Fuji Media, rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct, says executives to resign Reuters
By Rocky Swift
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Fuji Media said on Monday that chairman Shuji Kanoh and head of its TV unit Koichi Minato will step down amid an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct at an event organized by one of its executives.
Fuji TV has been embroiled in scandal since December when Japanese magazines accused Masahiro Nakai, a TV host and former leader of boy band SMAP, of sexual harassment at an event organized by one of the broadcaster’s executives.
Outrage over the report and Fuji’s inept handling of the problem resulted in a damaging exodus of advertisers and calls for management change by activist shareholders.
It also raised concerns about the potentially rampant exploitation of women in Japan’s entertainment industry at a time when numerous sexual abuse scandals in various sectors have rocked the country.
Nakai, 52, apologized on his fan website for causing trouble and announced his retirement from show business. He also acknowledged that he had reached a settlement with the other party, but did not directly address the allegations. Nakai did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
