An outside probe says a Japanese TV station didn’t support its worker in a sexual assault case

By Canadian Press on March 31, 2025.

TOKYO (AP) — An independent investigation of a sexual assault case linked to one of Japan’s top celebrities says Fuji Television Network failed to support its female employee, adding that management lacked human rights awareness.

The report centers on Masahiro Nakai, a former leader of Japan’s once-popular boy band SMAP, and how Fuji Television handled the 2023 case.

The allegations surfaced in December and triggered claims of systematic cover-ups by Fuji TV executives. Public outrage led to advertising losses at Fuji, one of the networks where Nakai worked. Top management of the company have resigned. Nakai in January announced his retirement.

The report released Monday by a lawyer-led panel is the first outside investigation into the case. Fuji TV’s initial internal investigation denied any wrongdoing at the company. Former Fuji TV president Koichi Minato in January apologized but said he prioritized the woman’s confidentiality and her mental conditions.

The new report said Fuji TV’s neglect of the case resulted from its culture of routinely having young female employees entertain male clients and celebrities.

Fuji TV failed to provide necessary care for the woman and did not report to a compliance office despite her consultations with supervisors and two doctors who examined her, the report said, noting the network management’s “low levels of understanding of sexual violence and human rights awareness.”

Executives continued to allow Nakai to appear on Fuji TV shows, the report said.

“It was a wrong and inconsiderate move that only added to her suffering,” said Akira Takeuchi, a main lawyer with the investigation team.

Takeuchi also said surveys of employees indicated “rampant” sexual harassment at the company.

A series of sexual assault allegations have surfaced in recent years in Japan’s entertainment industry. They include the abuse of hundreds of boys and young men by late talent mogul Johnny Kitagawa, whose now-defunct agency Johnny & Associates managed many boy bands, including SMAP.

Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press