TV Asahi has punished executives involved in producing the popular evening news program "Hodo Station" over surprise on-air comments by an ex-bureaucrat that were critical of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Shinichi Yoshida, president of TV Asahi, told a news conference on Tuesday that three network executives — including the head of the department in charge of the news program — have been reprimanded over the incident, in which Shigeaki Koga said the broadcaster gave in to pressure from the Abe administration to pull him off the show.
Yoshida said what happened on the show was "inappropriate" as it caused confusion among viewers.