Nakai Retired in January Amid Sexual Bribery Allegations
Advertising Suspensions and Other Fallout Lead to Fuji TV's Deficit
Fuji TV Mentions Possibility of Lawsuit Against Nakai
Masahiro Nakai, 52, a former member of the Japanese national group SMAP, has retired from the entertainment industry amid allegations of sexual bribery, and there is now a possibility that he could face a damages lawsuit worth tens of billions of won.
According to Japanese media outlet Flash on June 8 (local time), Fuji TV announced on June 5 that it would take legal action against former president Koichi Minato and former executive director Ryo Ota, who caused damage to the company due to a sexual bribery scandal.
Kenji Shimizu, president of Fuji TV, stated at a press conference, "Broadcasting revenue has dropped significantly, causing massive damage," and revealed that the company is considering filing a damages lawsuit. He also mentioned the possibility of legal action against Masahiro Nakai, who is directly involved in the sexual bribery scandal, saying, "All options are on the table."
In the financial results for Fuji TV and its parent company Fuji Media Holdings in May, the group recorded a net loss of 20.1 billion yen (approximately 188.5 billion won), marking its first time turning to a deficit. Fuji TV attributes this sharp decline in broadcasting revenue to the mass withdrawal of advertisers following the sexual bribery allegations.
An industry insider commented, "Nakai is the main culprit behind this issue, and there is a strong possibility that Fuji TV will pursue legal action. If former president Minato and others are sued for damages exceeding 1 billion yen (94 billion won), it would not be surprising if Nakai is also sued for an amount equal to or greater than that."
There are even rumors of Nakai's personal bankruptcy. The industry insider added, "Nakai's annual income reportedly reaches several hundred million yen, and he is known to own several high-end properties, including luxury apartments in Minato, Tokyo. However, not only Fuji TV, but also companies for which he served as a commercial model may demand large penalty payments. There are views that it will be difficult for him to handle all of these claims."
Nakai decided to retire after being embroiled in the sexual bribery scandal in January this year. The Japanese media outlet Shukan Bunshun reported that Fuji TV forced a female employee to provide sexual favors, and the victim, a woman in her 20s, claimed, "I was sexually assaulted by Masahiro during a company dinner and became pregnant." She later revealed that Nakai pressured her to have an abortion and paid her 90 million yen (about 844 million won) as a settlement.
Further allegations surfaced of systematic sexual bribery within Fuji TV, which fueled public outrage. Subsequently, the programs Nakai hosted as the main presenter were canceled, and major Japanese companies such as Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor suspended their advertisements on Fuji TV.
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