AFPJapanese TV host Masahiro Nakai, one of many nation’s most recognisable faces on tv, has introduced that he’s retiring after a sexual assault allegation that has rocked the nation’s leisure business.
Nakai, who offered for Fuji Tv, was accused of sexually assaulting a girl at a 2023 ceremonial dinner held by employees.
Dozens of corporations have pulled their commercials from Fuji Tv amid claims that the corporate’s employees had tried to cowl up the scandal.
Nakai has denied utilizing violence towards the lady, and mentioned on 9 January that he had “resolved” the matter along with her via a settlement. However this did little to quell public anger.
In a social media assertion posted on Thursday, Nakai mentioned that he was “really sorry for inflicting bother and losses to so many individuals”.
“I am actually, actually sorry for saying goodbye this manner.”
His resignation comes days after Fuji Tv president Koichi Minato confirmed that the corporate didn’t disclose Nakai’s scandal regardless of being conscious of it lengthy earlier than it was reported within the media.
Automobile makers Nissan and Toyota, in addition to retail firm Seven & I holdings which runs the retail 7-eleven comfort retailer chain, had been amongst those who introduced they had been pulling promoting from Fuji Tv over the scandal.
Fuji Tv is anticipated to arrange an impartial committee to analyze the scandal.
Appearances of Nakai have additionally been scrubbed from programmes.
Nakai soared to stardom within the Nineties because the chief of Japanese boy band SMAP, one among Asia’s most profitable acts. The group launched greater than 50 singles – a lot of which grew to become chart toppers – and launched a weekly selection present on prime-time tv.
Getty PicturesAfter SMAP disbanded in 2016, Nakai went on to change into a tv host in addition to one of many wealthiest celebrities in Japan.
Japan’s leisure business is dealing with a reckoning with lengthy unstated instances of sexual assault.
In 2023, J-pop government Johnny Kitagawa, who by then had been useless for 4 years, was uncovered to have sexually abused a whole lot of boys and younger males for many years.
His expertise company, Johnny & Associates, had managed SMAP amongst different boy bands.
