The alleged sexual misconduct of a former boy band member-turned-TV host has prompted Fuji TV and other broadcasters to look into whether there has been any impropriety or exploitative practices involving celebrities and their employees.
Fuji Media Holdings has said it will hold an extraordinary board meeting on Thursday, adding any decision that ought to be made public would be disclosed promptly.
Following a news conference by Fuji TV last Friday, Dalton Investments — which controls over 7% of shares in the broadcaster's owner, Fuji Media Holdings — sent a letter on Tuesday to the parent company, likening the hastily convened briefing to a “virtual car crash” and demanded it hold a news conference open to all media.
The U.S.-based investment management firm also asked Fuji Media Holdings to set up a third-party committee that follows Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) guidelines and publish the names of the committee members. It demanded that the result of this committee be made public, even if it reflects negatively on the company, at least one month prior to Fuji Media Holdings’ annual general meeting in June.
“We are still hopeful that Fuji Media Holdings and Fuji TV can restore trust and confidence by demonstrating a sincere and positive attitude to address this issue after such a false start,” it said in the letter, which follows another letter last week, adding that the firm is “not the only ones watching.”
The fallout over Fuji TV’s handling of the scandal involving TV host Masahiro Nakai, a former member of boy band SMAP, has been massive: a total of 75 sponsors, including big-name companies such as Toyota, Shiseido and Seven & I holdings, had withdrawn their advertisements from the broadcaster by Monday, Fuji TV reported.
The allegations against Nakai were first reported in weekly magazine Josei Seven on Dec 19.
Meanwhile, TBS, Nippon TV and TV Tokyo said that they will conduct an internal investigation into their own networks to see if their employees are engaged in similar practices.
Their announcements come amid growing public scrutiny of the TV industry's culture and ethics.
According to the Josei Seven report, Nakai was to have dinner with a Fuji TV executive and a woman, but when the executive backed out, leaving him alone with her, a “serious issue arose,” leading Nakai to pay ¥90 million ($577,000) to settle the case.
Separately, Shukan Bunshun alleged that the same executive had arranged a 2022 gathering at a Tokyo hotel to which he invited female TV presenters to “entertain” Nakai and other male celebrities, suggesting that such a practice is ingrained in the company’s culture.
The broadcaster denied the executive’s involvement last Friday and announced its plan to set up an investigation involving external lawyers.
Paul Hiromichi Shizume, a freelance TV producer and a former chief producer at TV Asahi, said that social gatherings involving female employees or presenters and male celebrities continue to be a widespread practice.
“When a request comes from someone the network considers important, it’s difficult to refuse, and setting up such drinking parties has become a fairly common practice across various networks,” he said.
“Fuji TV was once the most dominant television network in Japan. It has historically prioritized relationships with celebrities and major talent agencies when producing its programs. Because of this, I believe such practices are more common at Fuji TV compared to other networks. That said, it’s not to say that other networks don’t engage in similar activities — there are likely some who do.”
However, Shizume also said that while the act of intentionally leaving a presenter or employee alone with a celebrity, such as what had happened in Nakai's case, is “not that common,” there are producers who prioritize pleasing celebrities over protecting their female colleagues.
“This situation has made it clear that Japanese television networks lag far behind in compliance and corporate responsibility compared to other industries in Japanese society," he added. "This should be a wake-up call for all networks to reflect seriously, ensure such issues don’t happen again, and take this opportunity to transform their internal structures for the better.”
On Tuesday, internal affairs minister Seiichiro Murakami called for a swift and independent probe into the sexual misconduct allegations centered on Nakai, and the reported involvement of a Fuji TV employee.
“I ask that an investigation be conducted as soon as possible in an independent manner, and that the matter is handled appropriately to work on regaining the trust of sponsors and viewers,” Murakami said.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.