Fuji Media chair and TV unit head resign amid public and advertiser outrage over broadcaster’s handling of misconduct allegations. The sexual misconduct allegations levelled against Japanese celebrity and former pop star Masahiro Nakai have led to the resignations of two top executives of the Fuji Media group.
![[Fuji Media holds a press conference in Tokyo]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/27/10/2025-01-27T092145Z_344955359_RC28ICA006LD_RTRMADP_3_JAPAN-FUJIMEDIA-SCANDAL.jpg)
The group’s chair, Shuji Kanoh, and television unit head, Koichi Minato, stepped down amid mounting public and investor backlash against the broadcaster. The allegations, which surfaced in Japanese tabloids last month, accused Mr Nakai, 52, of sexually assaulting a woman during an event organised by a Fuji TV executive some years ago.
![[Chairman of Fuji Television Shuji Kano speaks during a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Tokyo on 27 January 2025]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/27/10/2195599519.jpg)
Mr Nakai, a former member of the legendary boy band Smap and a household name in Japan, has apologised for causing "trouble” and announced his retirement from show business. The resignations of Mr Kanoh and Mr Minato, announced on Monday, came amid calls for accountability within Fuji Media. Kenji Shimizu, an executive at Fuji TV, was named the new president of the broadcaster’s television division.
Fuji Media’s delayed response to the allegations in particular has drawn sharp criticism. A spokesperson for the broadcaster said they were aware of the incident as far back as June 2023 but refrained from launching a broader investigation owing to privacy concerns and ongoing settlement talks.
