What is the Fuji TV s*x scandal about? Details explored as major anime shows get caught in the crossfire

The Japanese broadcasting powerhouse Fuji TV is currently in the throes of a s*x scandal, one so big that it has led to the resignation of two top executives of the network, and withdrawal of advertisers, according to Variety. The controversy revolves around Masahiro Nakai, who used to be the face of the boy band SMAP.

According to a report by the Japanese news agency, Kyodo News, which appeared in January 30, 2025:

The controversy stems from a report made by a weekly magazine in December which alleged that a meal for a group of people arranged by a Fuji TV employee in June 2023 ended up with only Nakai and his unnamed female victim present, leading to nonconsensual s*xual activity and a 90 million yen ($577,000) out-of-court settlement.

For a year and a half after the accusations first came to light in 2024, the network kept putting Nakai on air. Finally, on January 27, 2025, Fuji TV President Koichi Minato, and Chairman Shuji Kanoh, decided to leave their positions after much furore. The two top executives admitted messing up and said they were sorry for losing the trust of the public.

According to a Variety report quoting Associated Press, here is what Koichi Minato said at a press conference:

"We are very sorry to have destroyed our credibility."

While the network denies a deliberate cover-up, its slow response and the ongoing fallout of the incident suggest a deeper, systemic malaise within Japanese media when it comes to s*xual misconduct. The Fuji TV scandal has sparked broader investigations into governance failures across major networks, amplifying concerns about industry-wide misconduct.

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Fuji TV’s governance failures and corporate response

The controversy started in December of 2024 when a weekly magazine reported about a private dinner set up by someone who worked at Fuji TV. Only Nakai and a female guest were present at the dinner, which ended up in nonconsensual s*x.

According to Kyodo News, to hush up what had happened, Fuji TV reportedly paid a sum of 90 million yen ($577,000) to settle things out of court. The network initially avoided talking too much about the whole incident, saying that they needed to maintain the privacy of the victim.

However, soon there was increasing pressure mounting on the network for action to be taken. A major investor from the U.S., Dalton Investments LLC, called for a separate investigation, which was not yet done by the network.

Fuji TV then held a press meet on January 17, 2025. However, according to Kyodo News, the press conferenece was criticized because it was felt that the information given out by the network at the event was "evasive." The network's decision to disallow filming of the press meet was also mentioned in the report.

Because of this, companies such as Toyota Motor Corp. stopped advertising on the network's shows. Fuji TV has subsequently decided to get its lawyers into action to look into the situation, according to Variety. The network has said that they will share the reports of the investigation by March 2025.

However, despite the investigation in place, many people still questioned if the big bosses at Fuji TV were taking the entire incident seriously. It was than that Minato and Kanoh declared they would be stepping down on January 27, 2025. Although this gives an indication that things have now finally started to move forward, many feel their resignations have come a bit late. A second, televised press conference was organised, according to a Kyodo News report, which said:

The 10-hour televised press conference, which was open and attended by over 400 participants, failed to shed further light on the issue.

A person associated with advertising in the country's restaurant industry talked to Kyodo News and shared what he felt:

"The new president is an internal appointment, so I doubt real governance reform is possible."

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Impact on Japanese media and entertainment

The Fuji TV scandal has sparked a widespread reflection within Japan's entertainment industry, which is currently facing numerous allegations of s*xual misconduct. This comes after the downfall of Nakai's old agency, Johnny & Associates, when it was disclosed that its founder, Johnny Kitagawa, had perpetrated systemic abuse.

As a result, several key networks like Nippon Television, Tokyo Broadcasting System, and TV Asahi, have initiated their own internal inquiries to find out if they have had similar incidents within the workplace.

This situation has also brought to light the troubling practice of "entertainment networking parties," where female employees in the industry, such as broadcasters and announcers, were supposedly coerced into attending events with famous figures and sponsors. Although Fuji TV insists these gatherings did not involve any s*xual coercion, the suggestion has shaken public confidence.

Arata Oshima, who used to work at Fuji TV and is now a documentary filmmaker, told Kyodo News:

"Executives like Minato carried over a mindset from Japan’s bubble era, which no longer aligns with modern expectations."

The situation is causing a big stir in the industry, which is worried about the financial health of the TV business. More than 70 companies have stopped running ads on the channel, and unless they do something to fix things, the network's revenue could take a drastic hit.

What is in store for Fuji TV and the rest of Japan’s media scene will likely depend on what an independent panel finds out after an investigation.

Meanwhile, fans of Fuji TV shows are concerned about what all this means for their favorite animes. If companies keep withdrawing ads, it could lead to shake-ups in the schedule or changes to the shows. As of now, none of the shows have been canceled.

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In Japan, Fuji TV can be watched through their FOD, or Fuji On Demand. If you are not in Japan, you could catch some of their shows on services like Crunchyroll or Netflix, depending on where you live and the availability of rights.

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