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The sexual misconduct allegations levelled towards Japanese movie star and former pop star Masahiro Nakai have led to the resignations of two prime executives of the Fuji Media group.
The group’s chair, Shuji Kanoh, and tv unit head, Koichi Minato, stepped down amid mounting public and investor backlash towards the broadcaster.
The allegations, which surfaced in Japanese tabloids final month, accused Mr Nakai, 52, of sexually assaulting a lady throughout an occasion organised by a Fuji TV government some years in the past.
Mr Nakai, a former member of the legendary boy band Smap and a family title in Japan, has apologised for inflicting “bother” and introduced his retirement from present enterprise.
Management shakeup at Fuji Media
The resignations of Mr Kanoh and Mr Minato, introduced on Monday, got here amid requires accountability inside Fuji Media. Kenji Shimizu, an government at Fuji TV, was named the brand new president of the broadcaster’s tv division.
Fuji Media’s delayed response to the allegations specifically has drawn sharp criticism.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster stated they had been conscious of the incident way back to June 2023 however avoided launching a broader investigation owing to privateness issues and ongoing settlement talks.
Advertiser exodus and investor strain
The scandal has had important repercussions for Fuji Media, with practically 80 main advertisers, together with McDonald’s and Toyota Motors, suspending their partnerships.
Within the absence of business sponsors, the broadcaster has been airing public service bulletins.
Investor outrage has compounded the disaster. Dalton Investments, an American activist fund and Fuji Media’s second-largest shareholder, criticised the corporate’s governance in a public letter, demanding an intensive investigation by an impartial committee. Zennor Asset Administration, a UK-based agency holding a smaller stake, echoed these issues.
Dalton’s letter warned that Fuji Media’s insufficient response to the scandal might result in “a decline in viewer scores and the defection of sponsors”.
The strain from traders has underscored the rising affect of international stakeholders in Japan’s company governance panorama.
Fuji Media’s preliminary makes an attempt at managing the fallout had been broadly condemned as ineffective and tone-deaf. A press convention led by Mr Minato on 17 January was criticised for excluding most media platforms and failing to offer significant solutions. Critics described it as “worse than a joke” and accused the broadcaster of prioritising harm management over accountability.
Rising Solar Administration, Dalton’s British affiliate, described the press convention as “nothing lower than a digital automobile crash” in a subsequent letter.
The agency argued that Fuji Media’s reluctance to launch a really impartial investigation fuelled suspicions of a cover-up.
Amid mounting strain, Fuji reversed course on 23 January, saying the formation of a third-party investigative committee in compliance with pointers from the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.
The findings of the investigation, anticipated to be printed by the tip of March, won’t be disclosed to Fuji TV prematurely.
Implications for leisure business
The controversy surrounding Mr Nakai has reignited a debate concerning the exploitation of ladies within the Japanese leisure business.
The scandal follows a string of comparable instances lately, drawing parallels to the worldwide #MeToo motion. In 2023, Japan’s main expertise company, Johnny & Associates, dissolved after revelations of decades-long abuse by founder Johnny Kitagawa.
The uproar has prompted different broadcasters to launch inside opinions of their governance practices. Trade specialists argue that Fuji Media’s missteps underscore the necessity for stronger oversight and a cultural shift in company boardrooms.
Shin Ushijima, president of the Japan Company Governance Community, criticised the shortage of impartial administrators on Fuji Media’s board, stating: “Fuji Media’s board must have a critical evaluate of how it’s working the enterprise”.
Public fallout and cultural shift
The backlash towards Fuji Media has sparked intensive public discourse, with many questioning the business’s accountability. Authorities officers, together with inside affairs minister Seiichiro Murakami, have known as for swift motion and an impartial investigation.
The scandal comes amid a renewed consideration on sexual violence in Japan.
Final week, the documentary Black Field Diaries, which recounts journalist Shiori Ito’s struggle for justice after her personal assault, was nominated for an Academy Award.
Ms Ito’s 2019 court docket victory marked a major turning level in Japan’s authorized and cultural attitudes in the direction of sexual harassment.
Fuji Media’s capacity to get better from the disaster stays unsure. Whereas the corporate’s shares have rebounded barely in current days amid hopes of a company overhaul, public belief within the broadcaster has been severely broken.
An emergency board assembly scheduled for 27 January is anticipated to set the stage for additional adjustments.
Whether or not the adjustments will likely be sufficient to revive confidence in Fuji Media – and handle the systemic points uncovered by the scandal – stays to be seen.
