Fuji TV loses over 50 advertisers amid alleged sexual misconduct

More than 50 companies—about 30% of Japan’s Fuji TV Network’s sponsors—have pulled their ads from the network following allegations of sexual misconduct involving former J-pop idol and TV host Masahiro Nakai. The sponsors, which include blue-chip brands like Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Suntory, Shiseido, and Kao, halted advertising after reports surfaced of Nakai’s alleged sexual assault of a woman during a staff dinner in December 2023.

The incident, first reported by weekly magazine Josei Seven in December 2024, alleged that the dinner was organised for Fuji TV employees, ended with only Nakai, 52, and the victim present. The incident allegedly led to non-consensual sexual activity and a subsequent ¥90 million ($580,000) out-of-court settlement paid by Nakai.

Nakai’s statement, issued on January 9, cites he had “gotten into trouble” and that it happened “due to my inadequacies”. The statement added that “the case has been resolved following a settlement through attorneys for both parties”, according to a translation by The Mainichi.

“In this trouble, there was no violence such as raising a hand as reported in some media. With the settlement reached, I am able to continue my entertainment activities without issue going forward,” the statement read.

Photo: Masahiro Nakai

Another local weekly, Shukan Bunshun, cites an unnamed female Fuji announcer alleging that the senior company official linked to the 2023 dinner had arranged other similar parties for Nakai in the past as well. Fuji TV denies any employee involvement in arranging the dinner.

Fuji TV is one of Japan’s largest commercial broadcasters, part of the Fuji Network System (FNS), and includes 28 affiliated stations in the country. It is a key player in Japan’s ‘Big Five’ commercial networks, along with Nippon TV, TBS, TV Asahi, and TV Tokyo. The incident has rocked Fuji TV, with both advertisers and shareholders demanding accountability. Criticism escalated after revelations that Fuji TV’s management had been aware of the incident for six months before it was reported in the press.

Nissan said that it had pulled its Fuji TV ads and was monitoring developments before deciding on further steps.

Japan is one of the world’s most TV-commercial-driven markets, where broadcasters like Fuji TV have traditionally wielded influence over the communications landscape. But brand and PR expert Tetsuya Honda says that influence is now eroding and a shift in the advertising dynamics is visible.

“This scandal has exposed a significant gap between the management mindset of TV stations as corporations and the expectations of society at large,” says Tetsuya Honda, CEO and PR strategist at Honda Office Tokyo. “Beyond the celebrity scandal, in my view, this may lead to the destruction of the old structure of the communication industry unique to Japan.”

The situation escalated dramatically following a January 17 press conference by Fuji TV president Koichi Minato. The press conference was open to select media such as Japan Times and was not video telecasted as per the norm in Japan. Minato admitted the network sat on knowledge of the incident for nearly six months before the magazine exposé came out in public.

This delayed response, coupled with Minato's refusal to answer press questions during what The Japan Times described as a "hastily convened news conference," further drove advertiser concerns.

Dalton Investments, which owns over 7% of Fuji Media, issued a strong rebuke of Fuji TV's lack of transparency, demanding a third-party investigation and highlighting the damage to viewer trust and shareholder value.

“The uproar created by Mr Masahiro Nakai ... reflects not only a problem in the entertainment industry generally, but, specifically, it exposes serious flaws in your corporate governance,” Dalton Investments stated in a letter it sent to Fuji TV’s board via its affiliate, Rising Sun Management, according to a translation by The Japan Times.

“The lack of consistency and, importantly, transparency in both reporting the facts and the subsequent unforgivable shortcomings in your response merit serious condemnation that serves not only to undermine viewer trust but also leads directly to erode shareholder value. As one of your largest shareholders, controlling over 7% of the company’s stock, we are outraged.”

This incident further roils the Japanese entertainment industry, already grappling with the fallout from the 2023 revelations of decades-long sexual abuse of young male talents by Johnny Kitagawa, the founder of prominent talent shop Johnny & Associates, that launched groups like Snow Man and propelled its male performers into film and television roles. Between 1988 and 2000, Kitagawa faced several allegations of sexually abusing young boys who were signed to his agency, all of which were ignored by mainstream media. No criminal charges were ever filed against Kitagawa, who died in 2019 at 87.

Nakai’s career

Japanese boy band SMAP members L-R: Masahiro Nakai, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Shingo Katori, Goro Inagaki and Takuya Kimura in 2015. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Masahiro Nakai, 52, rose to fame as a member of SMAP, a prominent boyband in Japan. After the group disbanded in 2016, Nakai crossed over to a successful career as a television host, becoming one of the highest-paid taxpayers in Japan’s entertainment industry.

Another broadcaster, Tokyo Broadcasting System Television has cancelled one of Nakai’s shows and launched its own internal investigation to ensure that no similar incidents were committed by their employees.