the lack of sponsors is hitting it, but also the prohibition of filming in certain locations.
* On February 4, summer program FNS 27-Jikan TV is announced as temporarily suspended due to the uncertainty of funds and locations to produce it. This year's general emcee was supposed to be a member of a popular idol group. An official said, "We have begun to inform some of the talents who were already scheduled to appear on the show about the current situation." The program was broadcast every year since 1987, canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021 and 2022, was substituted by "FNS Laugh & Music". Former president Koichi Minato revived the program in 2023. It was confirmed on February 21 that the program would be postponed. On the official site, a message was posted: "'FNS 27 Hours TV 2025', which was scheduled to be broadcast this year, has been postponed. We sincerely apologize to all the viewers who were looking forward to the broadcast."
* July's Wednesday slot drama, uncertain to air. The drama, with a police theme, was supposed to have Arashi's Jun Matsumoto as the lead.
* Spots formerly occupied by Nakai's programs in Fuji TV, TBS and TV Asahi have been replaced. Fuji expanded with the time previously used by Dareka to Nakai; TBS substituted "Open the door to knowledge! Door x Door Quest" for ; TV Asahi's (} (2019–2024) was substituted by . WOWOW, which had scheduled to air the movie "" on February 21, on a post on the official site, the broadcaster apologized, stating: "We have been broadcasting and streaming the show based on our company guidelines, but after taking into consideration various opinions from our customers and the current situation, we have decided to cancel future broadcasts and streaming. We apologize for this sudden change."
* The last images of Sazae-san's episodes aired on February 2 and 9, where the name of the sponsor is usually displayed, were altered, as withdrew their sponsorship.
* On February 17, 2025, Fuji TV program "Girigiri o semeru node tsudzuku dake yarimasu hōritsu owarai" was suspended from airing without any explanation. The program's site states: "We apologize to everyone who is looking forward to the broadcast, but the date of the next broadcast has not been decided." Mitsuyo Ota, president of Titan, the entertainment agency to which comedy team Bakushōmondai (of which Hikaru Ota, narrator of the program) and others belong, updated his X on the same day sharing the news.
* The movie ''Under Ninja'' seemed to have benefitted from the lack of commercials, since Fuji had to replace commercial ads with PSAs and ads for their own productions, like this movie. On February 12, director Yuichi Fukuda posted on his X, citing the ranking of a certain movie theater, saying, "It was true that the number of customers suddenly increased from last weekend." On February 26, it was reported that the box office revenue exceeded 1 billion yen. Unfortunately, critics were not that positive about the movie.

Advertising return

On June 14, 2025, Nikkan Gendai revealed that sponsors resuming their commercial ad publication is possible after the airing of July's Monday drama, when Suntory, S.T., Kao, Menard, and Fujipan return to airing their ads. Of those, currently, only Fujipan is hesitant about resuming. In April, Takeshi Niinami, president of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives and chairman of Suntory Holdings, praised Fuji's measures to prevent recurrence. About the decision to return, he said that the final decision should be taken until after the shareholders' meeting on June 25. Government Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi also gave the green light for ministries and agencies to resume at their discretion.

Public opinion

Mainichi Shimbun conducted a public opinion poll on the recent series of problems at Fuji TV from February 15 to 16. Regarding the fact that a succession of companies have stopped airing commercials on Fuji TV in response to the problem, 58% of respondents said they "thought it was appropriate," far exceeding the 16% who said they "didn't think it was appropriate." 25% also said they "couldn't say either way." When asked to give multiple answers to what they thought Fuji TV should do to regain trust, the most common answer at 52% was "refreshing the management team." This was followed by "establishing measures to prevent recurrence" (48%), "clarifying suspicions involving Fuji TV employees" (45%), and "clarifying the reality of entertainment provided by female announcers and employees" (42%), all of which were answered by more than 40% of respondents. 20% of respondents chose all four of these, indicating that Fuji TV needs to make thorough efforts to regain trust. Regarding the poll's results, on February 25, Mangaka Mayumi Kurata suggested, "If Fuji Television can't get sponsors, it should immediately bring to light what other media outlets won't or can't report on. As media personnel, I hope that people in the field will treat this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and report on it with the spirit of making their mark on the history of major media. I hope they will pull off a "broadcasting accident" that will go down in history".

After the news came out, women started posting their own examples of power and sexual harassment in what is being called the Japanese version of #MeToo and the Weinstein effect, under the hashtag . On February 8, after days of the first posts, the number was too large to keep up. Women's true feelings and humiliation, written usually as "due to personal reasons" in resignation letters, were shared. Most of the posts were about bosses harassing the women during business trips, or as newly joined employees after graduation. And it wasn't limited to harassment by male bosses. Female bosses also harassed them, or "looked to the other side" when the male was reported. Those that had made a report were fired or moved to another section or office. The response to the post was surprising, but it also had a negative impact, with many men calling out the women for posting.

Notes

References

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2025 controversies
2025 in Japanese television
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January 2025 in Japan
Journalistic scandals
Masahiro Nakai
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Social issues in Japan
Television controversies in Japan