J-pop Star Nakai to Retire after Sex Misconduct Allegations
Announcement and Reactions
Masahiro Nakai, a former member of the J-Pop boy band sensation SMAP and a celebrity television host, announced his retirement on Thursday after being accused of sexual misconduct, Japanese media reported. In a statement to his paid fan club, Nakai said he had “completed all discussions with TV stations, radio broadcasters, and sponsors regarding my termination, cancellation, removal, and contract annulment.” He added, “I will continue to face up to all problems sincerely and respond in a wholehearted manner. I alone am responsible for everything.”
Background and Allegations
Earlier this month, Fuji Television suspended a weekly show hosted by Nakai after media reports said he had paid a woman a lump sum of 90 million yen (US$575,000). Other major television networks also said they were dropping the 52-year-old former member of the hugely popular group SMAP. The allegations concern a 2023 encounter with the woman that leading tabloid magazine Shukan Bunshun said involved a closed-door setting and a “sexual act against her will.”
Industry Reactions and Fallout
The scandal has sparked widespread outrage, with dozens of top brands including Toyota and McDonald’s pulling their adverts from Fuji TV. The share price of Fuji Media was down 8.4% on Thursday. The now-disbanded SMAP swept the charts in Japan and across Asia during the group’s nearly 30 years of fame.
Context and Previous Scandals
The scandal comes after now-defunct boy band empire Johnny & Associates – of which SMAP was long the defining face – admitted in 2023 to sexual abuse allegations against its late founder. Music mogul Johnny Kitagawa, who died aged 87 in 2019, had for decades sexually assaulted teenage boys and young men seeking stardom, the agency said. Japan’s showbiz industry was then rocked by another bombshell sexual assault scandal against Hitoshi Matsumoto, one of the country’s most popular comedians. In November, Matsumoto said he was withdrawing a libel case against the Shukan Bunshun magazine that published the allegations, including that he forced oral sex on one woman, and forcibly kissed another.
Conclusion
The retirement of Nakai marks a significant development in the ongoing scandal, and it remains to be seen how the Japanese entertainment industry will respond to the allegations. The industry has faced repeated scandals in recent years, and it is clear that a significant cultural shift is needed to address the issue of sexual misconduct and abuse.
FAQs
* What is the nature of the allegations against Masahiro Nakai?
The allegations concern a 2023 encounter with a woman that involved a “sexual act against her will.”
* What has been the reaction of the entertainment industry to the allegations?
Dozens of top brands, including Toyota and McDonald’s, have pulled their adverts from Fuji TV, and several television networks have dropped Nakai’s shows.
* Is this the first time the Japanese entertainment industry has faced allegations of sexual misconduct?
No, the industry has faced repeated scandals in recent years, including allegations against Johnny Kitagawa, the late founder of Johnny & Associates, and Hitoshi Matsumoto, a popular comedian.